Medical Physics

Code:

OPT185

Acronym:

FM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2022/2023 - 2S

Active?	No
Responsible unit:	Surgery and Physiology Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master in Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMED	0	Plano Oficial 2021	2	-	2	19	54
			5

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Learning outcomes and competences

Students should acquire a quantitative view of the physiological phenomena studied and be able to apply the knowledge and methods used in other areas.

Students should also be able to appreciate the difficulties and limitations of the related physiological interpretative models despite the knowledge of the Physics that underlies them, in particular, in what concerns diagnostic methodologies.

Working method

Presencial

Program

Medical Physics (Physiological Physics)

• Hearing Acoustics and Physiology
  • Mechanical Waves - Sound
    • Propagation of Mechanical Waves
    • Standing waves
    • Interference - Wave Fronts
    • Acoustic Resonance
    • Characterization of Mechanical Waves
      • Frequency
      • Intensity
      • Acoustic impedance
      • Attenuation of Mechanical Waves
    • The Human Ear as a sound sensor
      • External Auditory Channel and Ear Pavilion
        • CAE air column resonance
        • Tympanic membrane behavior
      • Middle ear
        • Impedance adaptation
        • Automatic mechanical gain control
      • Internal Ear
        • Generation of transverse mechanical waves in the Reissner and Basilar membranes
        • Transverse oscillation patterns in the genesis of Cochlear Tonotopy
        • Acoustic otoemissions
      • Characterization of the frequency / intensity domain of Human Hearing

 

• Electricity and Electrophysiology
  • Static, Continuous and Alternating Electricity
    • Ohm's Law and Joule's Law
    • Analogy between electrical and hydraulic circuits
      • Tension vs Pressure
      • Voltage drop vs pressure drop
    • Electricity distribution systems
  • Bioelectrogenesis
    • The dynamic balance between ionic solutions separated by a porous membrane
    • Nernst and Goldman equations
    • Transmembrane cell dynamic balance
      • Intracellular and extracellular ion concentrations
      • Characterization of the cell membrane
        • Passive ionic transport
        • Active ion transport
        • Action Potential
      • Acquisition of the Action Potential
      • Depolarization
      • Repolarization
      • Refractory period
      • Action Potential on Neurons - transmission of information
      • Myocyte Action Potential - contraction / relaxation
    • Record of cellular electrical activity on the skin surface
      • ECG
      • EMG
      • EEG
      • Evoked Potentials

 

• Optics and Vision Physiology
  • Visible light
  • Propagation of Light
  • Refraction
    • Flat interfaces
    • Curved interfaces - spherical, non-spherical and cylindrical
    • Lenses
  • Geometric Optics
    • The Optics of the Human Eye
    • Refractive surfaces
    • Retina
    • Refractive vision defects
    • Correction of refractive defects through lenses
  • Physiology of Human Vision
    • Light sensors - cones and rods
    • Processing and transmission of visual information
    • Grayscale view
    • Color vision
    • Spatial resolution
    • Chromatic resolution

                                                     

• Fluid Mechanics and Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology
  • Force, Pressure and Energy
  • The Perfect Gas equation and the Bernoulli’s equation
    • Cardiovascular system
      • Myocardium as a pumping mechanism
      • Direct and indirect records of the variation in Volume / Pressure / Flow at various points in the Cardiovascular System
    • Respiratory System
      • Mechanics of the Respiratory Cycle
      • Direct and indirect records of the variation in Volume / Pressure / Flow at various points in the Respiratory System

Mandatory literature

Davidovits, P.; Physics in Biology and Medicine, Elsevier Academic Press., 2019. ISBN: 9780128137161

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical-practical classes with emphasis on the use of interactive simulators. Presentation and discussion of selected sub-themes by the students, as a result of group work.

Evaluation: Final exam (50%). Preparation and presentation of a Poster (50%).

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	19,00
Frequência das aulas	19,00
Trabalho escrito	16,00
Total:	54,00

Eligibility for exams

Attend at least 75% of Theoretical-practical classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Exam (0->10) + Poster (0->10)