Radiotherapy Physics |
The Radiotherapy Physics Team consists of Clinical Scientists and Clinical Technologists committed to providing high-quality scientific and technical support to the radiotherapy department at the Royal United Hospital.
Radiotherapy involves the use of X–rays and electrons for the treatment of cancer. It is a localised treatment, which kills cancer cells in the area of the body at which it is directed. This requires specialist knowledge in the planning of the radiation treatment, the quality assurance of the radiotherapy equipment and leadership in the application of physics principles to our cancer care.
The Radiotherapy department is equipped with two Varian linear accelerators (linacs), a superficial treatment unit, a Canon CT-Simulator and a Raystation computer treatment planning system. The linear accelerators, simulator and treatment planning system are networked with the Varian ARIA oncology management and record & verification system.
Treatment planning
Every patient that receives radiotherapy treatment has a custom-made treatment plan. Planning ensures that the treatment encompasses the area the oncologist wishes to treat, while keeping irradiation of the surrounding healthy tissue and sensitive organs to a minimum.
In many cases Clinical Technologists and Clinical Scientists use complex computer programs along with their expert knowledge to generate the optimum treatment plan for each individual patient.
Dosimetry and Quality Assurance
The radiotherapy physics team also performs measurements and calibrations on the radiotherapy treatment machines to ensure that they deliver accurate radiation doses in accordance with national protocols. This ensures that the radiation dose delivered to the patient is the precise dose prescribed by the oncologist.
Other activities of the radiotherapy physics team include:
- Calculation of patient dose measurements performed on all patients undergoing radiotherapy on the linear accelerators
- Assistance in the selection and installation and commissioning of highly technical radiotherapy equipment
- Teaching and training for physicists, technologists and radiographers
- Provision of radiation protection advice to ensure that all X–ray equipment in the department is used in compliance to national guidelines and regulations
- Provision of physics advice to oncologists, radiographers and hospital management
- Participation in a clinically motivated service development programme
- Maintenance of a BSI accredited ISO9001:2015 quality system