Beyond Technology: The Impact of Personal Physics Consultation on Patient Anxiety in Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy.

Radioablation for Ventricular Tachycardia: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

Bibliometric Analysis of Monte Carlo-Based Medical Physics Research in Korea (2015–2024)

X-ray detector noise decomposition and normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) are two metrics proposed in the European Guidelines for the quality control (QC) of digital mammography (DM) systems. We aim to examine the reproducibility of these metrics in longitudinal testing and the relevance of the limiting values in the Guidelines and produce device-specific performance data. Semiannual QC data for 55 DM systems (16 models, 6 manufacturers) were retrieved from our medical physics archive, giving a total of 455 QC tests covering a period of 5 years (10 tests). Average values of the detector response function fit coefficients, the electronic, quantum and structure noise coefficients, and the NNPS data were analyzed across DM models and longitudinally for a given device. The fraction of quantum noise at the clinical detector air kerma ( ) level was determined, along with the longitudinal change in NNPS. Coefficient of variation for the NNPS at was 0.04, averaged over all systems. Quantum noise evaluated at was the largest noise fraction for all devices studied, ranging from 61.2% to 98.2%. Electronic noise was generally lower for the latest X-ray detectors. Consequently, the fraction of quantum noise at has improved from 6.2% to 28.0% and corresponds to a broader quantum noise-limited range. The evaluated noise metrics were reproducible, identified changes in X-ray detector performance, and have a useful role to play in QC testing. The average values have application as reference performance data.

This work aimed to establish average lung and heart volumes in a large population of healthy young Korean adults and to produce age- and sex-specific thoracic surface phantoms that precisely match those averages. The dataset is intended for researchers and clinicians in medical physics, radiology, and anatomy who require population-specific reference values and realistic three-dimensional models for simulation, device development, and education. Chest computed tomography scans from 2061 individuals (1361 males and 700 females in their 20s and 30s) obtained during routine health screenings were analyzed. Lung structures were segmented in all subjects and heart structures in 367 in 3D Slicer using TotalSegmentator extension. Volumes of seven pulmonary and nine cardiac structures were measured using Python. Multiple linear regression was used to summarize how volumes varied with age, height, and weight and to check internal consistency. For each sex and age group, a representative individual whose lung and heart volumes were closest to the group averages was selected. In Autodesk Maya, the lung and heart models from these individuals were uniformly scaled until the total lung and heart volumes deviated by less than 1% and 0.1%, respectively, from the group means resulting in four thoracic phantom models. The dataset includes four thoracic phantoms (20s male, 20s female, 30s male, 30s female), each containing 52 segmented structures provided as STL files (approximately 2 GB in total). Accompanying Excel files provide summary statistics and verification of scaled versus target volumes for all lung and heart structures. All files are available via Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17388653) and the authors' homepage. These population-specific volume data and thoracic phantoms can be used as reference models for computational dosimetry, exposure and SAR assessment, medical device design and size matching, and anatomical or procedural education.

Advanced Imaging Technology Laboratory, Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Division of Health Sciences, The University of Osaka Graduate School of Medicine

ObjectivesThis study aims to evaluate the perceived impact of extreme weather events from 2017 - 2024 on delivery of radiotherapy in Puerto Rico (PR), including effects on radiation oncologists, medical physicists, clinical staff, and patients. A secondary objective is to identify resources and strategies that may strengthen resiliency and support continuity of care in radiation oncology clinics located in weather-vulnerable regions.MethodsWe developed a comprehensive online cross-sectional survey to evaluate clinic emergency preparedness and the impact of extreme weather events on radiation oncology clinic stakeholders in PR. Potential participants were identified through the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) membership directory and were invited to participate via email and direct outreach.ResultsFourteen radiation oncologists and four medical physicists were invited to participate, with a response rate of 56% (n = 10), representing 71.4% of radiation oncology clinics in PR. Among respondents, 90% reported clinical disruptions due to extreme weather events from 2017 to 2024. The most commonly reported impacts were property damage (90%), communication failures between providers, patients and staff (90%), power outages (80%), and school and/or childcare closures (80%). A majority (90%) supported developing comprehensive supportive resources, including professional society resources, to enhance disaster preparedness and operational resiliency.ConclusionRadiation oncology providers in PR reported significant disruptions in care delivery from extreme weather events and identified a need for strong resiliency measures. Institutional policy, coupled with targeted support from professional societies, may reduce lapses in treatment, safeguard vulnerable patients – particularly those with complex treatment plans – and improve continuity of care and outcomes in weather-prone regions.

The use of radiation in medical services, particularly in radiology departments, provides significant diagnostic benefits but also poses risks to patients if not accompanied by the optimal implementation of a radiation safety culture. This study aims to enhance the culture of radiation safety at Karawang Regional Hospital (RSUD Karawang) by strengthening interprofessional collaboration among radiologists, radiographers, nurses, medical physicists, radiation protection officers, and administrative staff. This research adopts a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model and produces an output in the form of a digital application called KolaboRadiasi, developed on the no-code platform Glide. The application is designed as a medium for documentation and cross-professional communication in the delivery of radiology services. Its main features include clinical justification, quality assurance, patient preparation, anesthesia reports, equipment maintenance, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and radiation worker data. Trial results involving 22 respondents indicate that the application facilitates information access, improves work efficiency, strengthens interprofessional communication, and enhances patient safety. Most respondents stated that the application is feasible for routine implementation and could be integrated into the hospital's quality system. This study offers an innovative contribution by integrating digital tools collaboratively into the culture of radiation safety, with the potential to be adopted by other healthcare facilities. Keywords: Radiation Safety, Interprofessional Collaboration, Digital Application, Safety Culture, Patient Safety

Background: This review aims to highlight the importance of brachytherapy in medical physics, specifically, cancer treatment and dosimetry. This type of therapy uses radionuclide irradiation in or in contact with the tumor surface. Based on the target organ, various applicators can be used.Materials and methods: Both clinical and Monte Carlo methods are able to obtain the organ and the neighboring tissues' dose rates.Results: The findings reveal that the Monte Carlo method can only predict the dose range and ranges of dose in organs at risk, and does not give us precise results.Conclusion: In summary, after evaluation of doses in the Monte Carlo method, we should validate them with clinical results.

Objective.This study aims to comprehensively compare the PENHAN and FLUKA Monte Carlo codes for low-energy alpha particle transport and small-scale dosimetry using alpha-emitting radionuclides, and to assess their suitability for such applications.Approach.Two studies were performed through Monte Carlo simulations. First, monoenergetic alpha particles (3-10 MeV) were distributed in a micrometric water sphere and the dose deposition within it was calculated. Second, a simplified spherical cell model with uniformly distributed alpha-emitting radionuclides was used to computeS-values. PENHAN and FLUKA results were compared, and potential sources of discrepancy between them were analyzed. In addition, both codes were benchmarked against MIRDcell, an analytical tool widely used for dosimetric calculations in Targeted radionuclide therapy.Main results.In the monoenergetic study, the primary source of discrepancy between PENHAN and FLUKA was the stopping powers used for alpha particles. When the same stopping powers were employed, both codes yielded statistically compatible results, except at 3.0 and 3.5 MeV, where FLUKA showed an anomalous behavior. In the cell model, variations were below 3% but not negligible even when using identical stopping powers, suggesting an additional source of discrepancy: differences in the radionuclide emission spectra, particularly in the electron component. In both studies, PENHAN and FLUKA results were overall in good agreement with those from MIRDcell.Significance.This study demonstrates, for the first time, the suitability of PENHAN for low-energy alpha transport and small-scale dosimetry with alpha emitters, provided that accurate stopping powers are employed. It also supports the reliability of FLUKA in these scenarios and shows that both codes yield compatible results when using consistent stopping power datasets and radionuclide emission spectra. This work further highlights the importance of validating Monte Carlo codes in medical physics to ensure the reliability and reproducibility of their results.

Online adaptive radiotherapy (ART) is rapidly transforming clinical radiation oncology by enabling adaptation of treatment plans based on patient-specific anatomical and biological changes. However, most medical physics training programs lack structured education in ART. To address this critical gap, the Medical Physics Adaptive Radiotherapy (MPART) Fellowship was established at our center to train post-residency or practicing physicists in advanced adaptive technologies and workflows. The MPART Fellowship is a two-year program that provides immersive, platform-specific training in CBCT-guided (Varian Ethos), MR-guided (Elekta Unity), and PET-guided (RefleXion X1) radiotherapy. Fellows undergo modular clinical rotations, hands-on training, and dedicated research projects. The curriculum incorporates competencies in imaging, contouring, online planning, quality assurance, and team-based decision-making. Evaluation is based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competency domains and includes milestone tracking, mentor reviews, and structured presentations. The fellowship attracted applicants from both domestic and international institutions, reflecting strong demand for formal ART training. Out of 22 applications, two fellows have been successfully recruited into the program since 2024. Fellows actively participate in all phases of adaptive workflows and are expected to function at near-attending levels by the second year of their training. Each fellow also leads at least one translational or operational research project aimed at improving ART delivery. Fellows contribute to clinical coverage and lead developmental projects, resulting in presentations and publications at the national and international levels. The MPART Fellowship addresses a vital educational need by equipping medical physicists with the advanced competencies necessary for implementing and leading ART. This program offers a replicable framework for other institutions seeking to advance precision radiation therapy through structured post-residency training in adaptive radiotherapy. As this fellowship program is still in its early phase of establishment, the primary goal of this paper is to introduce the structure, framework, and implementation model of the program. Comprehensive outcome analyses-such as quantitative assessments, fellow feedback, and longitudinal competency evaluations-will be incorporated in future work as additional cohorts complete training.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) of patients with differentiated metastatic thyroid cancer has been standard treatment for more than 80 y. A high and uniform expression of the NaI symporter in malignant thyroid cells results in tumoricidal absorbed doses (ADs) delivered by the β-particle emissions of the radioactive iodine (131I). Treatment is less effective for patients whose disease exhibits reduced or variable expression of NaI symporter. Methods: We have investigated a treatment strategy that combines radioiodine with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for patients with low 131I uptake. By combining the AD delivered by the RPT agent with that delivered by EBRT, we achieve the targeted tumoricidal AD (80 Gy 2-Gy equieffective dose) while maintaining safe normal-organ AD. A tracer administration of RPT is used to calculate a patient-specific administered activity (AA) for therapy that yields organ-at-risk ADs below toxicity thresholds. The tumor and relevant organ-at-risk ADs from the therapeutic administration are calculated and provided to the radiation oncology medical physicists for combination therapy planning. We illustrate this precision-medicine approach to treating thyroid cancer patients using data from the first 5 patients in our ongoing clinical trial. Results: A precision-medicine approach gave an AA ranging from 14.3 to 19.5 GBq. Combined RPT-EBRT therapy of the selected lesions yielded doses ranging from 73 to 147 Gy. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the feasibility of combined RPT-EBRT in thyroid cancer patients with reduced radioiodine uptake when a standard AA of 5.55 GBq (150 mCi) would have delivered a much lower AD to lesions, less likely to lead to a response. There is considerable patient variability in clearance kinetics. Clinical benefit assessment in adjusting AA on the basis of a precision methodology would require a multicenter trial.

According to the text of the Lung Cancer Screening Ordinance on the permissibility of using low-dose computed tomography to screen smokers (LuKrFrühErkV, §7 Quality Assurance, 1), the "radiation protection officer must establish and operate a comprehensive quality assurance system. This must take account of organizational, medical, and technical aspects, in particular [...] 2. the diagnostic image quality of the computed tomography scan, 3. the physical-technical parameters for the acquisition of the computed tomography scan [...]". The German Radiological Society (DRG) considers itself responsible for making recommendations regarding the implementation of such a quality assurance system, in order to provide users with legal certainty and ensure patient safety. The DRG's Physics and Technology Working Group has thus identified the main issues regarding quality assurance for technology, outlined the related challenges, and proposed potential areas for future investigation and resolution (see sections I-V). Existing quality assurance measures for technology must be checked for their suitability with regard to a low-dose screening program and adapted, if necessary. Complex additional constancy tests and the use of special (anthropomorphic) phantoms are not currently considered necessary. The tasks of manufacturers and medical physicists were refined further, and it was recommended that reference centers should be established as soon as possible. · Constancy testing methods for CT are largely sufficient for lung cancer screening.. · Daily air calibration is recommended to ensure consistent image quality.. · Anthropomorphic phantoms are not currently required for quality assurance.. · Manufacturers must provide protocols that meet LuKrFrühErkV requirements.. Eßeling R, Konrad M, Prokesch H et al. Requirements for Physico-Technical Quality Assurance in the Framework of Early Detection of Lung Cancer. Rofo 2026; DOI 10.1055/a-2597-0689.

PurposeThe Global Medical Physics Training and Development Program (GMPTDP) is a novel initiative that provides United States (US)‐based graduate students in medical physics with structured, immersive clinical training in Ghana.MethodsThe five‐week program begins with a cultural and clinical orientation in the US, followed by 4 weeks of clinical rotations across leading Ghanaian medical institutions. During rotations, students gain experience with teletherapy (LINACs and cobalt‐60), brachytherapy, treatment planning, imaging, and more. Trainees participate in clinical activities, conduct collaborative projects, and engage in community outreach and cultural immersion. The program culminates in a symposium highlighting student experiences and future directions with speakers including physicists, oncologists, engineers, and policymakers.ResultsThe pilot year of the program was successfully completed by three students from May 28 2024–July 2 2024. This article outlines the development, structure, and implementation of GMPTDP as a replicable model for global health training in medical physics, emphasizing sustainable partnerships between high‐income and low‐ and middle‐income countries. Educational objectives include demonstrating effective cross‐border training models, fostering collaborative research, and expanding global clinical experience in the field of medical physics.ConclusionsA model for a global medical physics training program was developed and successfully implemented.

With the widespread use of terahertz radiation in technologies, it is important to study their impact on health, measure and develop standards for maximum permissible levels (MPL).The study aims to formulate the problem of the prevalence of terahertz radiation, the relevance of measurements and the normalization of their effect on humans.The authors have analyzed the available data on the prospects for the spread of terahertz radiation in technologies, on the effects of terahertz radiation on health, and remote control of electromagnetic fields of various frequency ranges in sanitary rules and regulations (SanPiN).A number of studies confirm the effect of terahertz radiation on biological objects at the molecular, cellular and organ levels; the rationing of the maximum permissible levels of terahertz radiation has not been approved.It is advisable to develop rationing, definition and approval of maximum permissible levels of terahertz radiation to ensure safety in occupational health, in medical physics, maintaining health in the environment and occupational health at work.Ethics. The study did not require the conclusion of the biomedical Ethics Committee (the study was based on publicly available data and official regulatory databases).Contributions:Eremin A.L. — research design, collection and processing of material, writing text;Bogatov N.M. — editing, concept of medical physics, radiophysics;All co-authors — approving the final version of the article and ensuring the integrity of all parts of the article.Funding. The study had no funding.Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.Received: 09.11.2025 / Accepted: 19.11.2025 / Published: 10.12.2025

Yttrium-90 (90Y) microsphere radioembolization (RE) has become an important locoregional therapy for unresectable primary and metastatic liver tumors, supported by advances in catheter-based delivery and quantitative nuclear medicine imaging. Successful treatment requires coordinated multidisciplinary collaboration, with nuclear medicine playing a central role from initial patient selection through post-treatment verification and follow-up assessment. Pre-treatment imaging—particularly 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and pathology-specific non-FDG tracers—supports staging, characterization of tumor biology, and prognostic stratification. In parallel, 99mTc macroaggregated albumin or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) mapping enables identification of extrahepatic shunting, lung dose estimation, and predictive intrahepatic dose modeling, thereby guiding treatment feasibility and personalized dosimetry. Following microsphere administration, post-therapy imaging with 90Y PET/CT, Bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT, or hybrid PET/magnetic resonance imaging provides essential confirmation of microsphere distribution and supports voxel-based dose-response evaluation. Emerging quantitative metrics, including metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis, and radiomics-derived features, offer additional prognostic insight and may refine individualized treatment planning. This review synthesizes current evidence on the clinical utility, technical considerations, and evolving applications of nuclear medicine imaging throughout the 90Y-RE workflow. It highlights practical decision-making principles relevant to nuclear medicine physicians, interventional radiologists, oncologists, and medical physicists, with the objective of supporting optimized patient selection, improving dosimetric accuracy, and enhancing post-therapy response evaluation in liver-directed radionuclide therapy.

Exploring the links between sonochemistry and sonomechanobiology

AIFM young group focus on the medical physics residents in Italy: A survey results.

The need for IT specialists in radiation oncology - A position paper by the International Society for radiation oncology Informatics, endorsed by DGMP, SASRO, ÖGRO, ÖGMP, SRO and DEGRO.

Theranostics, the integration of diagnostic imaging with targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy, is reshaping the practice of nuclear medicine worldwide. This article provides a global perspective on how multidisciplinary teams deliver theranostics care in diverse health care systems. Contributions from experts across Asia, Europe, South Africa, Australia, Latin America, and the United States highlight the shared and region-specific roles of nuclear medicine physicians, technologists, radiopharmacists, physicists, and nurses in patient selection, radiopharmaceutical preparation, treatment delivery, and posttherapy care. A consistent theme across regions is the central role of the nuclear medicine physician in treatment oversight and the expanding responsibilities of nuclear medicine technologists in imaging protocols, radiopharmaceutical administration, patient care, and dosimetry. The roles of radiopharmaceutical scientists, medical physicists, nurses, and trial coordinators are variable but overall beneficial in delivering a successful theranostics service. Workforce shortages, financial barriers, and regulatory challenges continue to be significant obstacles to equitable patient access. Despite these challenges, multidisciplinary collaboration, tumor board integration, and shared care models are improving patient outcomes and advancing the field.