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Biomedical Sciences
Medical Instrumentation

Medical Instrumentation

Code	13520
Year	1
Semester	S2
ECTS Credits	6
Workload	TP(60H)
Scientific area	Biomedical Sciences
Entry requirements	N/A
Mode of delivery	Face-to-face
Work placements	Not applicable
Learning outcomes	Obtaining training in Instrumentation field, with emphasis on the principles of operation of instruments and techniques used in diagnosis and therapy. At the end of the course the student should be able to: explain the physics processes related to radiation physics and the main characteristics of the detectors used in the detection of X- and gamma-rays. Relate the type of information that a nuclear medicine technique or X-ray techniques can provide with the physical principles and the instrumentation used. Critically analyze advances in technology used in medical instrumentation, focusing on instrumentation for nuclear medicine and diagnostic X-rays. Collect and organize information, and discussion in group of a medical instrumentation topic. Orally communicate issues in the area of medical instrumentation for public consisting of specialists and non-specialists.
Syllabus	1. Radiation Detectors 1.1. Historical background of radiation detectors 1.2. Basic principles of radiation detectors 2. Gaseous detectors 2.1. Ionization chamber 2.2. Proportional counter 2.3. Geiger-Müller counter 3. Semiconductor detectors 3.1. Properties of semiconductor materials 3.2. Semiconductor diodes as radiation detectors 3.3. Silicon and germanium detectors 3.4. Compound semiconductor detectors 4. Scintillation detectors 4.1. Basic principles of scintillation counters 4.2. Scintillating materials 4.3. Organic scintillators 4.4. Inorganic scintillators 4.5. Photomultiplier Tubes 4.6. Photodiodes 4.7. Scintillation pulse shape 5. Gamma-ray spectroscopy with scintillators 5.1. General considerations 5.2. Gamma-ray interaction 5.3. Detector expected response function 5.4. Complications in the detector response function 5.5. Properties of scintillator-based spectrometers 6. Gamma camera 6.1. Basic principles of operation 6.2. Performance characteristics
Main Bibliography	Radiation Detection and Measurement, G. F. Knoll, 4rd ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2010. Physics in Nuclear Medicine, S. R. Cherry, J. A. Sorenson, M. E. Phelps, 3rd ed., Saunders, Philadelphia, 2003.
Language	Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.