Medical physics aspects of cancer care in the Asia Pacific region

Medical physics plays an essential role in modern medicine. This is particularly evident in cancer care where medical physicists are involved in radiotherapy treatment planning and quality assurance as well as in imaging and radiation protection. Due to the large variety of tasks and interests, medical physics is often subdivided into specialties such as radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation oncology medical physics. However, even within their specialty, the role of radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) is diverse and varies between different societies. Therefore, a questionnaire was sent to leading medical physicists in most countries/areas in the Asia/Pacific region to determine the education, role and status of medical physicists

Prospective Observational Study on acute Appendicitis Worldwide (POSAW)

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical disease, and appendectomy is the treatment of choice in the majority of cases. A correct diagnosis is key for decreasing the negative appendectomy rate. The management can become difficult in case of complicated appendicitis. The aim of this study is to describe the worldwide clinical and diagnostic work-up and management of AA in surgical departments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Guidelines for education and training of medical physicists in radiotherapy. Recommendations from an ESTRO/EFOMP working group.

Contains fulltext : 58326.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)PURPOSE: To provide a guideline curriculum covering theoretical and practical aspects of education and training for medical physicists in radiotherapy within Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Guidelines have been developed for the specialist theoretical knowledge and practical experience required to practice as a medical physicist in radiotherapy. It is assumed that the typical entrant into training will have a good initial degree in the physical sciences, therefore these guidelines also require that and are additional to it. National training programmes of medical physics, radiation physics and radiotherapy physics from a range of European countries and from North America were reviewed by an expert panel set up by the European Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP). A draft document prepared by this group was circulated, via the EFOMP infrastructure, among national professional medical physics societies in Europe for review and comment and was also discussed in an education session in the May 2003 EFOMP scientific meeting in Eindhoven. RESULTS: The resulting guideline curriculum for education and training of medical physicists in radiotherapy within Europe discusses the EFOMP terms, qualified medical physicist (QMP) and specialist medical physicist (SMP), and the group's view of the links to the EU (Directive 97/43) term, medical physics expert (MPE). The minimum level expected in each topic in the theoretical knowledge and practical experience sections is intended to bring trainees up to the requirements of a QMP. The responses from the circulation of the document to national societies and its discussion were either to agree its content, with no changes required, or to suggest changes, which were taken into account after consideration by the expert group. Following this the guidelines have been endorsed by the parent organisations. CONCLUSIONS: This new joint ESTRO/EFOMP European guideline curriculum is a first step to harmonise specialist training of medical physicists in radiotherapy within Europe. It provides a common framework for national medical physics societies to develop or benchmark their own curricula, but is also flexible enough to suit different situations of initial physics qualifications, medical physics training programmes, accreditation structures, etc. The responsibility for the implementation of these standards and guidelines will lie with the national training bodies and authorities

Comparison of dose calculation algorithms in slab phantoms with cortical bone equivalent heterogeneities

To evaluate the dose values predicted by several calculation algorithms in two treatment planning systems, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and measurements by means of various detectors were performed in heterogeneous layer phantoms with water- and bone-equivalent materials. Percentage depth doses (PDDs) were measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), plane parallel and cylindrical ionization chambers, and beam profiles with films. The MC code used for the simulations was the PENELOPE code. Three different field sizes (10 X 10, 5 X 5, and 2 X 2 cm 2) were studied in two phantom configurations and a bone equivalent material. These two phantom configurations contained heterogeneities of 5 and 2 cm of bone, respectively. We analyzed the performance of four correction-based algorithms and one based on convolution superposition. The correction-based algorithms were the Batho, the Modified Batho, the Equivalent TAR implemented in the Cadplan (Varian) treatment planning system (TPS), and the Helax-TMS Pencil Beam from the Helax-TMS (Nucletron) TPS. The convolution-superposition algorithm was the Collapsed Cone implemented in the Helax-TMS. All the correction-based calculation algorithms underestimated the dose inside the bone-equivalent material for 18 MV compared to MC simulations. The maximum underestimation, in terms of root-mean-square (RMS), was about 15% for the Helax-TMS Pencil Beam (Helax-TMS PB) for a 2 X 2 cm2 field inside the bone-equivalent material. In contrast, the Collapsed Cone algorithm yielded values around 3%. A more complex behavior was found for 6 MV where the Collapsed Cone performed less well, overestimating the dose inside the heterogeneity in 3%-5%. The rebuildup in the interface bone-water and the penumbra shrinking in high-density media were not predicted by any of the calculation algorithms except the Collapsed Cone, and only the MC simulations matched the experimental values within the estimated uncertainties. The TLD and MOSFET detectors were suitable for dose measurement inside bone-equivalent materials, while parallel ionization chambers, applying the same calibration and correction factors as in water, systematically underestimated dose by 3%-5%. (c) 2007 American Association of Physicists in Medicine