Required in stage
Optional in stage
Second term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Identical coursesQuality Assurance and Special Techniques in Radiology (B-KUL-G0Z72A)
Bosmans Hilde (coordinator) | Bosmans Hilde | N. | Marshall Nicholas (substitute) Aims
This course provides in depth knowledge on how to achieve quality in radiology. This includes a detailed analysis of existing quality control (QC) protocols, and prepares the student to go beyond the clear-cut solutions and to propose new and better test methods.
The student will be trained to formulate optimization strategies and address personalized dosimetry. Finally, a selection of newly emerging devices or applications is introduced.
The specific learning outcomes are:
- Students have good insight in QC protocols for dental intra oral systems, general radiology, mammography, fluoroscopy systems and CT and CBCT scanners.
- Students master several techniques for optimization in radiology.
- Students understand the specific approaches required in the frame of cancer screening.
- Students can develop QC protocols for emerging devices and applications.
Previous knowledge
The student has theoretical knowledge of the technology and techniques used in radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, as well as of elements of radioprotection.
Identical courses
This course is identical to the following courses:
G0T94A : Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Special Techniques in Radiology
Is included in these courses of study
- Master of Medical Physics (Leuven et al) 120 ects.
Activities
3 ects. Quality Assurance and Special Techniques in Radiology (B-KUL-G0Z72a)
EnglishFormat: Lecture
18 
First termBosmans Hilde | N. | Marshall Nicholas (substitute) Content
Basic QC protocols
Advanced QA protocols: 17 subtasks in every test session
Achieving robust QC protocols
MTF, noise and DQE measurements explored
Practical: image quality metrics in digital radiology
- Case studies: example protocols
QA in breast cancer screening: from justification, (daily) QC, half yearly tests up to the safe introduction of new technologies
-Students present a chapter of the European Guidelines in breast cancer screening and diagnosis
QA in CT imaging, including CT in hybrid technology and related 3D imaging techniques
QA in fluoroscopy
-Practical: let’s make the outline for a QC protocol of a new device
Optimization strategies in radiology
-Demonstration of optimization projects
Personalized patient dosimetry
Task based testing: From signal difference to noise ratio to task based testing and detectability indices
Tools to address image perception tasks
-Demonstration of hoteling model observers for QC purposes. Make your own model observer.
Dose monitoring with a data collection platform as a tool for optimization
-Demonstration: dose date surveys as requested by the FANC + the physicist’s favorite
New technologies: topic to be updated yearly. Example1: photon counting based CT
New technologies: topic to be updated yearly. Example2: synthetic mammograms from breast tomosynthesis
The role of the physicist in testing (new) image analysis software
Course material
Slides
The protocols as published by the FANC and by the Belgian Hospital Physicists Association.
The European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis, as downloadable from www.euref.org.
Scientific papers and test reports of the radiology research team illustrating optimization and dose monitoring in radiology.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Quality Assurance and Special Techniques in Radiology (B-KUL-G2Z72a)
Explanation
The presentation is scored on a total of 20% of the total score.