MRP 105 – RADIATION MATTER – INTERACTION

radiation

Co-ordinator:  Panayiotakis George

Lecturers: George Messaris, Dimitris Nikolopoulos, George Panayiotakis, Spyros Skiadopoulos

Aim and Objectives:

The aim of this course is to explain the underlying principles of radiation physics. It is aiming to introduce students to the basics of different types of radiation used or occurred in radiation medicine, focusing on the most commons, photos and electrons. Their interaction mechanisms with matter will be explained in detail, as well as the physical principles relevant to their attenuation and corresponding energy transfer.

Course Content:

  1. Fundamental of atomic and nuclear physics. Classification of radiation. Basic types of radiation used in medicine.    Atomic and nuclear structure.
  2. The production and properties of X-rays. Fundamentals of X-ray production. Structure and function of X ray tubes. Tube voltage, collimation and filtration. Factors influencing X-ray spectra and output.
  3. Photon interaction with matter. Photoelectric effect. Thomson scattering. Coherent (Rayleigh) scattering. Compton scattering by free electrons Scattering and energy transfer coefficients. Incoherent scattering. Pair and triplet production.
  4. Photon attenuation in matter. Linear attenuation coefficient. Exponential attenuation. Mass attenuation coefficient. Mass energy transfer coefficients and mass energy absorption coefficients. Contribution of individual interactions to the total mass attenuation coefficient. Calculation of coefficients for compounds and mixtures.
  5. Electron Interaction with matter.     Ionizational (collisional) interactions and ionizational stopping power. Radiative interactions and radiative stopping power. Total stopping power. Stopping power in compounds and mixtures. Linear energy transfer.
  6. Other types of radiation. Alpha particles. Neutrons

Suggested Textbooks

  • IAEA Books
  • E.B. Podgorsak. Radiation Physics for Medical Physicists. Springer, 2016.
  • F.H. Attix. Introduction to Radiological Physics and Radiation Dosimetry, Wiley, 1991.
  • Lecture notes

Grading policy

Projects and written examinations.