RADIATION PRODUCTION AND DETECTION

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: PHYSICS/B M E/H ONCOL/MED PHYS 501 Course Designation: Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Achieve competence in experimental measurement methods of radiation dose Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Develop a functional understanding of the principles and operation of the major types of ionizing radiation detectors used in modern medical physics including ion chambers, scintillators, semiconductors, chemical detectors, and calorimeters. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply fundamental atomic and nuclear physics and chemistry to radiation production using charged and neutral particles with accelerators and reactors, especially in the context of radionuclide production for diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Develop an understanding of the principles and operation of medical electron linear accelerators for radiation therapy. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Apply physics and engineering concepts to understand the basic hardware configuration of an x-ray tube, the production of electrons by thermionic emission, the acceleration of electrons to a target material, and the physical interactions in the target resulting in x-rays. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Apply what has been learned to their current research project. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Achieve competence in experimental measurement methods of radiation dose Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Develop a functional understanding of the principles and operation of the major types of ionizing radiation detectors used in modern medical physics including ion chambers, scintillators, semiconductors, chemical detectors, and calorimeters. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Apply fundamental atomic and nuclear physics and chemistry to radiation production using charged and neutral particles with accelerators and reactors, especially in the context of radionuclide production for diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Develop an understanding of the principles and operation of medical electron linear accelerators for radiation therapy. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Apply physics and engineering concepts to understand the basic hardware configuration of an x-ray tube, the production of electrons by thermionic emission, the acceleration of electrons to a target material, and the physical interactions in the target resulting in x-rays. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Apply what has been learned to their current research project. Audience: Graduate