Academic Courses > DOS 541
DOS 541 - Radiobiology
Course Description
This class was part review and part new material. We have previously covered the interactions of ionizing radiation with matter and safety concerns in prior classes, but this class went into much more detail on microscopic and macroscopic effects of radiation on living tissues. We also reviewed tissue tolerances of major organ systems from several different sources and examined the progress that has been made over the years in refining these constraints. We also covered the fact that these models still have gaping holes and assumptions patching the rough spots in the data. Even with these shortcomings, these models still provide a useful baseline for minimizing risk to patients and providers as much as possible.
Assessment
Like most classes, this class was graded based on discussions posts and quizzes. Since it was only a three week class, the discussion posts were slightly more involved than usual, and we had to do a bit more research on our own to make our cases. I appreciated the extra time that had to be spent for these writings, since it helped solidify the concepts.
Discussions
Week 1: [no discussion]
Week 2: Quantitative Risk Assessment in Radiation Therapy
Week 3: Normal Tissue Tolerances
Week 2: Quantitative Risk Assessment in Radiation Therapy
Week 3: Normal Tissue Tolerances
Reflections
At the conclusion of each course, students are asked to reflect on what they have learned about the material and about themselves. The reflection is guided by five questions:
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were...
In my previous physics classes I have learned about the interactions of ionizing radiation with matter, and many of the microscopic effects on cells. This class covered both of those topics in more detail and also added a new dimension of macroscopic biological effects. One area that was interesting to me was the set of syndromes that develop at various levels of whole body exposure.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by...
Total body irradiation treatments are a sword without a hilt. They can provide great benefit, but they also bring patients close to lethal levels with each dose. I can see now how important it is to carefully manage the patient's recovery between fractions.
I struggle with...
Alpha/Beta ratios are still a bit counterintuitive to me. It's the dose at which the linear component of radiation effects equals the quadratic component? Why is that equilibrium point important?
I feel pretty good about...
Having both a microscopic and macroscopic understanding of the effects of radiation makes evaluating the consequences my planning choices easier.
Other reflective thoughts...
This class has given me a new appreciation for the importance of keeping track of low dose in my plans. I used to only look at the isodose lines near my prescription point, but that is going to change. I never realized how just a few Gray can increase the likelihood of secondary malignancies in tissues like lung.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were...
In my previous physics classes I have learned about the interactions of ionizing radiation with matter, and many of the microscopic effects on cells. This class covered both of those topics in more detail and also added a new dimension of macroscopic biological effects. One area that was interesting to me was the set of syndromes that develop at various levels of whole body exposure.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by...
Total body irradiation treatments are a sword without a hilt. They can provide great benefit, but they also bring patients close to lethal levels with each dose. I can see now how important it is to carefully manage the patient's recovery between fractions.
I struggle with...
Alpha/Beta ratios are still a bit counterintuitive to me. It's the dose at which the linear component of radiation effects equals the quadratic component? Why is that equilibrium point important?
I feel pretty good about...
Having both a microscopic and macroscopic understanding of the effects of radiation makes evaluating the consequences my planning choices easier.
Other reflective thoughts...
This class has given me a new appreciation for the importance of keeping track of low dose in my plans. I used to only look at the isodose lines near my prescription point, but that is going to change. I never realized how just a few Gray can increase the likelihood of secondary malignancies in tissues like lung.
Academic Courses > DOS 541
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Published September 20, 2015
Third Semester, 9 Months into Internship |