Medical Physics Health Article

Definition

Medical physics is the use of physics principles in the practice of medicine. It is most often used to describe physics applications related to the use of radiation in medicine—for example, the physics of diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine. More broadly defined, medical physics may include the physics of other electromagnetic waveforms used in medical procedures such as electrocardiography (the study of electrical impulses in the heart) and laser surgery.

Description

Medical physics refers to the application of physics in medical diagnosis and treatment. The bulk of medical physics is encompassed by four subfields: diagnostic radiological physics, therapeutic radiological physics, medical nuclear physics, and medical health physics.

Diagnostic radiological physics

Diagnostic radiological physics is the branch of physics associated with diagnostic procedures that use xrays, gamma rays, ultrasound, radio frequency radiation, and magnetic sources (magnetic resonance imaging). In this subfield, physicists advise on the protocols and technology used for the creation of images that are generated by these diagnostic methods. Responsibilities of the medical physicist include establishing, monitoring, and evaluating procedures related to equipment use; reporting to regulatory agencies on compliance matters; evaluating and monitoring equipment; and acting as consultant on matters related to instrumentation, equipment, and use of these radiological imaging systems.

Therapeutic radiological physics

Therapeutic radiological physics concerns itself with the physics of therapeutic procedures that use x rays, gamma rays, neutrons, charged particles, and radionuclides from sealed sources (radioactive material that is sealed permanently in a container). These therapeutic procedures are often used in the treatment of cancer and include external beam therapy (where ionizing radiation is directed at the cancer site) and brachytherapy (where containers with radioactive material are placed near or in the tumor). Duties of the therapeutic radiological physicist include providing consultation on matters related to appropriate radiation dose and risks to patients; managing procedures and equipment related to dose and delivery of therapeutic radiation; reporting to regulatory agencies on compliance matters; and designing, evaluating, and monitoring radiation safety program related to therapeutic radiological procedures.