Division of Medical Physics

Radiation Dosimetry I

UT HSC Medical Physics Course MPHY 6120/8120 (CRN: 56283/56269)
3 credit hours
Fall semester 2021

Class Time:   Monday 9:30 PM - 12:15 PM
Office Hours:   Before/after class or by appointment
Instructor: Diana Shvydka, PhD, DABR
Text Book: H. E. Johns and J. R. Cunningham
Physics of Radiology, 4th edition, Charles C. Thomas, 1983
Self-study Books: 

E. B. Podgorsak, Compendium to Radiation Physics for Medical Physicists
(Access to the e-book version is available through UT library)

H. E. Johns and J. R. Cunningham,
Solutions to selected problems from the Physics of Radiology, Fourth Edition,
Charles C. Thomas, 1991

Grading:

The final grade is determined based on relative performance of the class using the following scheme:

6 quizzes:  50%
Midterm exam:  25%
Final exam:  25%

Quiz/exam grades (posted when available)

Complete Syllabus

Course Schedule with lecture handout links

Chapter

Date

Homework

Exam/Quiz 

 1-2. Review of basic concepts. Production and properties of x rays

 08/30

 Ch.1:6,15,18,25,32
 Ch.2:7,10,16,19,20

 

 ****Labor day – no class 

 09/06

 

 

3. The fundamentals of nuclear physics

 09/13

2,13,18,20,21,24

  Quiz Ch.1-2

 4. High energy machines

 09/20

 4,5,7,8,9  

 5. The interaction of ionizing radiation with matter

 09/27

 1,10,11,16,19,24

 Quiz Ch.3-4

 6. The basic interactions between photons and charged particles with matter

 10/04

2,11,20,22,26,34

 

 7-8. Measurement of radiation: dosimetry concepts and theory. The quality of x rays and half-value layer

 10/11

Ch7: 5,10,12,13,14
Ch8: 4,5,10,11

 Quiz Ch.5-6

 9. Measurement of radiation: instrumentation and techniques 

 10/18 

  4,6,9,14,23,24

 

  Chapters 1-8

 10/25

 

Midterm Exam  

 10. The interaction of single beams of x and gamma rays with scattering medium

 11/01

5,7,9,12,13,15

 

 11. Treatment planning - single beam

 11/08

 2,3,5,7,9,11

 Quiz Ch.9-10

 12. Treatment planning - combination of beams

 11/15

 4,5,7,8,12,18

 

 14. Nuclear medicine
      Binomial vs other distributions

 11/22

 1,2,8,10,12,15

 Quiz Ch.11-12

 15. Radiation protection

 11/29

 2,3,4,5,6

 

 Introduction to physics of solid state devices
 Dosimetry near high-Z inhomogeneities 
 Proton beam therapy treatment planning
 Carbon ions therapy

 12/06

 

 Quiz Ch.14-15

     Chapters 9-12, 14-15

 12/13

 

 Final Exam

Note: underlined problems are solved in “Solutions to selected problems from the Physics of Radiology, Fourth Edition” by H. E. Johns and J. R. Cunningham, Charles C. Thomas, 1991.

Last Updated: 6/27/22