MABIOD5000 Computed Tomography Course description

CT is a diagnostic imaging examination method, which uses ionising radiation to produce cross-sectional images, so that the bodily structures can be viewed in different planes.

The course comprises the following main topics:

1) Radiation protection 2) CT technology 3) Contrast agents 4) Quality control and image quality parameters 5) Work station and image processing 6) Patient doses, reference values, protocol development

Studenten bør ha minst ett års erfaring i bruk av modaliteten CT. Studenten bør dessuten ha tilgang til å benytte CT med tilhørende arbeidsstasjon på en radiologisk avdeling/røntgeninstitutt.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme. The course is also offered as an individual course. Experience of use of CT modality is an advantage.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of CT technology, including its development
• has in-depth knowledge of quality control procedures relating to CT
• has in-depth knowledge of the use of contrast agents and CT
• has in-depth knowledge of image quality and CT technology
• has advanced knowledge of work stations, image processing, and storage media
• has advanced knowledge of dosage calculations in connection with CT
• has knowledge of laws, regulations, and guides about radiation protection in relation to CT

Skills

The student is capable of

• carrying out post processing on the most common CT examinations
• analysing reports from CT quality controls, and carrying out dosage measurements by using measuring equipment
• carrying out image processing and assessing the image quality
• optimising CT protocols, with particular emphasis on adapted image quality and radiation dosage for the examination

Competence

The student is capable of

• communicating extensive independent work and mastering the forms of expression used in the field
• communicating about issues, analyses, and conclusions in the CT field to big and small audiences
• applying his/her knowledge and skills to new fields to carry out advanced tasks and projects

The course is web-based, and requires independent activity on the part of the students. Students are offered introduction material in the form of short texts and instruction videos in skills-oriented topics. Theoretical topics are presented through introductory texts with pertaining reading lists. Written assignments about CT modality are handed out for each topic.

The work and teaching methods comprise digital lectures, participation in digital discussion forums, skills training, seminar(s) and written assignments.

Digital lectures

In this course, traditional lectures are replaced by text, images, audio, videos, video-clips, real-slide-show, PowerPoint presentations, etc., which are carefully adapted to the individual learning situations.

Skills training

Skills training will consist of work on CT modality and work on the programme’s own website.

Digital discussion forums

The student will participate in discussions and supervise/teach fellow students or colleagues.

Seminars

Two seminars are arranged in the course (one each semester). The seminars comprise lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and group work.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• 8 individual written assignments. The scope of the assignments vary from 1,500 to 3,500 words, with the exception of coursework relating to quality control, in which the student can write as much as he/she wants.

The students are offered written supervision before the submission of all the assignments. The right to written supervision lapses if the student does not submit the assignment by the given deadline.

Exam content: The learning outcomes

Exam form: Individual written home exam, 6 hours.

All.

Grade scale A-F.

One external and one internal examiner will assess at least 20% of the exam papers. Two internal examiners assess the remaining students. The external examiner’s assessment shall benefit all students.