School of Medicine

Programme Manager

Dr Laura A. Rhodes
Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and
Therapeutics (LIGHT)
Division of Medical Physics
Email: L.A.Rhodes.leeds.ac.uk

Introduction

The BSc Clinical Sciences (Medical Imaging) course is part of the School of Medicines Clinical Sciences Suite of Intercalated course and is specifically designed for intercalating medical students to undertake a more in depth study in a specialised area of medicine. The BSc Clinical Sciences (Medical Imaging) course offers students an introduction to diagnostic medical imaging alongside the teaching of academic research skills.

Course Objectives

Medical Imaging impinges on virtually every facet of clinical practice and is one of the key elements in diagnosis, monitoring, and in some cases guiding therapy.  The BSc Clinical Sciences (Medical Imaging) combines the key themes of understanding how medical images are formed and appreciating what images reveal in the clinical context.

For a more challenging course please see the MSc Medical Imaging course which Intercalated Students can also apply to from September 2012 (awaiting confirmation).

By the end of this programme students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the physical and mathematical aspects of image formation of key imaging techniques.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the clinical applications of each technique, the variables involved and how they can be compared.
• Identify key anatomical and physiological features within images.
• Apply IT in literature searching, analysis and display of data, and report writing to enhance life long learning in medical imaging.
• Critically evaluate relevant published work, perform a relevant literature search and demonstrate an understanding of the underpinning principles of statistics, project design and data analysis.
• Plan and implement a research project and prepare a report in a format suitable for publication in a scientific journal.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have successfully completed at least two years undergraduate UK medical or dental training and have GSCE Science and Maths (double award or equivalent), Grades A-C.

Course Content

All students attend the following compulsory level 3 modules

Module Title	Credits	Timetable
Introduction to Medical Imaging	10	Semester 1
Research Methods	10
Ultrasonic Imaging	10
Digital Radiography & X-ray CT	10
Radionuclide Imaging	10	Semester 2
Pattern Recognition	10
Magnetic Resonance Imaging	10
Medical Image Analysis	10
Research Project in Medical Imaging	40	Semester 1 & 2

Teaching & Assessment

Taught modules are delivered in either a traditional of blended learning format and include the teaching of the technical aspects of the various imaging modalities. Many of the lecturers are at the forefront of research in their particular field and will bring insights from current Clinical imaging practice and developments of new and emerging imaging techniques

The taught modules are assessed by unseen written examination during the University exam periods in January and May.

Research Project in Medical Imaging

Students undertake a research project within the field of Medical Imaging.  Before students are allocated to a project, the student is encouraged to meet potential supervisors and to discuss the research work.A range of new research topics is available each year and they include projects in MRI Ultrasound, X-ray and their clinical applications; students are asked to express a preference for their research project.

There is a staged assessment for the Research Project. The student submits a literature review in January and submits a journal-style research article in May. Each student makes an oral presentation in May / June.

Previous Students Successes

In recent years some students have been awarded scholarships to attend the BSc Medical Imaging course, they have presented posters and oral presentations based on their research projects and some are working toward publications.  A selection of recent successes is listed below.

Scholarships

Academic Year 2011-2012 - Stephen Chapman won a scholarship from Kidney Research UK based on the design of his research proposal entitled ‘MRI measurement of perfusion and function in the kidney before and after cryoablation of renal cell carcinoma".

Academic Year 2010-2011 - Jemma White and Christopher Miller were awarded Yorkshire Cancer Research Scholarships.

Academic Year 2009-2010 Katherine Allen, Catherine McMillan and Shiv Sapra were awarded Yorkshire Cancer Research Scholarships.

Academic Year 2008-2009 Julian Chow, John Dillon, Laura Riddick, Henry Walton, Andrew West and Louise Hartley were all awarded Yorkshire Cancer Research Scholarships.

Conference Presentations

Academic Year 2010-2011 - Sui We Lim presented her research project as an oral presentation at the European Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology in Leipzig.  Her project was entitled ‘’DCE-MRI assessment of renal perfusion and filtration in patients with renovascular disease before and after renal artery revascularization’.

Academic Year 2010-2011 - Joseph Ledsam presented his research project as an oral presentation at the European Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology in Leipzig Titles.  His Project was entitled ‘’Modelling DCE-MRI at low temporal resolutions: a case study on rheumatoid arthritis’’.  

 Academic Year 2009- 2010 Lindsey McDowell presented her research as an oral presentation at the British Medical Ultrasound Society Conference; her paper was entitled Inter-Modality Agreement in the estimation of medium calibre vascular stenosis.

Prizes

Brian Dromey was awarded First Prize in the British Society of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology Undergraduate award for his project entitled: “Effect of Post-manufacture collimation on dosimetry of an extra oral direct digital imaging system (NewTom VG Cone Beam CT)”.

Feedback

Student feedback is encouraged at all stages.  Students are asked to choose a student representative to attend the Programme Management Team meetings, where they will provide student feedback.