RAD3200 OPTIMAX - Optimisation of image quality and x-radiation dose in medical imaging Course description

The course is organised in two parts. The first is an international summer school while the second is an ordinary study at HiOA. Each part has a duration of approx. 3 weeks.

Optimax is an outgrowth of programmes currently running at University of Salford (UK), Hanze University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands) , Haute Ecole de Santé Vaud (Switzerland) , Lisbon School of Health Technology (Portugal) and the Master Programme in Biomedicine at HiOA. These institutions take turns to host summer school.

Optimax is built on multi-disciplinary collaborative research already being undertaken between some of the partners. Contributing expertise will be drawn from a wide range of relevant disciplines and fields of practice and partners have been selected after a detailed discussion confirming their personal or institutional focus as highly relevant.

Subject

• Theory and method 0.5 ECTS
• Ethics 0.5 ECTS
• Governing 6.0 ECTS
• Physics of medical imaging 1.0 ECTS
• Quality improvement 1.0 ECTS
• Methodological principles and techniques 0.5 ECTS
• Communication 0.5 ECTS
• SUM 10 ECTS

Completion of the first and second academic year.

On successful completion of this part the student will achieve the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student is able to

• describe the challenges in welfare systems, relevant national legislation, and the role of national and international organizations, regulations and agreements regarding medical imaging. describe theory and regulation of X-radiation dose limitation in the clinical setting
• describe the difference in healthcare and medical imaging in the other countries
• describe how the fundamental sciences of physics and psychology can be co-applied to help minimise X-radiation dose
• discuss a range of approaches that might be used to minimise X-radiation dose in the clinical setting whilst preserving medical image quality
• describe how inter-professional collaboration contributes to improve image quality
• discuss how to promote best practice in radiography
• describe the past and present developments and achievements of medical imaging and discuss possible future challenges within the field.

Skills 

The student is able to

• participate in writing a scientific article, presenting a conference paper, presenting a conference poster and a basic scientific review.
• propose ways in which experiments can be conducted to generate image data
• analyse image data using suitable perceptual, mathematical and/or physics techniques
• draw inferences from the data with respect to identifying fit for purpose images that have low associated radiation dose

General competences

The student is able to

• facilitate an international and interdisciplinary experience in the medical imaging field
• consider strategies which can be used to effectively and safely translate dose and clinical image quality optimisation work into the routine clinical setting
• reflect upon ethical issues and discuss intercultural perspectives in research
• reflect on the development and priorities in medical imaging use and the consequences for social development, individual health and social problems

A learner-centered approach will be adopted in which students will be facilitated to direct their own learning. The heavy emphasis on interdisciplinary project work will permit this, thereby maximizing the principles of guided discovery learning. During the summer school, students will participate in lectures and tutorials, conduct collaborative project work and finally deliver presentations. Collaborative project work allows students to work within a team, whilst applying their knowledge and skills to given problems. Group presentation further develops team working skills and importantly it allows students to demonstrate their presentation and analytical skills in relation to the data generated during the group work.

In order to fulfill the learning outcomes, interaction between students and tutors as well as interaction among students is deemed necessary.

The following activities are compulsory:

• group meetings with tutor
• group assignments
• poster presentation of the assignments
• oral presentation of the assignments

A minimum of 80 % attendance is required at group meetings.

All work requirements must be fulfilled before the student can take the exam. All papers must be published on the course's web site. The papers must be signed electronically by all members of the group. For further details see the course description.

Examination content: The learning outcomes

Examination form: Written assignments at the end of the course, carried out in groups of 2 - 3 students, 1 week.

 ECTS grading A - F

Two internal examiner evaluate maximum 80 % and one internal and one external examiner evaluate minimum 20 % of the students.