PCN212 Radiotherapy
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | PCN212 |
|---|---|
| Assumed Knowledge: | Basic radiation physics is assumed knowledge. |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $6,000 |
| International unit fee | $5,832 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | PCN212 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | Basic radiation physics is assumed knowledge. |
| Coordinator: | Andrew Fielding | a.fielding@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides an overview of the application of physics to radiotherapy including theoretical and practical aspects of the major topics in radiotherapy physics. The unit builds on your previous knowledge of radiation physics and applies it to radiotherapy.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the physics and technology of radiotherapy.
- Critically and effectively apply advanced knowledge and skills to real world clinical problems.
- Synthesise advanced knowledge from multiple sources to make sound judgements and to formulate strategies for best practice in radiation oncology medical physics.
- Engage and communicate effectively with peers, stakeholders and members of the clinical multi-disciplinary team.
- Autonomously and ethically plan and execute tasks to a high professional standard.
Content
This unit will give you a good understanding of classical and contemporary radiotherapy with an emphasis on the knowledge required by the radiation oncology medical physicist. Topics will include:
- Overview of clinical radiotherapy and radiobiological basis
- Radiation therapy equipment (accelerators, 60Co teletherapy, cyclotrons, kV generators)
- Basic photon radiation therapy
- Patient setup, including positioning and immobilization
- Simulation, virtual simulation, digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs), image registration
- Dosimetric functions and basic treatment planning
- Dose calculation algorithms and heterogeneity corrections
- Prescribing, recording and reporting according to the ICRU Reports 50, 62 and 83
- Basic electron radiation therapy, ICRU Report 71
- Brachytherapy including the ICRU Report 38 and the AAPM TG 43 formalism
- High dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR)
- Equipment and sources
- Treatment planning
- Inverse Planning and optimization for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
- Small-field radiotherapy equipment and special techniques (stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) and radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), IMRT, VMAT, TomotherapyTM, CyberknifeTM, GammaknifeTM, proton and Heavy-Ion therapy)
- Image guidance and verification in radiotherapy (Cone beam CT (CBCT), ultrasound (US), portal imaging, in-vivo dosimetry (IVD), image registration)
- Radiation therapy information systems
- Principles of quality management in radiation oncology
Learning Approaches
Lectures/Workshops: Approximately 4 hours per week
Practicals/Experimental: 2 - 3 hours per week
The unit uses blended learning methodology to deliver the content and develop your knowledge and skills. The online component introduces the theory and the teaching materials, including videos, tutorial questions and other useful resources enable you to access this material at your own pace in your own time. These are made available on Canvas and prepare you for the practical sessions which are designed to develop your professional skills
The face to face element includes lectures and practicals as well as visits to clinical radiotherapy departments (led by clinical medical physicists) to enable you make a strong connection of theory to clinical practice. A significant amount of time is spent doing laboratory exercises with your peers, where you are expected to perform tasks autonomously and/or collaboratively and work to high professional standards, taking into consideration the legal and ethical standards of the profession.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will be given feedback on your progress throughout the unit:
- Written comments on problem solving tasks and practical reports according to criteria
- Peer and teacher feedback in workshops and practicals.
- Individual or group consultation will be available on request.
Assessment
Overview
Your knowledge and skills will be assessed in a variety of ways. You will be required to prepare individual reports of a number of different authentic clinical medical physics procedures carried out under the guidance of a clinical radiation oncology medical physicist. End of semester written and oral exams will assess your theoretical knowledge and it's application to clinical medical physics practice. The written critique will assess the development of your critical analysis skills and your ability to survey the relevant literature.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Critique (written)
You will prepare a critical reflection on an important topic in contemporary radiotherapy, based on the review of literature
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Laboratory/Practical
You will be required to attend a number of practical sessions. Some of these will be held in a clinical radiotherapy department. A clinical physicist will guide you through performing some basic quality assurance tests and you will be required to write up and present your results in a report for assessment. The following indicates examples of practicals you could be required to complete.
1. Linear Accelerator Photon absolute dose calibration
2. Linear Accelerator Electron absolute dose calibration
3. Linear Accelerator Relative dosimetry
4. Kilovoltage dosimetry
5. MU checking
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension
Assessment: Examination (written)
You will be required to complete a written examination at the end of the semester.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Lecture notes will be made available online. Relevant book chapters will be made available through QUT Readings
1. Physics of Radiation Therapy, Fifth Edition, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
2. Kahn R & Potish (ed) (1998) Treatment Planning in Radiation Oncology, Williams & Wilkins.
3. Van Dyk J. (Ed) (1999) The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology, Medical Physics Publishing.
4. Williams JR & Thwaites DI (1993) Radiotherapy Physics, New York: Oxford University Press
5. D. Greene & P.C. Williams (1997) Linear Accelerators for Radiation Therapy, Taylor and Francis
6. Hendee W, Ibbott and Hendee E (2005) Radiation Therapy Physics, 3rd Edition, Wiley
7. Marcu L, Bezak E and Allen B (2012) Biomedical Physics in Radiotherapy for Cancer, CSIRO Publishing
8. Radiation Oncology Physics: A Handbook for Teachers and Students, Edited by E. Podgorsak (Available on Canvas)
Risk Assessment Statement
Attention will be drawn to relevant workplace health and safety issues during lectures and practicals. There are no other out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.PH71 Graduate Diploma in Applied Science
- Demonstrate advanced critical knowledge and specialised technical skills base on current research in medical physics
Relates to: ULO1, Laboratory/Practical, Examination (written) - Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the main areas of medical physics
Relates to: ULO1 - Effectively apply advanced discipline skills in the main areas of medical physics to meet an identified medical physics problem/requirement
Relates to: ULO1 - Demonstrate higher order cognitive skills to critically assess knowledge and provide creative solutions to complex problems in research or the professional practice of medical physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Critique (written), Laboratory/Practical - Systematically and critically assess current knowledge to solve complex problems within medical physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Constructively, creatively and effectively apply advanced analytical skills to deal with complex issues within the field
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Demonstrate creative problem solving and specialised professional skills in the domain of Medical Physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Apply knowledge and skills and use appropriate communication strategies to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a diverse audience
Relates to: ULO4, Critique (written) - Communicate effectively and professionally with peers, stakeholders and the broader community
Relates to: ULO4 - Demonstrate proficiency in all modes of professional and/or scholarly communication.
Relates to: ULO4 - Engage effectively across multicultural and/or interdisciplinary domains
Relates to: ULO4 - Apply acquired knowledge and skills to work with integrity within the professional context of Medical Physics.
Relates to: ULO5, Laboratory/Practical - Make sound judgement in a range of technical functions in various specialised contexts
Relates to: ULO5 - Autonomously plan and execute tasks within a varied and specialised technical context
Relates to: ULO5 - Apply self-management skills to successfully complete complex projects
Relates to: ULO5
PH80 Master of Applied Science
- Demonstrate advanced critical knowledge and specialised technical skills based on current research in medical physics
Relates to: ULO1, Laboratory/Practical, Examination (written) - Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the main areas of medical physics
Relates to: ULO1 - Critically review current research principles and methods to develop a deep understanding relevant to a specific medical physics problem
Relates to: ULO1 - Critically and effectively apply specialist discipline knowledge and skills to meet an identified medical physics problem/requirements
Relates to: ULO1 - Demonstrate higher order cognitive skills to critically assess knowledge and provide creative solutions to complex problems in research and/or the professional practice of medical physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Critique (written), Laboratory/Practical - Critically evaluate current research and research methodologies in medical physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Apply investigative research methods to generate research
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Synthesise multiple information sources to make sound judgements and to formulate best practice strategies and solutions using established theories
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Systematically, creatively and effectively deal with complex issues to solve significant problems within medical physics
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Constructively and creatively apply advanced analytical skills
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3 - Apply their knowledge and skills to design and use appropriate communication strategies to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a diverse range of audience
Relates to: ULO4, Critique (written) - Communicate effectively and professionally with peers, stakeholders and the broader community
Relates to: ULO4 - Demonstrate proficiency in all modes of professional and/or scholarly communication.
Relates to: ULO4 - Engage effectively across multicultural and/or interdisciplinary domains
Relates to: ULO4 - Apply acquired knowledge and skills to work with integrity within a varied and specialised professional contexts.
Relates to: Laboratory/Practical - Autonomously and ethically plan and execute tasks at a professional level
Relates to: ULO5 - Work effectively with others to meet shared goals.
Relates to: ULO5 - Apply self-management skills to successfully complete complex projects.
Relates to: ULO5