RAD LAB - NUCLEAR MEDICINE PHYSICS
Provides an introduction to the technical skills required in nuclear medicine physics. This includes laboratory rotations in basic radiopharmaceutical production and quality control, basic operation and quality control testing on PET and SPECT scanners, time series image analysis of radiotracer studies and nuclear medicine dosimetry and radiation safety training. Gain a firsthand understanding of the professional duties performed by a nuclear medicine medical physicist.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: MED PHYS/B M E 580 or declared in Medical Physics VISP Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the basic methods for the production of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine imaging, including cyclotron produced parent / progeny generators. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Illustrate how to perform evaluations/ testing of the nuclear medicine imaging systems for proper performance. This includes scanner characteristic measures that would be made for acceptance test and periodic QC measures. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Perform these evaluations/tests in an accurate fashion. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Analyze the results of these tests. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Create a report of these results which document the findings and communicate them to someone who is not a scientist. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Properly use individual radiation protection techniques during the testing. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Describe how radionuclides are synthesized into radiopharmaceuticals for human use. This includes how quality control tests are performed and the significance of each test. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the basic methods for the production of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine imaging, including cyclotron produced parent / progeny generators. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Illustrate how to perform evaluations/ testing of the nuclear medicine imaging systems for proper performance. This includes scanner characteristic measures that would be made for acceptance test and periodic QC measures. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Perform these evaluations/tests in an accurate fashion. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Analyze the results of these tests. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Create a report of these results which document the findings and communicate them to someone who is not a scientist. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Properly use individual radiation protection techniques during the testing. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Describe how radionuclides are synthesized into radiopharmaceuticals for human use. This includes how quality control tests are performed and the significance of each test. Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027