Introduction to Health and Medical Physics

The course aims to provide students with an overview of the use of radiation in medicine. Starting from the principles of the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter, the fundamental concepts of radiation therapy with photons and charged particles, and of medical imaging with X-rays and Magnetic Resonance will be developed.

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired knowledge of how the applications of physics methodologies can contribute to both medical diagnostics and therapy. In particular, the student:
- will know the bases of the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter, with specific reference to type of particles, energies and materials of interest for medical physics;
- will know the basic aspects of medical imaging with X-rays in conventional radiology, mammography and computed tomography; as well as the basics of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging;
- will know the basic concepts of radiation therapy with photons and charged particles and the physical, radiobiological and instrumental characteristics of hadrontherapy.