2020/2021

2020/2021

DM270

FIS/07 (APPLIED PHYSICS (CULTURAL HERITAGE, ENVIRONMENT, BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE))

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

Fisica biosanitaria

1°

Annual (05/10/2020 - 11/06/2021)

6

48 lesson hours

Italian

ORAL TEST

BALLARINI FRANCESCA (titolare) - 2 ECTS
LASCIALFARI ALESSANDRO - 2 ECTS
PROTTI NICOLETTA - 2 ECTS

A good knowledge of the main characteristics of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation is required, as well as their interaction with matter. In particular, the students shall have taken the lectures of the course “Physics of ionizing radiation”

At the end of the course the students shall know the main physical and biophysical aspects characterizing cancer therapies based on the use of charged particles, in particular external-beam hadrontherapy and an experimental form of hadrontherapy called Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT), and on magneto-fluid hyperthermia. Furthermore, the students shall be able to place this knowledge in the more general framework of conventinal photon therapy.

EXTERNAL-BEAM HADRONTHERAPY: recalls on ionizing radiatiation and the main modalities of interaction with matter, including biological matter (radiation effects in molecules, cells and tissues/organs); recalls on the main dosimetrical and radiobiological quantities; main aspects of conventional photon therapy; general characteristics of charged-particle therapy, in particular with protons and C-ions; production and modulation of hadrontherapy beams; international scenario (centres and patients in the world, etc..) and description of the three italian centres, with particular attention to the CNAO (National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy) centre in Pavia.
Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT): introduction to the general principles of Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT) and focus on the main capture agents (B10 and Gd157); descripttion of the main neutron sources; overview on B10 chemistry and on borated-agents biology; peculiar aspects of NCT radiobiology; NCT physical aspects: spectroscopy and dosimetry in mixed fields (n+γ), measurement of capture agent concentration and imaging of its spatial distribution, Treatment Plans (TPS) and problems in NCT dose prescription; overview on the clinical applications and the NCT centres in the world
MAGNETIC HYPERTHERMIA: magnetism recalls: magnetic field in vacuum and matter, magnetic momentum, susceptibility; magnetism fields of interest in biology and medicine; static and dynamic physical properties of magnetic nanometric systems; magnetic order, ferromagnetism and superparamagnetism; recalls on phase transitions; susceptometers in medicine; recalls on MRI and contrast agents; bases of fluido-magnetic hyperthermia and in vitro, pre-clinical and clinical examples; combined therapies

The course is divided in three parts dedicated to external-beam hadrontherapy, NCT (Neutron Capture Therapy) and magnetic hyperthermia, respectively. The course is mainly based on lectures, possibly integrated by specific seminars given by experts in the field. A visit to the LENA laboratories (Applied Nuclear Energy Laboratory) of the University of Pavia, and possibly to the Pavia CNAO centre (National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy) is also foreseen

E Hall, Radiobiology for the Radiologist
V. K. Varadan, L. Chen, J. Lie, “Nanomedicine Design And Applications Of Magnetic Nanomaterials Nanosensors And Nanosystems”, ed. Wiley & sons (2008)
W.A.G. Sauerwein, A.Wittig, R.Moss, Y.Nakagawa Eds, Neutron Capture Therapy – Principles and Applications, Springers-Verlag Berlin Heidelbeg 2012
IAEA-TECDOC-1223, Current Status of Neutron Capture Therapy, 2001

The students’ knowledge is verified by an oral exam, with the aim of checking the acquisition of the course objectives. The exam will be focused on the contents of the lectures, as well as the possible didactic seminars; the communicating skills and the use of an appropriate scientific language will be also considered in the evaluation