MSc Medical Physics in Cancer Radiation Therapy / Course details

The unit will cover both the underlying science and clinical aspects of radiotherapy through the following topics:

• The unit will provide detailed understanding of the physics underpinning radiotherapy, including the interactions between radiation and matter and radiation beam characteristics and quality.
• Delivery technologies for external beam radiotherapy, both photon and electron beam, will be presented detailing the hardware required for beam generation and shaping.
• Methods for internal delivery of radiation will be presented, detailing key concepts in brachytherapy and molecular radiotherapy.
• Linear accelerator commissioning and measurements of beam characteristics will be described, including commissioning guidelines and codes of practice for linking machine dosimetry to national standards.
• The operation and capabilities of linear accelerator operation will be presented, along with the measurement techniques for dosimetry and quality assurance of machine characteristics.
• The hardware and operation of on-treatment imaging used in image guided radiotherapy will be described.
• Visits to clinical linear accelerator bunkers will be arranged (depending on clinical workload).
• Key principles in treatment planning, including: segmentation, target definition, delivery techniques (3D conformal, IMRT, VMAT, SABR), dose calculation algorithms and concepts regarding handling motion within planning strategies.
• Students will synthesis their treatment planning knowledge within practical experience of creating clinical standard treatment plans.
• Concepts for radiation protection and safety in radiotherapy delivery.

The following learning and teaching processes will be utilised: Classroom based teaching, podcasts, interactive computer simulation practical sessions and paired programming, formative assessments, interactive group based discussion and tutorial sessions, on-line resources, independent study, facility tours and demonstrations.

Students should/will be able to:

• Appraise the role of radiotherapy as a method for cancer treatment.
• Analyse the different interactions of radiation with matter and evaluate beam characteristics.
• Demonstrate knowledge of radiotherapy beam generation and radiation measurement.
• Appraise different treatment planning approaches and the key considerations for treatment optimisation.
• Examine the role of image-guidance in radiotherapy, evaluating the clinical potential.

Students should/will be able to:

• Examine radiation interactions and their role in dose deposition in radiotherapy.
• Evaluate radiotherapy beam generation and dose measurement approaches.
• Critically compare and contrast treatment planning optimisation approaches and their role in enabling bespoke radiotherapy.
• Examine the role of image-guidance in radiotherapy.

Students should/will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of beam generation and measurement.
• Synthesis knowledge to optimise a treatment plan, explaining rationale for approach.
• Evaluate the role of image-guidance in radiotherapy.

Students should/will be able to:

• Apply analytical skills to systematically evaluate evidence.
• Technical: Practical experience in radiotherapy plan optimisation.

Summative 1: 50%

Worked example of radiotherapy calculations - e.g., linking machine output to primary standard / plan verification; including quantification of uncertainties and evaluation of action tolerances.

This will be presented in the style of a radiotherapy quality system report. A template will be provided.

Summative 2: 50%

Case report of radiotherapy planning case - short report covering presentation of the case, compromises made and a discussion and justification of approach for optimisation / compromises on organ at risk dose.

Feedback will be provided within the required timeframe.