Medical Physics (also called Biomedical

Physics or Medical Biophysics or Applied

Physics in Medicine) is generally speaking
the application of physics concepts,
theories and methods to medicine or
healthcare.
However, areas of specialty are widely varied in
scope and breadth e.g., clinical physiology
(also known as physiological measurement),
radiation protection, neurophysiology and
audiology.
University departments are of two types. The
first type are mainly concerned with preparing
students for a career as a hospital medical
physicist and research focuses on improving
the practice of the profession. A second type
(increasingly called 'biomedical physics') has a
much wider scope and may include research in
any applications of physics to medicine from
the study of biomolecular structure to
microscopy and nanomedicine.
 Generally, these fall into one of two categories:
interdisciplinary departments that house biophysics,
radiobiology, and medical physics under a single
umbrella; and undergraduate programs that prepare
students for further study in medical physics,
biophysics, or medicine.
The term ‘physical agents’ refers to ionizing and
non-ionizing electromagnetic radiations, static electric
and magnetic fields, ultrasound, laser light and any
other Physical Agent associated with medical e.g., x-
rays in computerized tomography (CT), gamma
rays/radionuclides in nuclear medicine, magnetic fields
and radio-frequencies in magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI), ultrasound in ultrasound imaging and Doppler
measurements etc.
The International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP)

recognizes main major areas of Medical Physics

employment and focus. These are:
1. Medical Imaging Physics
2. Radiation Therapeutic Physics
3. Nuclear Medicine Physics
4. Health Physics
5. Clinical Audiology Physics
6. Laser Medicine
7. Medical Optics
8. Neurophysics
9. Cardiophysics
10.Physiological Measurement Techniques
11.Physics of the human and animal bodies
12.Healthcare Informatics and Computational Physics
PHYS 593 Introduction to Medical Physics 2(2+0)

Ultrasound waves : production , Interaction of ultrasound with tissues,

Ultrasonic scanning , A-scan and B-scan method, Doppler Effect.

X-Rays :Production , X-ray spectra, Attenuation of X-rays, The

radiographic image, Diagnostic applications of X-rays, Advantages and
Disadvantages of X-rays .

Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI): Nuclear Magnetic resonance,

Localization of the signal, Factors influencing of signal intensity,
Instrumentation and equipment .