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Course profile

MagneticResonance Spectroscopy & Applications (MRES7009)

Study period
Sem 1 2025
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person

Course overview

Study period
Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
Study level
Postgraduate Coursework
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person
Units
2
Administrative campus
St Lucia
Coordinating unit
Mathematics & Physics School

Theory of single voxel spectroscopy & chemical shift imaging pulse sequences. Discussion of sources of artefact & their effect on interpretation. Methods for quantifying & interpreting in the clinical setting.

This course covers single voxel spectroscopy and chemical shift imaging pulse sequences.ᅠ Sources of artefacts and their effect on interpretation of images are discussed.ᅠ Methods for quantifying and interpreting images in the clinical setting are explained.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Undergraduate qualification in radiography, biomedical engineering or medical physics (or international equivalent).

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

Admission to Magnetic Resonance Technology postgraduate program suite

Course contact

Course staff

Lecturer

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

All tutorials are recorded and posted onto Blackboard.ᅠ

Internal tutorial structure External tutorial structure CAI Seminar Room Zoom Recording available on Blackboard

Aims and outcomes

To give students an understanding of the applications of spectroscopy in the clinical environment and to more effectively use the spectroscopy packages available from the manufacturers and analyse the results.ᅠ Students should be able to make informed statements about the validity of any results.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

LO1.

describe the components of MR spectrum

LO2.

identify the hardware and software requirements for MR spectroscopy

LO3.

describe and apply the pulse sequences used for MR spectroscopy

LO4.

identify sources of artefacts and their effect on interpretation of images

LO5.

quantify and interpret the images in a clinical setting

Assessment

Assessment summary

Category Assessment task Weight Due date
Essay/ Critique Assignment 40%

23/05/2025 2:00 pm

Examination Final Examination
  • Hurdle
  • In-person
60%

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Assignment

Mode
Written
Category
Essay/ Critique
Weight
40%
Due date

23/05/2025 2:00 pm

Task description

Write a 1500 word (max) essay on questions supplied (available on Blackboard).

Submission guidelines

Please submit assignments to TurnItIn, through BlackBoard (https://learn.uq.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp). Detailed instructions on how to access and use TurnItIn will be provided at the beginning of the semester.

The assignment should be saved as a word or a pdf file. The file name should be MRES7009_surname_assign1.doc . The first page of your assignment must be the assignment coversheet filled with your details. The coversheet is available for download from Blackboard. Students will be permitted to submit a draft for checking.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item then the listed penalty will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.

Final Examination

  • Hurdle
  • In-person
Mode
Written
Category
Examination
Weight
60%
Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025

Task description

The final exam will be an in-person, paper-based exam. Students enrolled externally, please refer to the course profile for External students for in-person examination arrangements.   

 

Hurdle requirements

See COURSE GRADING INFORMATION for the hurdle relating to this assessment item.

Exam details

Planning time 10 minutes
Duration 120 minutes
Calculator options

(In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator

Open/closed book Open Book examination
Exam platform Paper based
Invigilation

Invigilated in person

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

See ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT INFORMATION for extension/deferral information relating to this assessment item.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Grade Description
1 (Low Fail)

Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates very limited understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and of the basic concepts in the course.ᅠ This includes attempts at answering some questions but demonstrates limited understanding of the key concepts. The minimum percentage required: 1%

2 (Fail)

Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates limited understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and demonstrates limited knowledge of the techniques used to solve problems, and of the basic concepts in the course.ᅠ This includes attempts at expressing their deductions and explanations and attempts to answer a few questions. The minimum percentage required: 20%

3 (Marginal Fail)

Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes

Course grade description: Demonstrates some understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and demonstrates some knowledge of the basic concepts in the course.ᅠ This includes attempts to express their deductions but with partial or faulty explanations. The minimum percentage required: 45%

4 (Pass)

Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates adequate understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications and of the terminology of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and demonstrates a knowledge of the techniques used to solve problems. The minimum percentage required: 50%

5 (Credit)

Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates substantial understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications and of the terminology of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and can apply techniques to solve problems. The minimum percentage required: 65%

6 (Distinction)

Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications and of the terminology of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and is proficient in applying techniques to solve problems. The minimum percentage required: 75%

7 (High Distinction)

Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes.

Course grade description: Demonstrates an excellentᅠunderstanding of the standard image sequences, image reconstruction and applications and of the terminology of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and is highly proficient in applying techniques to solve problems. The minimum percentage required: 85%

Additional course grading information

Students are required to achieve a mark of 45% in the final exam, and an overall mark of 50% to pass the course.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. 

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.  

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.  

Supplementary assessment in this course will be a 2-hour examination similar in style to the end-of-semester examination. To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Tutorials (in person and online):


The semester is broken into 5-7 forums.ᅠThese are considered a compulsory part of the program, and it is expected that each student will make contributions (be it an answer,ᅠ question, or a comment) to at least 60% of the forums. ᅠStudents should check their email at least 3 times per week, and in this way maximise the benefits of the forums, both for themselves and fellow students.


Artificial Intelligence

Assessment tasks in this course evaluate students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Extension requests are submitted online via my.UQ – applying for an extension. Extension requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with extension requests, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons, may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

  • Requests for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through your my.UQ portal and you must provide documentation of your circumstances, as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed. Your application must be submitted on or before the assessment item's due date and time.
  • Applications for extension can take time to be processed so you should continue to work on your assessment item while awaiting a decision. We recommend that you submit any completed work by the due date, and this will be marked if your application is not approved. Should your application be approved, then you will be able to resubmit by the agreed revised due date.
  • If an extension is approved, you will be notified via your my.UQ portal and the new date and time for submission provided. It is important that you check the revised date as it may differ from the date that you requested.
  • If the basis of the application is a medical condition, applications should be accompanied by a medical certificate dated prior to the assignment due date. If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a written statement (Word document) outlining why you cannot provide the documentation. You must then upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
  • If an extension is being sought on the basis of exceptional circumstances, it must be accompanied by supporting documentation (eg. Statutory declaration).
  • For extensions based on a SAP you may be granted a maximum of 7 days (if no earlier maximum date applies). See the Extension or Deferral availability section of each assessment for details. Your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, additional extension requests for the assessment item will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
  • Students may be asked to submit evidence of work completed to date. Lack of adequate progress on your assessment item may result in an extension being denied.
  • If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, you are advised to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty - seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
  • There are no provisions for exemption from an assessment item within UQ rules. If you are unable to submit an assessment piece then, under special circumstances, you may be granted an exemption, but may be required to submit alternative assessment to ensure all learning outcomes are met.

Applications to defer an exam

In certain circumstances you can apply to take a deferred examination for in-semester and end-of-semester exams. You'll need to demonstrate through supporting documentation how unavoidable circumstances prevented you from sitting your exam. If you can’t, you can apply for a one-off discretionary deferred exam.

Deferred Exam requests are submitted online via mySi-net. Requests received in any other way will not be approved. Additional details associated with deferred examinations, including acceptable and unacceptable reasons may be found at my.UQ.

Please note:

  • Applications can be submitted no later than 5 calendar days after the date of the original exam.
  • There are no provisions to defer a deferred exam. You need to be available to sit your deferred examination.
  • Your deferred examination request(s) must have a status of "submitted" in mySI-net to be assessed.
  • All applications for deferred in-semester examinations are assessed by the relevant school. Applications for deferred end-of-semester examinations are assessed by the Academic Services Division.
  • You’ll receive an email to your student email account when the status of your application is updated.
  • If you have a medical condition, mental health condition or disability and require alternative arrangements for your deferred exam you’ll need to complete the online alternative exam arrangements through my.UQ. This is in addition to your deferred examinations request. You need to submit this request on the same day as your request for a deferred exam or supplementary assessment. Contact Student Services if you need assistance completing your alternative exam arrangements request.


Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

New students receive a folder from the Physical Sciences Library with brochures about access and privileges for external students.ᅠ Students are encouraged to to make themselves familiar with this material and take the opportunity to use this valuable resource.ᅠ There is information about the facilities available to students, including borrowing privileges and photocopying requests.ᅠ Students are also encouraged to access a number of international databases available through the library.ᅠ The name and email address of the library contact person is distributed each semester and students are assured of her willingness to answer any queries.ᅠ Students are also remindedᅠof their login and password for the MRT website as well as the contact details for course coordinators each semester.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

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Learning period Activity type Topic
Multiple weeks
Tutorial

Tutorial 1 & 2

Tutorial 1: Introduction to course and blackboard.
Tutorial 2: Study Module 1, Introduction to MR spectroscopy and applications

Tutorial

Tutorial 3 & 4

Tutorial 3: Study Module 2: Localised spectroscopy: surface coils
Tutorial 4: Module 3: PRESS: spin echo localisation and answer tutorial questions

Tutorial

Tutorial 5 & 6

Tutorials 5 & 6: Module 4: Stimulated echo localisation and answer tutorial questions

Tutorial

Tutorial 7 & 8

Tutorial 7: Module 5: ISIS: image-selected in vivo spectroscopy
Tutorial 8: Module 6: Spectroscopic imaging and answer tutorial questions

Tutorial

Tutorial 9 & 10

Tutorial 9:
Module 7: Step-by-step guide to acquisition of a spectrum and answer tutorial questions
Tutorial 10:
Study Module 8: Spectral processing and peak area determination

Tutorial

Tutorial 11 & 12

Tutorial 11:
Study Module 9: Metabolite quantification. Answer tutorial questions.
Tutorial 12: Study Module 10: 1H spectroscopy, applications

Tutorial

Tutorial 13

Tutorial 12:
Study Module 13: 13P spectroscopy, Introduction and applications
Module 12: 13C spectroscopy, Introduction and applications.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.