Graduate Courses

The purpose of these courses are to help students understand the basic physical and chemical principles of Nuclear Medicine by attending lectures, performing labs and/or attending recitations with the department’s Nuclear Medicine residents. Students will be required to complete all assigned homework, take exams and complete a paper or project assigned by the instructor.

Topics covered in 501 include the following:

• For 4 credits – Basic atomic structure, radioactive decay, isotope production, interactions of radiation with matter, radiation dosimetry, detection of radiation, basic counting instrumetation, and radiation spectroscopy
• For 2 credits – basic radiation safety and regulations pertaining to the practice of Nuclear Medicine
• For 6 credits – all of the above

Topics covered in 502 include:

• For 4 credits – Nuclear Medicine Instrumentation
• For 2 credits – Commonly used radiopharmaceuticals, their preparation, quality control and clinical indications.
• For 6 credits – all of the above

Offered: Fall – 501 Spring – 502
Variable Credit: 2 − 6
Prerequisites: Permission of Instructor
Instructors:

Fall: G. Fast
Spring: G. Fast

The purpose of this course is to expose the students to the many facets of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a multidisciplinary field involving radiochemistry, radiopharmacy, medical physics, and computer science. The course will be a combination of lecture, laboratory work, PET scanner/camera exposure, and computer work. All individuals will receive hands-on experience in PET radionuclidic production, PET radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, PET camera operation and PET image reconstruction and quantification to name just a few planned operations.

Offered: Fall
Credit hours: 2
Instructor: Munawwar Sajjad
Prerequisites: Science of health related background

The course uses a tutorial approach to introduce the student to the problems being broached at the frontiers of Nuclear Medicine as they relate to the use of radioactive tracers. The student will use techniques such as a literature search and library work to develop an understanding of these problems in an area of interest such as monoclonal antibodies, positron emission tomography or single photon emission tomography tracers. Alternatively, the student may select a specific topic in one of these areas and become directly involved in original research involving a literature search and laboratory work.

Offered: Both semesters
Variable Credit: 2 – 4
Prerequisite: PI

The course uses a tutorial approach to introduce the student to the problems being broached at the frontiers of Nuclear Medicine as they relate to the use of radioactive tracers. The student will use techniques such as a literature search and library work to develop an understanding of these problems in an area of interest such as monoclonal antibodies, positron emission tomography or single photon emission tomography tracers. Alternatively, the student may select a specific topic in one of these areas and become directly involved in original research involving a literature search and laboratory work.

Offered: Both semesters
Variable Credit: 2 – 4
Prerequisite: PI

Independent study is any selected area of instrumentation, radiopharmaceutical development or clinical application of isotopes can be arranged.

Offered: Both semesters
Prerequisites: Permission of Instructor