Field Of Medical Physics Research Articles

Computed Tomography Diagnostic Reference Levels for Routine Pediatric Examinations in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review.

This work aims to review the diagnostic reference levels reported for pediatric patients who underwent routine CT exams in Saudi Arabia. The literature search was conducted in prominent search engines,including PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, and Saudi Digital Library (SDL), which serve as important sources in the fields of radiology, radiography, and medical physics. The search was conducted to identify previous studies that have reported diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for pediatric CT examinations. Only studies that specifically assessed DRLs in pediatric patients were considered for inclusion. On careful evaluation, eight publications were ultimately chosenout of the 31 that were originally considered. An assessment was made on the volume computed tomographic dose index (CTDIvol) and the dose-length product (DLP) values. The reported range of mean values for DLP (mGy.cm) included in this review for brain, chest, abdomen, abdomen and pelvis, and CAP (chest,abdomen,and pelvis) was 172-1881, 27.3-458.9, 94.5-790.1, 78-236, and 94.2, respectively. Moreover, the reported range of mean values for CTDIvol (mGy) included in this review for the brain, chest, abdomen, abdomenand pelvis, and CAP were 11.7-79.9, 1.2-20.1, 7.4-22.6, 2.6-5.5, and 3.6, respectively. The review emphasizes the need for standardized imaging protocols and DRLsin pediatric CT examinations to optimize radiation doses and patient safety. It recommends the development of annually reviewed comprehensive national DRLs in Saudi Arabia and improved training for technologists and physicians involved in pediatric CT imaging.

Impurity-enhanced core valence luminescence via Zn-doping in cesium magnesium chlorides

Scintillators with faster timing capabilities are currently in high demand for use in radiation detection systems in the fields of nuclear and medical physics. The limited number of suitable materials that meet the performance criteria of next generation detection systems presents an opportunity for discovery of new fast scintillator materials. In this work, the effects of doping several ultrafast core-valence luminescent (CVL) scintillators with divalent Zn is explored. Three compounds are investigated – CsMgCl3, Cs2MgCl4, and Cs3MgCl5 – and single crystals of each doped with 5 mol% Zn are grown via the Bridgman method. Additionally, mixing across the full range of concentrations (from 0 % to 100 % Zn) is explored in the Cs2Mg1-xZnxCl4 and Cs3Mg1-xZnxCl5 systems. For low concentrations of Zn, light yields of all three compounds are enhanced (by up to ∼60 %) compared to the pure crystals, achieving what we believe to be the brightest known CVL, CsMgCl3:Zn 5 % (3400 ± 170 ph/MeV light yield). More importantly, Zn doping does not affect the ultrafast timing properties, with each composition maintaining a single-component decay time around 1–3 ns. A sub-100 ps coincidence time resolution (CTR) is also achieved with CsMgCl3:Zn 5 %. The results of this work reveal a new avenue towards obtaining brighter CVL materials, which could open up possibilities for more advanced ultrafast scintillators to be discovered moving forward.

Developing and implementing a mentoring and enabling programme within EFOMP

To ensure the continued advancement of the medical physics profession, the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) has designed a mentorship programme. This programme aims to support Early Career Medical Physicists by providing them with the guidance needed for both professional and personal development to meet the continually evolving demands of the medical physics field within their working environments.The EFOMP mentorship programme is an important step forward in supporting the next generation of medical physicists. This article provides an overview of the history, framework, goals, and implementation strategy of this programme.The programme will have two main orientations: mentoring, which will help mentees to improve their scientific, professional and soft skills, and enabling, which aims to prepare a sufficient number of early career professionals to get involved within EFOMP’s activities, join the EFOMP structures and represent the European Medical Physics community to National and International Organisations.Each year a survey from mentors and mentees will be conducted and analysed by the European and International Matters Committee and the Early Career Special Interest Group to identify areas for improvement and to evaluate the degree of satisfaction and achievements of the participants.By providing structured mentoring, fostering professional development, and promoting sustainability, EFOMP aims to ensure that early career medical physicists are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the future and continue to advance the field of medical physics as a community.

H-BN layered material: A new frontier in radiation dosimetry

This study explores the potential of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanostructures for dosimetry of diverse ionizing radiation. We focus on the crucial thermoluminescence (TL) properties of h-BN, including glow curve, dose-response, reproducibility, sensitivity, and fading, within the conventional framework of TL dosimetry. The h-BN powder samples were exposed to different ionizing radiations, including 60Co gamma-rays with a mean energy of 1.25 MeV, electrons (6 MeV), and photons (6 MV), at levels of dose familiar in radiotherapy ranging from 2 Gy to 15 Gy. The h-BN's effective atomic number of 6.25, similar to human tissue, opens up exciting possibilities for applications in medical imaging and dosimetry. Notably, h-BN demonstrates a linear response within the dose range of interest, showcasing excellent sensitivity, particularly at low doses and low photon energies. Additionally, h-BN samples exhibit remarkable reproducibility, with a standard deviation of less than 2.4%, albeit accompanied by significant fading. Regarding the trapping parameters underpinning the manifestation of the glow curves of the irradiated samples, use was made of the peak shape method with different models to estimate the order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E), and frequency factor (s) or escape probability and trap lifetime (τ). The data suggest that the TL glow peaks of the h-BN obey general-order kinetics. These findings underscore the transformative potential of h-BN layered material in advancing radiation dosimetry, particularly in medical physics fields. The inherent characteristics of h-BN, coupled with its effective atomic number, excellent linearity over a wide range of radiation doses especially for electron irradiation and better reproducibility, positioned it as a suitable tool for precise and reliable dose measurement in medical imaging and therapy, heralding a new frontier in radiation dosimetry.

Organization and operation of multi particle therapy facilities: the Marburg Ion-Beam Therapy Center, Germany (MIT)

PurposeThe Marburg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (MIT) is one of two particle therapy centers in Germany that enables the treatment of patients with both protons and carbon ions. The facility was build by Siemens Healthineers and is one of only two centers worldwide built by Siemens (Marburg, Germany and Shanghai, China). The present report provides an overview of technical and clinical operations as well as research activities at MIT.MethodsThe MIT was completed in 2011 and uses a synchrotron for accelerating protons and carbon ions up to energies of 250 MeV/u and 430 MeV/u respectively. Three treatment rooms with a fixed horizontal beam-line and one room with a 45 degree beam angle are available.ResultsSince the start of clinical operations in 2015, around 2.500 patients have been treated at MIT, about 40% with carbon ions and 60% with protons. Currently around 400 patients are treated each year. The majority of the patients suffered from benign and malign CNS tumors (around 40%) followed by head and neck tumors (around 23%). MIT is actively involved in clinical studies with its patients. In addition to clinical operations, there is active research at MIT in the fields of radiation biology and medical physics. The focus is on translational research to improve the treatment of H & N carcinomas and lung cancer (NSCLC). Moreover, intensive work is being carried out on the technical implementation of FLASH irradiation for research purposes.ConclusionThe MIT is one of two centers worldwide that were built by Siemens Healtineers and has been successfully in clinical operation since 2015. The service provided by Siemens is guaranteed until 2030, the future after 2030 is currently under discussion.

A novel approach for Technetium-99m radioisotope transportation and storage in lead-free glass containers: A comprehensive assessment through Monte Carlo simulation technique

The primary aim of this project is to develop glass containers that are free from lead for the transportation of Tc-99m. The analysis included glass container structures characterized by the chemical formula 60B2O3-(25-x)GeO2-15BaO-xWO3 (where x ranges from 0 to 25). The rates of addition, in theory, range from 3.397 to 4.124 g/cm3. To evaluate the radiation shielding abilities of glass containers, the Phy-X/PSD software was used. The energy values employed in the evaluation varied from 0.015 MeV to 0.15 MeV, a range frequently employed in the field of medical physics. The transmission factors for the specific gamma energy of Tc-99m were determined using the Monte Carlo method MCNPX (version 2.7.0). The method simulates the motion and interaction of particles. The G6 glass container type exhibited the highest level of gamma-ray attenuation among all the investigated glass containers, primarily due to its superior shielding properties. The creation of glass containers that do not contain lead and are designed to contain the movement of Tc-99m has significant implications in the areas of radiopharmaceuticals and medical diagnostics. In light of the continuous attempts of the scientific community, it is advisable to undertake more investigations aimed at enhancing the technology of lead-free glass.

Primary Specialized Accreditation Medical Physicists

Currently, persons with higher professional (non-medical) education and no work experience as medical workers or who have less than five years of work experience as medical workers must undergo primary specialized accreditation. In order to accredit medical physicists to work in radiation therapy departments on the basis of the Department of Accelerator Physics and Radiation Medicine, Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov developed a bank of 2000 questions. In 2023, the tasks of the simulation stage were updated and approved. To test the practical skills of medical physicists as part of accreditation, domestic developers from the companies RT 7 LLC and Gradation LLC provided specially designed training modules based on their software, which is currently used, including in radiation therapy departments. Despite the fact that a lot of work has been done, at present only the starting point has been formed for the launch of primary specialized accreditation in Russia. In the future, constant cooperation between higher educational institutions, accreditation centers and leading cancer centers in our country is necessary to regularly update and improve assessment tools for the accreditation of specialists in the field of medical physics.

SEEIIST – a new research facility for tumor treatment and biomedical investigations with proton and ion beams

PurposeA project for the establishment of an international intergovernmental scientific organization in the region of South East Europe (South East European Institute for Sustainable Technologies - SEEIIST) is currently in progress. SEEIIST is an intergovernmental effort supported by nine countries from the region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo (This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, while Switzerland is an observer). The main goals of the project are to establish a unique research infrastructure and to form a research nucleus in the region of South-East Europe, to boost the technology transfer from European laboratories like CERN and others, to promote collaboration between science, technology, and industry, to mitigate tensions between countries in the region, and to provide platforms for the development of education.MethodsThe research infrastructure will include a powerful next-generation accelerator that will provide proton and ion beams for tumor treatment and biomedical research. The center will comprise of three rooms for patient treatment and two large experimental halls.ResultsA wide pre-clinical and clinical research program in the fields of radiobiology, medical physics, medical imaging, biophysical modeling and planning of patient treatment, design and investigation of new materials, production of isotopes for diagnosis, and treatment of patients are envisaged.ConclusionsThis infrastructure is unique for Europe and will attract researchers from all European countries to perform their investigations.

Evaluation of Various Free Software Options for Catphan 504 Phantom Analysis

In computed tomography, image quality tests are important to guarantee a correct medical diagnosis and a better cost and benefit for the patient. Purpose: the purpose of this study is to analyse the images reconstructed with different thorax and bone convolution filters using popular free-use software in the field of medical physics, for the Catphan 504 phantom. Methods: a total of 14 scans were performed using the chest protocol, with convolution filters (FC) FC30, FC35, FC50, FC51, FC52, FC53, FC55, FC56, FC80, FC81, FC83, FC84, FC85, FC86, on the 16-channel Canon Aquilion Lightning CT scanner using the Catphan 504 phantom. Image quality parameters evaluated were: noise, uniformity, linearity of CT numbers, and high spatial resolution with MTF 50% and MTF 10%. The images were evaluated using software such as ImageJ, Script Python, and free software for automatic evaluation of the Catphan 504 phantom, CTQA-cp, SPICE-CT, and Pylinac. Results: the tests carried out with the Catphan 504 phantom were analysed by the software and agreed with each other (with p>0.05), except for Pylinac. The results obtained with Pylinac had a significant difference for the uniformity, slice thickness, and MTF10% tests, this being the code that was the furthest away from the results obtained by the other codes. Conclusions: the ImageJ, Spice-CT, and CTQA-cp software showed consistent results for the tests performed, while Pylinac had limitations in calculating the standard deviation for the noise test and showed significant differences in some tests when compared to the other software.

Preclinical magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in the fields of radiological technology, medical physics, and radiology.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an indispensable diagnostic imaging technique used in the clinical setting. MRI is advantageous over X-ray and computed tomography (CT), because the contrast provided depends on differences in the density of various organ tissues. In addition to MRI systems in hospitals, more than 100 systems are used for research purposes in Japan in various fields, including basic scientific research, molecular and clinical investigations, and life science research, such as drug discovery, veterinary medicine, and food testing. For many years, additional preclinical imaging studies have been conducted in basic research in the fields of radiation technology, medical physics, and radiology. The preclinical MRI research includes studies using small-bore and whole-body MRI systems. In this review, we focus on the animal study using small-bore MRI systems as "preclinical MRI". The preclinical MRI can be used to elucidate the pathophysiology of diseases and for translational research. This review will provide an overview of previous preclinical MRI studies such as brain, heart, and liver disease assessments. Also, we provide an overview of the utility of preclinical MRI studies in radiological physics and technology.

A systematic review of immersive educational technologies in medical physics and radiation physics.

This systematic review aims to analyze and synthesize the current state of research on the role of immersive technologies, specifically augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), in medical physics and radiation physics education. The primary focus is to evaluate their impact on learning outcomes, performance, and engagement across various educational contexts. We conduct a comprehensive search of four major databases: Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore, covering the period from 2012 to 2023. A total of 316 articles are initially identified. After removing duplicates and screening for relevance based on titles and abstracts, 107 articles are selected for full-text review. Finally, 37 articles met the inclusion criteria and are included in the analysis. The review follows the PRISMA guidelines and utilizes the PICOS framework to structure the research question. Data extraction focuses on key variables such as the type of immersive technology used, educational context, study design, participant demographics, and measured outcomes. The studies are analyzed for their reported effects on learning outcomes, performance, and engagement. The review found that immersive technologies significantly enhance learning outcomes and engagement. Specifically, 36.4% of the studies reported increased engagement, while 63.6% of studies focusing on practical skills noted performance improvements. The use of AR, VR, and MR showed broad applicability across different educational levels, from undergraduate courses to professional training programs. Immersive technologies have considerable potential to transform medical and radiation physics. They enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and boost performance in practical skills. Nevertheless, future research should focus on standardizing methodologies, expanding participant demographics, and exploring long-term impacts on skill retention and clinical practice. This review provides a valuable resource for guiding future research and implementing innovative educational strategies in the dynamic fields of medical physics and radiation physics.

Stiffness, elasticity, resilience, density as clinical interpretation of physical properties of liver tissue

Objective. Evaluation of a single vector of ultrasound assessment of changes in the liver parenchyma, taking into account the correct use of such physical concepts as stiffness, elasticity, elasticity, density.Material and methods. On the basis of the Problem Research Laboratory ‘Diagnostic Research and Minimally Invasive Technologies’ a study was conducted with the participation of 112 patients of a multidisciplinary hospital. Multiparametric ultrasound examination (B-mode, quantitative liver steatometry, 2D shear wave elastography, complex format ‘liver protocol’) was performed by ultrasound doctors (n = 24) of the following groups: half-a-year residents in the specialty ‘ultrasound diagnostics’ (n = 9; 37.6%), doctors working in a multidisciplinary hospital of a medical organization of the regional center with work experience up to 5 years (n = 4; 16.6%), 6–10 years (n = 4; 16.6%), 11–20 years old (n = 3; 12.6%), 21 years or more (n = 4; 16.6%), of which 1 (4.2%) professor, 1 (4.2%) doctor of medical sciences, 3 (12.5%) candidates of medical sciences. An analysis of the protocols of ultrasound examination was carried out.Results. The correct description of changes in the liver according to B-mode data, quantitative steatometry, 2D shear wave elastography and ‘liver protocol’ correct formulations were given by 9 (37.5%) specialists. In all cases, most of the correct protocols were provided by doctors from groups of 6–10 years of experience and 21 years of experience or more.Conclusions. In the community of specialists in ultrasound diagnostics there is no agreement on a correct and unified approach to the description of diffuse liver changes using multiparametric ultrasound. To increase the level of knowledge, complex multidisciplinary interaction is necessary in the format of scientific and educational programs organized jointly with specialists in the field of medical physics.

Adineta vaga under fire: simulating the impact of radiation

AbstractPrevious studies have demonstrated the remarkable resistance of bdelloid rotifers to ionizing radiation, making them an interesting model system for studying radiation effects on living organisms. In this study, we use simulations, instead of direct experimental exposures, to examine whether all bdelloids are affected equally by radiation exposure and to explore the relationship between biological data and energy deposition patterns induced by low and high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. To this end, tool for particle simulation (TOPAS) a simulation tool, widely used in the field of medical physics and radiation therapy, was utilized. Using simulations for proton, iron ions, and X-ray exposure, our findings showed that all individuals, cells, and nuclei were effectively hit by the administered doses of 4 MeV protons, 0.5 GeV/n 56Fe, and X-ray radiation. The results support that the impact on survival and fertility rate measured in Adineta vaga is caused by radiation-induced damage rather than the absence of hits in certain individuals or germinal cells. Notably, simulations revealed significant differences between low- and high-LET radiation concerning irradiated individuals' nuclei. Specifically, for an equivalent dose, high-LET radiation requires fewer incident particles compared to low-LET radiation, resulting in a sparser distribution of radiation hits on the nucleus surface. In conclusion, the study supports the idea that reduced fertility described in high-LET exposed samples is associated with complex DNA damage caused by the condensed energy deposition pattern of high-LET radiation compared to low-LET.

Efektivitas Tungsten sebagai perisai radiasi foton

Tungsten is a material that has a high density and atomic number which is a potential candidate for photon shielding. In this study, Tungsten material with a thickness of 10 cm was used as a shield for photon with energies of 2 MeV, 3.3 MeV, and 5 MeV. This material shielding was simulated with Monte Carlo based software, Particle and Heavy Ion Transport System (PHITS). The dimensions of the shield material are 40×40×10 cm3 which are placed at various distances from the source:20 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm. The results obtained show that these photons with energies of 2, 3.3, and 5 MeV can be attenuated by the shield at all defined source distances. The flux of particles passing through the shield decreases with increasing distance. Therefore, Tungsten material can be a candidate for photon shielding in the medical physics field.

Comprehensive radiological parameterizations of proton and alpha particle interactions for some selected biomolecules: theoretical computation

Investigation of the interaction of radiations with biomolecules has several applications in the fields of radiation biophysics, radiation protection, medical biology, and medical physics. In this study, a comprehensive radiological parameterization of proton and alpha particles interactions at the energy range of (1 keV–10 GeV) and (1 keV–1 GeV), respectively for nucleotide bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil, thymine), carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose, raffinose), lipids (cholesterol, retinol, progesterone, cortisone, and phylloquinone), and fatty acids (lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic, and arachidic) biomolecules have been carried out using PAGEX computer software. The radiological parameters calculated are the mass stopping power (S(E)/ρ), mass stopping cross-section (S c), effective atomic number (Z eff), and effective electron density (N eff). The highest values of S(E)/ρ and S c of proton and alpha particle interactions with the biomolecules occurred at the kinetic energy of about 0.1 and 0.5 MeV, respectively while that of the Z eff and N eff occurred at 0.1 MeV and 1 MeV, respectively. The S(E)/ρ and S c similarly vary with the kinetic energy due to their relations. As expected, the dependence of the Z eff and N eff of the biomolecules on the incidence energy was found to be similar. The comparisons of the Z eff and N eff calculated in this study, using PAGEX software with some studies in the literature that used the interpolation method showed variations that account for differences between the two methods.

Special Issue on Synchrotron Radiation for Medical Applications

X-ray radiation is a widely used tool in the fields of medical physics and diagnostic imaging [...]

Science diplomacy in medical physics - an international perspective.

Science diplomacy in medical physics is a relatively young research field and translational practice that focuses on establishing international collaborations to address some of the questions biomedical professionals face globally. This paper aims to present an overview of science diplomacy in medical physics, from an international perspective, illustrating the ways collaborations within and across continents can lead to scientific and professional achievements that advance scientific growth and improve patients care. Science diplomacy actions were sought that promote collaborations in medical physics across the continents, related to professional and scientific aspects alike. Several science diplomacy actions have been identified to promote education and training, to facilitate research and development, to effectively communicate science to the public, to enable equitable access of patients to healthcare and to focus on gender equity within the profession as well as healthcare provision. Scientific and professional organizations in the field of medical physics across all continents have adopted a number of efforts in their aims, many of them with great success, to promote science diplomacy and to foster international collaborations. Professionals in medical physics can advance through international cooperation, by building strong communication across scientific communities, addressing rising demands, exchange scientific information and knowledge.

Review of true tales of medical physics: Insights into a life‐saving specialty, edited by Jacob Van Dyk

Review of true tales of medical physics: Insights into a life‐saving specialty, edited by Jacob Van Dyk

Cancer Treatment Using Different Shapes of Gold-Based Nanomaterials in Combination with Conventional Physical Techniques.

The conventional methods of cancer treatment and diagnosis, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and computed tomography, have developed a great deal. However, the effectiveness of such methods is limited to the possible failure or collateral effects on the patients. In recent years, nanoscale materials have been studied in the field of medical physics to develop increasingly efficient methods to treat diseases. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), thanks to their unique physicochemical and optical properties, were introduced to medicine to promote highly effective treatments. Several studies have confirmed the advantages of AuNPs such as their biocompatibility and the possibility to tune their shapes and sizes or modify their surfaces using different chemical compounds. In this review, the main properties of AuNPs are analyzed, with particular focus on star-shaped AuNPs. In addition, the main methods of tumor treatment and diagnosis involving AuNPs are reviewed.

INTERDISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION IS A NECESSARY CONDITION OF MODERN EDUCATION

This article covers the example of "Medical physics and medical technology", one of the newest and most important sciences of modern medicine, which was created based on the interdisciplinary integration of natural sciences in the field of medical physics. The main task of "Medical physics and medical technology" is to study the working principles of medical devices, the physical properties of living organisms and their measurement methods. The methods designed for the practical analysis of the processes taking place in a living organism, for example, from certain molecules and their collections to cells, their categories, tissues, and organs, as well as the conductivity and resistance of whole organisms, are presented.