Instructor-led courses

Currently, enrollment is available in dozens of countries. Hundreds of participants have taken part in the training program. Participants in the program require supervision and approval from the department head.

The program is available for individual participants who wish to complete a formal course and for institutions that wish to conduct a course for a group of students, e.g., universities or national authorities. Inquiries related to accessing the program should be sent to DATOL@iaea.org.

Purpose of the course

Recently there has been significant investment in nuclear medicine technology with the acquisition of modern equipment and establishment of facilities, however, often appropriate training has not been considered as part of these investments. Training of Nuclear Medicine (NM) professionals is continually evolving, with need to meet changing requirements in the work force. Usually higher education courses do not necessarily cater for the practical component of training and the ever-changing technology that is central to medical imaging. The continuing advances in nuclear medicine technology and growth of applications in quantitative clinical assessment place increasing pressure on technologists to learn and practice new techniques. Inadequate training in the basics in nuclear medicine can be a major constraint to the effective use of the evolving technology.

This course is intended as a comprehensive vocational course for Nuclear Medicine Professionals (especially persons who acquire and process clinical studies and assist with other procedures in a Nuclear Medicine department). The course emphasizes practical aspects of the work, providing subjects that form strong scientific basis for the work. The course is based on self-study but expects students to be directly working in a fully operational Nuclear Medicine department at least in a part-time basis. The student therefore combines the educational resources with experimental work and interaction with other professionals in order to develop appropriate competencies. This course recognises the need for a flexible approach to training and the typical situation where students may be working remote from the educational institution. Situating the student in the workplace takes advantage of the specialised knowledge and expertise of individuals in the Nuclear Medicine community and clearly illustrates the relevance of the course content.

The course is available for integration into higher education programs and, though intended to provide a standalone comprehensive programme of study, there is scope for the course to be used in conjunction with other complementary subjects, adapted to meet local needs. Close cooperation with the Nuclear Medicine community is encouraged to maximize the expertise available in support of students.

Course Objectives

On completion of this course students will be able to:

This course of instruction is intended to produce graduates with the following attributes:

• Demonstrate understanding of basic science underlying practical Nuclear Medicine and the principles used in the performance of clinical Nuclear Medicine studies
• Demonstrate competence in undertaking a full range of Nuclear Medicine procedures
  • A sound scientific understanding of nuclear medicine imaging.
  • An appreciation of the properties of ionizing radiation, its hazards and appropriate protective measures that will enable its safe use and application in a clinical setting.
  • The ability to produce nuclear medicine images of maximum diagnostic quality, consistent with minimizing radiation dose to the patient.
  • An understanding of the technologist's role within the professional working environment and with capability to meet the requirements and responsibilities of the profession.
  • Humanitarian attitudes and patient handling skills, as well as an appreciation of responsibilities towards the patient.
  • A problem solving approach when performing nuclear medicine duties.

Course Structure and content

The course consists of a set of structured modules that progressively introduce the basic science underlying Nuclear Medicine coupled with increasingly more complex clinical procedures. The emphasis is on the student acquiring relevant practical knowledge that encourages competence in the work-place. The overall course is structured in two parts essentially covering planar imaging (including dynamic and planar studies) and tomographic studies (including SPECT/CT and PET/CT).

Basic Sciences

Basic Physics, Radiation Protection, Radiation Biology
Instrumentation and Introduction to Computer
Introduction to Radiopharmacy and Human Biolog
Radioimmunoassay and Non-Imaging Studies
Guidelines for Radionuclide Therapy

Basic Clinical Nuclear Medicine

Endocrinology - Clinical Imaging
Pulmonary and Skeletal Imaging
Gastrointestinal and Hepatobilary_Clinical Imaging
Neurological Imaging
Renal Imaging
Cardiovascular Imaging
Oncology & Infection Imaging
Patient Care, Imaging Techniques, Paediatric Techniques

SPECT/CT & PET/CT

Introduction to SPECT
CT Principles and Cross Sectional Anatomy
SPECT/CT physics and application
PET/CT principles
Clinical PET/CT

Method of Course Delivery

Students are required to complete a set of self-study modules which includes reading material that links to a set of practical and/or on-line exercises that emphasises practical aspects of the work. To complete the course students should either be based in a practising Nuclear Medicine department or have ready access to standard Nuclear Medicine equipment. Students should be allocated a supervisor in the work-place. The complete course is supplied on-line, delivered by Moodle, a widely used distance learning environment (see www.datnmt.org).

a) self study

Each module includes several subjects, each with flowchart, main printable text and a workbook which is used to record the results of practical exercises. Students should complete each module in sequence, demonstrating completion before progression to the next module.

b) complementary lectures / tutorials

As part of the student support the course should include a set of tutorials and/or workshops where subjects are discussed and student problems identified and resolved. Where possible it is recommended that each module be accompanied by some face-to face sessions. Also workshops or study-weeks are recommended to consolidate understanding. Involvement of professionals from the Nuclear Medicine community is highly recommended.

c) in-service practical exercises

During the course there is regular reference to performing practical experiments and completing workbooks. This work will normally be undertaken in a fully functioning Nuclear Medicine department, under supervision of more senior staff and with full approval of the Head of Department.

d) clinical experience

As part of the course completion students are required to demonstrate that they can perform a series of clinical studies under supervision. This would normally involve students working at least part-time in a fully functioning Nuclear Medicine Department.

Methods of Student Assessment for instructor-led courses

a) on-line assignments and exam

Most module subjects include an assignment involving completion of a set of on-line multiple-choice questions (MCQ). Similarly, on completion of the course students undertake a set of MCQ exams that cover the complete syllabus. Revision quizzes are provided for students to gain experience with the type of questions set.

b) practical skills assessment

An important part of the course is the development of relevant competencies. These are assessed during observation of the student performing a complete range of tasks associated with clinical study acquisition and processing. Check-sheets and instructions for this process are provided.

c) completion of workbook

The completed workbook is evidence that the student has completed the prescribed set of practical exercises. This would normally be confirmed by an on-site supervisor, with progression recorded on-line.

d) evidence of clinical experience

During practical assessment, assessors should verify that there is signed evidence that the required clinical studies have been performed.

Who to contact

Individual student access

• Individual students can register for an instructor-led course provided they have access to suitable equipment in a recognised nuclear medicine department (or section). In this case there must be a person available who can act as a supervisor and participation requires head-of-department approval. Subject to this approval both the student and supervisor will be granted access to the course with instructions how to use the training materials.
• To join the course, all participants (students, supervisors) should register in NUCLEUS and choose the option 'Send registration'. Then complete the following forms: the enrolment form and head-of-department approval form. In the enrolment form, you should use the same email as you used for NUCLEUS. Both files should be send to DATOL@IAEA.org.
• In cases where National courses are conducted in the country concerned the student is strongly recommended to make contact with the local coordinator as there may be activities that can assist the student (e.g. seminars or workshops). In the case of a national program a formal certificate of relevance to the student may be awarded on completion of the course.

Access for entities wishing to conduct an instructor-led training course for a group of students

• There is opportunity for entities to conduct an instructor-led courses for groups of students. The entity may be an institution or association but also may be a formal group of authorities which have agreed to conduct a national or regional program. The instructor-led course consists of DATOL materials organised in a structured sequence and includes mechanisms for student assessment.
• To join the course, all participants (students, supervisors and coordinators) should register in NUCLEUS and choose the option 'Send registration'. Then complete the following forms: the enrolment form and head-of-department approval form. In the enrolment form, you should use the same email as you used for NUCLEUS. Both files should be send to DATOL@IAEA.org.

University access

• The training materials are well suited for partially satisfying university course requirements and may be used either in full or part to complement university teaching. They are particularly well suited to formalise clinical practice. Universities may either access the open-access materials or may wish to register groups of students to undertake all or part of the available modules. Registering for this latter type of access can be arranged by contacting DATOL@IAEA.org.