20756 - Imaging Diagnostics and Radiotherapy (B)

Learning outcomes

The course includes the courses in Diagnostic Imaging, Radiotherapy, and Nuclear Medicine. The aim of the course is to guide students in learning the diagnostic and therapeutic indications of the various scientific and cultural components of the Integrated Course itself. Specifically: for Diagnostic Imaging, guidance in choosing between the diagnostic indications of the various methods: traditional and breast radiology, vascular and interventional radiology, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. For Radiotherapy, provision of knowledge on the effects of ionizing radiation on biological material is needed to understand the main integrations and methods of its use for therapeutic purposes in oncology and in some specific non-neoplastic situations, according to the application of medical principles of justification and optimization. The course also illustrates the main methods used in the two main modalities: transcutaneous radiotherapy and brachytherapy, with some information on equipment aimed at understanding their use in clinical practice. The basic use of CT for treatment planning purposes, due to the densitometric information provided by the technique and necessary for dosimetric purposes, combined with the possibility of using fusion techniques of other diagnostic images (MRI, PET) with the aim of improving the benefit and efficacy of treatments with lower costs in terms of toxicity to critical organs proximal to the clinical target, both acutely and late-onset; epidemiological notions aimed at illustrating the extent of the problem (used in 60% of cancer patients) and the eradication, adjuvant, and symptomatic goals that radiotherapy aims to achieve in various clinical situations. For Nuclear Medicine, provide information on the clinical capabilities of Nuclear Medicine, illustrating the diagnostic capabilities of individual nuclear medicine techniques, particularly scintigraphy, SPECT, and PET; provide the basis for understanding molecular imaging, both in terms of principles and clinical applications; and evaluate the applications of nuclear medicine techniques based on optimal diagnostic flows, in relation to other diagnostic imaging techniques. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: - evaluate the diagnostic appropriateness of individual diagnostic imaging techniques in relation to the diagnostic question and the cost-effectiveness ratio, in order to minimize unnecessary, inappropriate, or excessive investigations, within the framework of diagnostic protocols that comply with the dictates of the scientific literature. Students will acquire the ability to identify the most appropriate diagnostic imaging investigation(s) based on the clinical suspicion that the detected symptoms raise. - develop a reasoned methodology in the multidisciplinary clinical approach to cancer patients in Radiotherapy, recognizing the importance of the necessary and in-depth knowledge of the oncological and diagnostic disciplines that form the basis of professionalism in radiotherapy. - learn the principles of scintigraphic, SPECT, and PET investigations, their basic semiology, their appropriateness of use, and their clinical benefits, in Nuclear Medicine.

Teaching tools

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities are invited to contact the designated office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible, in order to agree on appropriate accommodations. Requests must be submitted in advance (at least 15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess their suitability in relation to the learning objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Fanti