20756 - Imaging Diagnostics and Radiotherapy (AK-B)

Learning outcomes

The course includes the courses of Diagnostic Imaging, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine. The aim of the course is to lead students to learn the diagnostic and therapeutic indications of the various scientific and cultural components of the Integrated Course itself. In particular: For Diagnostic Imaging, guide them in choosing between the diagnostic indications of the various methods: conventional body and breast radiology, Vascular and interventional radiology, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance, Ultrasound. For Radiotherapy, provide the student with the tools of knowledge on the action of ionizing radiation on biological material aimed at understanding the main integrations and methods of use of the same for therapeutic purposes in the oncological field, and in some specific non-neoplastic situations, according to the application of the medical principles of justification and optimization; illustrate the main methods of use in the two main modalities: transcutaneous radiotherapy and brachytherapy, with some notions on the equipment aimed at understanding their use in clinical practice; the basic use of CT for therapeutic planning purposes for the densitometric information provided by the method, and necessary for dosimetric purposes, combined with the possibility of using methods of fusion of other diagnostic images (RNM, PET) with the aim of improving the benefit and the effectiveness of treatments with lower costs in terms of toxicity on critical organs proximal to the clinical target both in acute and late; epidemiological notions suitable for illustrating the size of the problem (use in 60% of cancer patients) and the aims, eradicating , adjuvant and symptomatic, which radiotherapy is aimed at in various clinical situations. For Nuclear Medicine, inform on the clinical capabilities of Nuclear Medicine, illustrating the diagnostic capabilities of the individual nuclear medical methods, in particular of scintigraphy, SPECT and PET; provide the basis for understanding molecular imaging, both as principles and as clinical applications; evaluate the applications of nuclear medicine methods according to the optimal diagnostic flows, in relation to the other diagnostic imaging methods. At the end of the course, the student is able: - for radiodiagnostics to evaluate the diagnostic appropriateness of the individual diagnostic imaging methods in relation to the diagnostic question and the cost / benefit ratio, to minimize unnecessary, incongruous or exuberant investigations , in the context of diagnostic protocols that correspond to the dictates of the scientific literature. The ability that the student achieves is to identify the most appropriate imaging diagnostics / investigations based on the clinical suspicion that the detected symptomatology puts in place. - for Radiotherapy to achieve a reasoned methodology in the multidisciplinary clinical approach to the cancer patient recognizing the importance of the necessary and profound knowledge of the oncological and diagnostic disciplines that form the basis of professionalism in radiotherapy. - for Nuclear Medicine to learn the principles of scintigraphic, SPECT and PET investigations, their elementary semiology, their appropriateness of use and clinical benefits.

Course contents

1. General notions relating to the use of imaging methods (conventional radiology, ultrasound, CT, MRI, angiography) and radiological contrast media.
2. Biological effects of imaging methods and principles of radiation protection
3. Musculoskeletal system: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main bone and joint diseases. Trauma.
4. Respiratory system: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Radiological anatomy; Main lung diseases (COPD, atelectasis), pulmonary edema; pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary embolism and heart attack; pulmonary neoplasms.
5. Mediastinum: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Expansive pathology.
6. Pleura: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main pathologies (pneumothorax, pleural effusions, non-neoplastic thickenings, neoplasms)
7. Heart and large vessels: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main congenital and acquired cardiac pathologies; aortic aneurysm; aortic dissection; trauma of the aorta
8. Digestive system: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Inflammatory, functional and neoplastic pathologies of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine and colon. Acute abdomen.
9. Liver and biliary tract: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Diffuse liver disease. Vascular lesions. Benign and malignant focal liver lesions. Lithiasis. Jaundice and malignant and benign lesions of the biliary tract. Interventional radiology on biliary tract and liver lesions
10. Pancreas: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. pancreatitis; cystic lesions; neoplasms
11. Spleen and adrenal glands: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main pathologies (vascular, phlogistic, neoplastic, traumatic). Portal hypertension. Adrenal incidentalomas and expansive pathology.
12. Peritoneum and retroperitoneum: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main pathologies
13. Urinary system: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. dysplasias; urinary lithiasis; Obstructive Uropathy pyelonephritis; kidney failure; vascular nephropathies; benign and malignant neoplastic pathology; kidney trauma; main pathologies of the bladder; most common clinical pictures (hematuria, renal colic); Interventional Radiology in the urinary field.
14. Genital system: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Main pathologies of the prostate: benign and malignant lesions. Main utero-ovarian pathologies.
15. Thyroid and breast: integrated approach of the various imaging methods. Anatomy. Expansive and functional pathologies
16. Interventional radiology: the future of radiology

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching material relating to the lessons held will be available, updated, on the AMS Campus - AlmaDL - University of Bologna website, with limited access to university students.

An in-depth study and completion of the program is recommended using specific updated text. Some references:

CITTADINI - DIAGNOSTICA PER IMMAGINI E RADIOTERAPIA - Cittadini G, Cittadini G, Sardanelli F - EDRA, 2015.

MANUALE DI DIAGNOSTICA PER IMMAGINI PER IL CORSO DI LAUREA IN MEDICINA E CHIRURGIA - Torricelli P, Zompatori M - Editirice Esculapio, 2016.

MANUALE DI DIAGNOSTICA PER IMMAGINI NELLA PRATICA CLINICA - Giovagnorio F - Editrice Esculapio, 2017.

COMPENDIO DI RADIOLOGIA - Passariello R, Simonetti G - Idelson Gnocchi, 2010.

DIAGNOSTICA PER IMMAGINI PER STUDENTI E MEDICI DI MEDICINA GENERALE - AA.VV. - Idelson Gnocchi, 2008.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons with the help of Power-Point presentations.

The teaching of Radiodiagnostics provides, in the context of the C.I. of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy, 16 hours of lectures.

Assessment methods

The verification is carried out by means of an oral test during which the student exposes to each teacher the topics related to the different courses of the Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy module.

Each teacher expresses his / her assessment based on the skills shown by the student in the presentation in terms of knowledge and skills achieved, synthesis skills, critical skills.

The final vote of the C.I. it is defined considering the marks reported for each topic treated (based on the CFU of each course), as well as the grade reported in the Radiation Protection form. The mark is expressed in thirtieths.

Teaching tools

PC, text, power-point presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Cristina Mosconi