Computed Tomography Technology

To apply you must have a radiography professional qualification or relevant clinical Computed Tomography (CT) experience.

The course is offered at Masters level.

• Equipment:
  • Scientific principles of CT equipment, technology development and terminology, including the different generations of CT scanners
  • Fundamental specifics of CT equipment within a radiotherapy / hybrid imaging environment
  • Equipment development from a detector perspective and subsequent impact upon current / future working practice. Dual source systems, detector panel developments, cone beam
  • Equipment procurement suitability for service for current and future use
  • Equipment positioning aids in diagnostic and radiotherapy practice
  • 4D CT; cardiac and respiratory gating.
• Safe working practice:
  • CT examination dosimetry and including verification / planning dose
  • Radiation protection (patient and staff), current regulations and other relevant legislation, and guidelines, isodose curves
  • Fundamentals of image formation in CT (incl. filtered back projection /reconstruction factors/ iterative reconstruction)
  • Dose modulation principles & application to clinical practice
  • Scientific principles of modern contrast injector systems and application to clinical practice.
• Image quality and quality assurance:
  • Image quality factors affecting this
  • Fundamentals of image re-formatting (3D, maximum intensity projections (MIPs), multiplanar reconstruction (MPR)) and image fusion (software & hardware based)
  • Reformatting data for radiotherapy planning (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) RT) and data archiving /Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) networks
  • Quality Assurance and control tests in CT, reasoning behind tests, protocols and current legal and recommended requirements of such
  • Detecting image artefacts in CT, equipment faults and problem solving.

Delivery:

This course is completed over 10 weeks with you being expected to fully contribute each week. Whilst this can be done in your own time, it is highly recommended that you look to negotiate regular study time, recommended at a half day a week equivalent, with your manager.

Funding may be available to support your learning. Please contact your Trust Education Lead. If you work in the Private, Independent and Voluntary Sector please contact your employer, who will advise you.