Nuclear Medicine Technologist Program Curriculum

Patient Care in Nuclear Medicine - H EDU 3600

(3 credits)

Patient care in nuclear medicine is a required course in the NMT program that provides the knowledge, learning experiences and skill assessment necessary for technologists to safely and effectively care for nuclear medicine patients.

Nuclear Medicine Clinical Education I - H EDU 3610

(1 credit)

Clinical experience in health care integrates didactic learning into practical settings at JRCNMT (Joint Review Committee in Education in Nuclear Medicine Technology) approved clinical sites. Students complete 105 contact hours progressing through levels of responsibility/involvement relevant to level of didactic learning. Students progress from observation to assisting the technologist, to performing the nuclear medicine procedure under direct supervision, to completing the procedure independently under indirect supervision. Current clinical rotations include: University Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Radiopharmacy, St. Mark’s and Primary Children’s.

Nuclear Medicine Statistics/Physics - HEDU - 3650

(3 credits)

A required quantitative intensive course that provides content and inferential decision making activities utilizing descriptive statistics to analyze and interpret numerical data utilized in nuclear medicine. Applications in nuclear medicine include: calculations of half life, radiopharmaceutical dosages and decay; percentages of error, standard deviations, average values, mean, medium and mode. Concepts and physical principles that govern radioactivity and the interactions of radiation with matter will be presented.

Radiation Protection and Biology - HEDU - 3900

(2 credits)

The radiation biology section covers the background knowledge needed to understand the concepts and importance of radiation protection to include: interactions of radiation with living systems and radiation effects of molecules, cells, tissues and systems. Radiation protection content provides knowledge of the principles and applications of radiation protection to include the applicable regulations.

Nuclear Medicine Instrumentation - HEDU 3820

(4 credits)

Course includes knowledge relevant to the principles, operation and quality control for non-imaging instruments including monitoring equipment, dose calibrators, well counters, uptake probes, liquid scintillation systems and the gamma probes. In depth information presented on the components, use and quality control of the various types of systems used for gamma and positron imaging. Students will participate in the study of the configuration, function and application of computers in nuclear medicine. A study of CT instrumentation as it relates to PET/CT will be studied.

Nuclear Medicine Procedures I - HEDU 3800

(3 credits)

This course provides the student didactic knowledge of diagnostic procedures currently being performed in nuclear medicine and will focus on the following systems: musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, genitourinary and gastrointestinal. The student must master knowledge required of each procedure to include anatomy and physiology, pathology, radiopharmaceuticals, contraindications, possible adverse reactions, patient preparation, imaging techniques and interpretation of images for diagnostic quality.

Nuclear Medicine Clinical Education II - HEDU 3810

(5 credits)

Clinical experience in health care integrates didactic learning into practical settings at JRCNMT approved clinical sites. Students complete 525 contact hours progressing through levels of responsibility/involvement relevant to level of didactic learning. Students progress from observation to assisting the technologist, to performing the nuclear medicine procedure under direct supervision, to completing the procedure independently under indirect supervision. Current clinical rotations include: University Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Marks and Primary Children’s Hospital.

Nuclear Medicine Procedures II - HEDU 4000

(3 credits)

This course provides the student didactic knowledge of diagnostic procedures currently being performed in nuclear medicine and will focus on the following systems and areas: respiratory, central nervous, hematology, endocrine/exocrine, immunology, oncology/inflammation and radionuclide therapy. The student must master knowledge required of each procedure to include anatomy and physiology, pathology, radiopharmaceuticals, contraindications, possible adverse reactions, patient preparation, imaging techniques and interpretation of images for diagnostic quality.

Nuclear Medicine Certification Preparation - HEDU 4050

(2 credits)

This course will provide the students with the necessary information, tools and guidelines to successfully pass the national certification examination in nuclear medicine technology offered by the NMTCB (Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board) and the ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists).

Introduction to Nuclear Pharmacy - PHARM 7541

(2 credits)

The theory and practice of radiopharmacy, including preparation, calculation of the dose to be administered, quality control, radiation safety and applicable regulations. It also deals with nonradioactive interventional drugs.

Nuclear Medicine Clinical Education III - HEDU 4010

(5 credits)

Clinical experience in health care integrates didactic learning into practical settings at JRCNMT (Joint Review Committee in Education in Nuclear Medicine Technology) approved clinical sites. Students complete 525 contact hours progressing through levels of responsibility/involvement relevant to level of didactic learning. Students progress from observation to assisting the technologist, to performing the nuclear medicine procedure under direct supervision, to completing the procedure independently under indirect supervision. Current clinical rotations include: University Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Mark's and Primary Children’s Hospital.

At the completion of the nuclear medicine curriculum, to include the fundamentals of CT, the student is eligible to complete the NMTCB and/or the ARRT in Nuclear Medicine Technology. The student is encouraged to complete both examinations. Once they have received a certification in NMT, the student progresses to a full-time curriculum in CT.

Computerized Tomography

A comprehensive curriculum in CT to include the didactic and clinical experiences necessary to practice and complete the CT-ARRT examination.

• Didactic coursework in cross-sectional anatomy, CT procedures, patient care, physics and instrumentation
• Clinical education to include an additional 220 dedicated clinical hours performing CT procedures

CT Anatomy/Procedures - HEDU 4700

(2 credits)

Content provides detailed coverage of sectional anatomy and procedures for CT imaging. Procedures include, but are not limited to, indications, patient education, preparation, orientation and positioning, patient history and assessment, contrast media usage, scout image, selectable scan parameters, filming and archiving of the images. CT anatomy will be identified and studied in axial, sagittal, coronal and 3D planes. CT procedures will be taught for differentiation of specific structures and pathology. CT images studied will be reviewed for quality anatomy and demonstration of pathology. CT Physics/Protection - HEDU 4850 (1 credit): Content is designed to impart an understanding of the physical principles and instrumentation involved in computerized tomography. Physics concepts covered include: characteristics of x-rays; CT beam attenuation; linear attenuation coefficients, tissue characteristics and Hounsfield numbers. CT image processing and display will be examined from data acquisition through post-processing and archiving and patient factors related to other elements affecting image quality will be discussed.

CT Clinical Education - H EDU 4710

(4 credits)

Clinical experience in health care integrates didactic learning into practical settings at approved clinical sites. Students complete clinical rotations attending 24-32 hours a week for an approximate total of 500 clinical hours. The student progresses through a competency-based clinical experience program in CT. Clinical rotations include: University Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Imaging Neuroscience Center, Redwood out-patient center and other rotations to include Primary Children’s. The student is required to demonstrate the ability to perform a minimum of 25 of the 53 ARRT-required CT examinations with a total exam number of 125. Experiences in trauma, biopsies, post-processing and heart imaging are completed.

CT Physics: Instrumentation and Imaging - H EDU 4720

(1 credit) 

This course is designed to impart an understanding of the physical principles and instrumentation involved in computerized tomography.  Physics concepts covered include characteristics of x-rays, CT beam attenuation, linear attenuation coefficients, tissue characteristics and Hounsfield numbers.  CT image processing and display will be examined from data acquisition through post-processing and archiving and patient factors related to other elements affecting image quality will be discussed.  The concepts presented in class will provide students the information needed to be able to apply the skills directly to their clinical education to become competent in these CT imaging procedures.