Medical Physics services include all specialties in medical imaging: CT, MRI, X-ray, Fluoroscopy, Mammography, Ultrasound. Additionally, radiation oncology services are provided for acceptance, calibration, quality assurance and clinical oversight - external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy are covered.
Radiation shielding for medical facilities is provided during pre-construction to identify necessary requirements for walls, doors and windows and also post-construction measurements to ensure shielding is sufficient to protect staff and the public.
Audits are a helpful tool for ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
The Qualified Medical Physicist is defined by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, and is the individual who provides the required annual surveys of radiation-producing machines, which includes CT, fluoroscopy, mammography, nuclear medicine, linear accelerators and brachytherapy. The Joint Commission also requires a medical physicist to survey MRI scanners on an annual basis.
The medical physicist is responsible for the safe and effective delivery of radiation to cancer patients. This responsibility is carried out through the design and optimization of treatment plans and the evaluation of the treatment machines and sources. It is the responsibility of the medical physicist to evaluate radiation mcahines to ensure that patients are not exposed to unnecessary radiation. The medical physicist plays an integral role in the development and oversight of quality assurance programs in the medical sciences.
The American College of Radiology directs that radiation-producing machines be evaluated by a Qualified Medical Physicist who is board certified. The medical physicist is a resource for ensuring the safe use of radiation in the medical setting.
Copyright 2018 Radiation Physics
All rights reserved