Medical Physics As a Career
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MedicalMedical PhysicsPhysics asas aa CareerCareer AmericanAmerican AssociationAssociation ofof PhysicistsPhysicists inin MedicineMedicine (AAPM)(AAPM) PublicPublic EducationEducation CommitteeCommittee 20032003 February 9, 2005, version 1.0 WhatWhat isis aa MedicalMedical Physicist?Physicist? AA medicalmedical physicistphysicist isis aa professionalprofessional whowho specializesspecializes inin thethe applicationapplication ofof thethe conceptsconcepts andand methodsmethods ofof physicsphysics toto thethe diagnosisdiagnosis andand treatmenttreatment ofof humanhuman disease.disease. TheThe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist BridgesBridges PhysicsPhysics andand MedicineMedicine Medical Physicist Physics Medicine TheThe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist isis PartPart ofof thethe MedicalMedical TeamTeam TherapyTherapy ImagingImaging PhysicianPhysician (Radiation(Radiation PhysicianPhysician (Radiologist,(Radiologist, Oncologist,Oncologist, Surgeon,Surgeon, ……)) Cardiologist,Cardiologist, ……)) MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist MedicalMedical DosimetristDosimetrist PhysicsPhysics AssistantAssistant PhysicsPhysics AssistantAssistant RadiologicalRadiological TechnologistTechnologist RadiationRadiation TherapistTherapist MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist RewardsRewards ChallengeChallenge ofof applyingapplying thethe principlesprinciples ofof physicsphysics toto medicinemedicine SatisfactionSatisfaction ofof developingdeveloping newnew technologytechnology forfor medicalmedical useuse ContributingContributing toto thethe wellwell--beingbeing ofof patientspatients ReceivingReceiving competitivecompetitive compensationcompensation WhatWhat dodo wewe meanmean-- aa qualifiedqualified medicalmedical physicist?physicist? AnAn individualindividual whowho isis competentcompetent toto practicepractice independentlyindependently inin oneone oror moremore ofof thethe subfieldssubfields inin medicalmedical physics.physics. CertificationCertification andand continuingcontinuing educationeducation (to(to demonstratedemonstrate competence)competence) TrainedTrained toto bebe familiarfamiliar withwith thethe principlesprinciples ofof physicsphysics usedused inin thethe equipmentequipment andand instrumentsinstruments FamiliarFamiliar withwith governmentgovernment regulationsregulations andand lawslaws FamiliarFamiliar withwith performanceperformance specificationsspecifications ofof equipmentequipment FamiliarFamiliar withwith physicalphysical limitationslimitations ofof instruments,instruments, calibrationcalibration procedures,procedures, andand computercomputer algorithmsalgorithms MedicalMedical PhysicsPhysics DisciplinesDisciplines (Subfields)(Subfields) TherapeuticTherapeutic RadiologicalRadiological PhysicsPhysics DiagnosticDiagnostic ImagingImaging PhysicsPhysics MedicalMedical NuclearNuclear PhysicsPhysics MedicalMedical HealthHealth PhysicsPhysics AAPM By-Law TherapeuticTherapeutic RadiologicalRadiological PhysicsPhysics TheThe therapeutictherapeutic applicationsapplications ofof xx--ray,ray, gammagamma ray,ray, neutron,neutron, electron,electron, andand chargedcharged--particleparticle beams,beams, andand radiationradiation fromfrom sealedsealed radionuclideradionuclide sources.sources. TheThe equipmentequipment associatedassociated withwith theirtheir production,production, use,use, measurement,measurement, andand evaluation.evaluation. TheThe qualityquality ofof imagesimages resultingresulting fromfrom theirtheir productionproduction andand use.use. MedicalMedical healthhealth physicsphysics associatedassociated withwith thisthis subfield.subfield. AAPM By-Law CellCell KillingKilling ByBy IonizingIonizing RadiationRadiation DiagnosticDiagnostic RadiologicalRadiological PhysicsPhysics TheThe diagnosticdiagnostic applicationsapplications ofof xx--rays,rays, gammagamma raysrays fromfrom sealedsealed sources,sources, ultrasonicultrasonic radiation,radiation, andand radioradio frequencyfrequency radiationradiation andand magneticmagnetic fieldsfields TheThe equipmentequipment associationassociation withwith theirtheir production,production, use,use, measurementmeasurement andand evaluationevaluation TheThe qualityquality ofof imagesimages resultingresulting fromfrom theirtheir productionproduction andand useuse MedicalMedical healthhealth physicsphysics associatedassociated withwith thisthis subfieldsubfield AAPM By-Law DiscoveryDiscovery ofof XX--raysrays On 8 Nov 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (accidentally) discovered an image cast from his cathode ray generator. MedicalMedical NuclearNuclear PhysicsPhysics TheThe therapeutictherapeutic andand diagnosticdiagnostic applicationsapplications ofof radionuclidesradionuclides inin unsealedunsealed sourcessources TheThe equipmentequipment associationassociation withwith theirtheir production,production, use,use, measurement,measurement, andand evaluationevaluation TheThe qualityquality ofof imagesimages resultingresulting fromfrom theirtheir productionproduction andand useuse MedicalMedical healthhealth physicsphysics associatedassociated withwith thisthis subfieldsubfield AAPM By-Law Gamma Camera Scan Liver metastasis from prostate carcinoma IV administration of Tc99m Accumulates in areas of increased blood flow due to active bone metabolism, oedema of inflammation or the angiogenesis associated with tumours MedicalMedical HealthHealth PhysicsPhysics TheThe safesafe useuse ofof xx--ray,ray, gammagamma ray,ray, neutron,neutron, electron,electron, andand otherother chargedcharged particleparticle beamsbeams oror radionuclidesradionuclides inin medicinemedicine (for(for diagnosticdiagnostic oror therapeutictherapeutic purposes).purposes). TheThe instrumentationinstrumentation requiredrequired toto performperform appropriateappropriate radiationradiation surveys.surveys. TheThe medicalmedical physicistphysicist oftenoften servesserves asas radiationradiation safetysafety officerofficer AAPM By-Law EmergencyEmergency ManagementManagement ofof RadiationRadiation CasualtiesCasualties CAUTION February 9, 2005, version 1.0 WhatWhat isis thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist’’ss PrimaryPrimary Discipline?Discipline? 4% 1%1% 3% Radiation Therapy 15% Imaging Physics Nuclear Medicine Health Physics Engineering Administration 76% Source: 2002 AAPM Survey WhatWhat isis thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist’’ss PrimaryPrimary Responsibility?Responsibility? 4% 2% 3% Clinical 5% Academic 8% Research Administrative Regulatory Product Development 78% Source: 2002 AAPM Survey GeneralGeneral AreasAreas ofof ResponsibilityResponsibility ofof thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist ClinicalClinical ResearchResearch EducationEducation RegulatoryRegulatory ComplianceCompliance ClinicalClinical ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities ofof thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist DailyDaily clinicalclinical supportsupport EquipmentEquipment acquisitionsacquisitions SiteSite planningplanning QualityQuality assuranceassurance DoseDose calculationscalculations LiaisonLiaison betweenbetween otherother medicalmedical professionals,professionals, manufacturers,manufacturers, andand regulatoryregulatory agenciesagencies ResearchResearch andand DevelopmentDevelopment OpportunitiesOpportunities forfor thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist DevelopDevelop newnew therapeutictherapeutic oror diagnosticdiagnostic proceduresprocedures ImplementImplement and/orand/or integrateintegrate newnew equipmentequipment intointo clinicalclinical useuse InvestigateInvestigate oror evaluateevaluate therapeutictherapeutic oror diagnosticdiagnostic outcomes/performanceoutcomes/performance BasicBasic scientificscientific researchresearch EducationalEducational FunctionsFunctions ofof thethe MedicalMedical PhysicistPhysicist GraduateGraduate programsprograms inin MedicalMedical PhysicsPhysics ResidencyResidency programsprograms MedicalMedical PhysicsPhysics DiagnosticDiagnostic RadiologyRadiology RadiationRadiation OncologyOncology NuclearNuclear MedicineMedicine OthersOthers (Cardiology,(Cardiology, Gynecology,Gynecology, ……)) AlliedAllied HealthHealth ProfessionalsProfessionals OtherOther trainingtraining opportunitiesopportunities AAPMAAPM annualannual meetingmeeting andand summersummer schoolschool ACMPACMP seminarsseminars OtherOther professionalprofessional societysociety meetingsmeetings TherapeuticTherapeutic RadiologicalRadiological PhysicsPhysics AnAn IntroductionIntroduction February 9, 2005, version 1.0 ModernModern RadiationRadiation TherapyTherapy UsingUsing HighHigh EnergyEnergy XX--raysrays andand ElectronsElectrons IsocentricIsocentric PatientPatient RadiationRadiation TherapyTherapy TherapeuticTherapeutic GainGain A compromise between tumor control and normal tissue complications 100 Tumor Cell Killing 50 Normal Tissue Damage Complication (%) Tumor Control (%) Dose (Gy) ExternalExternal BeamBeam RadiationRadiation TherapyTherapy 45 Gy 65 Gy 70 Gy 25 Gy 78 Gy 76 Gy 3D Conformal Technique for Treating Prostate Cancer 99--FieldField HeadHead && NeckNeck IMRTIMRT CaseCase Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2001;51:880-914 TargetTarget LocalizationLocalization andand ImmobilizationImmobilization UsingUsing UltrasoundUltrasound inin ProstateProstate RadiationRadiation TherapyTherapy ExampleExample ofof FunctionsFunctions InIn TherapyTherapy PhysicsPhysics •Clinical Medical Physics Dosimetry, radiation safety, quality assurance, etc. •Research and Development Develop new therapeutic equipment or procedures, etc. •Education Training of medical physicists,