A model for online interactive remote education for medical physics using the Internet.

Milton K Woo,Kwan-Hoong Ng

doi:10.2196/jmir.5.1.e3

Abstract

BackgroundMedical physics is a relatively small community but it spans great geographical distances, usually with a scarcity of experts whose expertise could greatly benefit students entering into the field. In addition there are many software systems for which an interactive education method would be most advantageous.ObjectiveTo develop a process to optimally use the Internet for real-time interactive remote education of medical physics and to present the experience of the study.MethodsThe project is a collaboration of the Department of Medical Physics at the Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre in Canada and the Department of Radiology at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. A class of medical-physics graduate students at the University of Malaya attended lectures provided by lecturers in Toronto, using the Internet as the main tool of communication.ResultsThe different methods that can be used to provide the real-time interactive remote education were explored, and various topics — including traditional classroom lectures as well as hands-on workshops — were also delivered.ConclusionsThe concept of real-time interactive remote education is viable and holds promise for providing economical and practical tele-education to the medical physics community, but depends heavily on the availability of the Internet in many developing countries.

Highlights

Teleteaching is the process of using contemporary computer and communications technology to link students to a teacher who is not in the same physical location
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning to deliver these types of treatments for prostate cancer
Doses to normal structures were constrained such that the urethral dose was limited to 86 Gy and no more than 30% of the rectal wall received more than 75.6 Gy

Summary

Introduction

Teleteaching is the process of using contemporary computer and communications technology to link students to a teacher who is not in the same physical location. Restenosis can occur as a result of several processes, including the proliferation of smooth muscle cells into the arterial lumen. Conclusions: By grounding subjects, filtering signal lines, and keeping SCR cables away from MR gradient cables one can simultaneously acquire SCR and fMRI data with low noise background. The recalculated dose at different tissue depths was compared with the inhibition of neointima area. In the model the best agreement between dose and inhibition was found for a tissue depth at 0.75mm from the lumen surface. To achieve a 50% inhibition of neointima proliferation a dose of about 12Gy at 0.75 tissue depth is needed regardless of the isotope. The data support that the dose prescription point should be at 0.75mm radial to the vessel/lumen interface

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