Medical physics

Medical physics is the application of physics to medicine. It generally concerns physics as applied to medical imaging and radiotherapy, although a medical physicist may also work in many other areas of healthcare. A medical physics department may be based in either a hospital or a university and its work is likely to include research, development, and clinical healthcare.
Of the large body of medical physicists in academia and clinics, roughly 85% practice or specialize in various forms of therapy, 10% in diagnostic imaging, and 5% in nuclear medicine.[1] Areas of specialty in medical physics however are widely varied in scope and breadth.
AREAS OF SPECIALTY

Medical imaging


Para-sagittal MRI of the head in a patient with benign familial macrocephaly.
Diagnostic radiology, including X-rays, fluoroscopy, mammography, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, angiography and computed tomography
Ultrasound, including intravascular ultrasound
Non-ionizing radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.)
Nuclear medicine, including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other methods for functional neuroimaging of the brain.
For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (often referred to as magnetic resonance imaging to avoid the common concerns about radiation), uses the phenomenon of nuclear resonance to image the human body.
Magnetoencephalography
Electrical impedance tomography
Diffuse optical imaging
Optical coherence tomography
Treatment of disease
Defibrillation
Treatment of disease
High intensity focussed ultrasound, including lithotripsy
Interventional radiology
Non-ionising radiation Lasers, Ultraviolet etc. including photodynamic therapy and Lasik
Nuclear medicine, including unsealed source radiotherapy
Photomedicine, the use of light to treat and diagnose disease
Radiotherapy
TomoTherapy
Cyberknife
Gamma knife
Proton therapy
Brachytherapy
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
Sealed source radiotherapy
Terahertz radiation
Physiological measurement techniques


ECG trace
Used to monitor and measure various physiological parameters. Many physiological measurement techniques are non-invasive and can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, other invasive methods.
Electrocardiography
electric current
Electromyography
Electroencephalography
Electronystagmography
Endoscopy
Medical ultrasonography
Non-ionising radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.)
Near infrared spectroscopy
Pulse oximetry
Blood gas monitor
Blood pressure measurement
Radiation protection
Background radiation
Radiation protection
Dosimetry
Health Physics
Radiological Protection of Patients
Medical computing and mathematics


CT image reconstruction
Medical informatics
Telemedicine
Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS)
DICOM
Tomographic reconstruction, an ill-posed inverse problem
EDUCATION AND TRAINING

In North America
In North America,[2] medical physics training is offered at the bachelor's, master's, doctorate, post-doctorate and/or residency levels. Several universities offerthese degrees in Canada and the United States.
As of October 2010, twenty-seven universities in North America have medical physics graduate programs that are accredited by The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP).[3] The same organization has accredited forty-three medical physics clinical residency programs.[3]
Professional certification is obtained from the American Board of Radiology, the American Board of Medical Physics, the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine, and the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine. As of 2012, enrollment in a CAMPEP-accredited residency or graduate program is required to start the ABR certification process. Starting in 2014, completion of a CAMPEP-accredited residency will be required to advance to part 2 of the ABR certification process.[4]
In the United Kingdom
The person concerned must first gain a first or upper second-class honours degree in a physical or engineering science subject before they can start the Part I medical physics training within theNational Health Service.[5][6]
Trainees can complete Part I training in fifteen months provided they hold an MSc from an IPEM accredited center in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland (National University of Ireland, Galway). For these candidates, the Part I training consists of pure clinical experience. Trainees applying for Part I trainee holding only a degree in a engineering or physical science subject must undertake a combined study and clinical training programme. This programme consists of two years of clinical placement, during which the trainee will study for an MSc in Medical Physics which is approved by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM). The MSc will be either at University College London, Swansea, Sheffield, Surrey, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Aberdeen,Glasgow, King's or Queen Mary's. Open University also offers a Master of Science in Medical Physics, but the prospective student should first check that this degree will satisfy the accreditation requirements or that it is accepted before embarking on it. Successful completion of the Part I training programme leads to an IPEM Diploma. The trainee can then apply for a Part II position, which will consists of the IPEM's Programme of Advanced Training (PAT) which takes a further two years and leads to Corporate Membership of the IPEM, and registration as a Clinical Scientist (if successful).
Note that some training centres offer a contract for the full four (three) years of the scheme, while some offer only part I training, with a requirement to reapply for part II.
As of October 2011, the scheme will be changing again as part of Modernising Scientific Careers.
Legislative and advisory bodies
ICRU: International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements
ICRP: International Commission on Radiological Protection
NCRP: National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements
NRC: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
FDA: Food and Drug Administration
IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency
SEE ALSO

Medical biophysics
Medical biology
Medical history
Medical chemistry
Biomedical engineering
Biomechanics
Functional electrical stimulation
Dialysis
Gait analysis
Prosthetics
Cochlear implants
Nanomedicine
Important publications in medical physics
REFERENCES

^ [http://aapm.org/pubs/reports/RPT_133.pdf Alternative Clinical Training Pathways for Medical Physicists]. AAPM Report #133 (2008) p. 21
^ How does someone become a Medical Physicist?. AAPM. Retrieved on 2011-06-25.
^ a b CAMPEP Accredited Graduate Programs in Medical Physics. Campep.org (2011-06-01). Retrieved on 2011-06-25.
^ IC RP CAMPEP addendum. Theabr.org. Retrieved on 2011-06-25.
^ Medical physicist. NHS Careers. Retrieved on 2011-06-25.
^ Training as a clinical scientist and the scientist training programme (STP). NHS Careers. Retrieved on 2011-06-25.
FURTHER READING

Amador Kane, Suzanne (2009). Introduction to Physics in Modern Medicine, Second Edition. CRC Press. ISBN 978-158-488-943-4.
EXTERNAL LINKS

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Medical Physics
Human Health Campus, The official website of the International Atomic Energy Agency dedicated to Professionals in Radiation Medicine. This site is managed by the Division of Human Health, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine
medicalphysicsweb.org from the Institute of Physics
AIP Medical Physics portal
Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) - UK
wikipedia.org