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Scuffham JW, Dickson JC, Murray A, Flux GD. Commentary on the current status of nuclear medicine medical physics expert support in the UK. Nucl Med Commun 2024; 45:541-545. [PMID: 38716744 PMCID: PMC11075750 DOI: 10.1097/mnm.0000000000001843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- James W. Scuffham
- Department of Medical Physics, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford
| | - John C. Dickson
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London
| | - Anthony Murray
- Department of Medical Physics, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Duckworth Lane, Bradford and
| | - Glenn D. Flux
- Department of Physics, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, UK
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Andresz S, Allisy-Roberts P, Economides S, Morgan J, Kabrt F, Packer S, Mulas AP, Rogers A, Schieber C, Stritt N, Vermeersch F. Synthesis of the European ALARA network 20th workshop 'ALARA for interventional radiology and nuclear medicine'. JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2024; 44:023002. [PMID: 38692267 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6498/ad460d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The European as low as reasonably achievable(ALARA) network regularly organises workshops on topical issues in radiation protection (RP). The topic of the 20th workshop was: 'ALARA for interventional radiology (IR) and nuclear medicine (NM)'. The objective was to examine the challenges faced when applying the optimisation principle (ALARA) in IR and NM and to consider how ALARA could be better implemented for patient and staff exposures. This memorandum provides a synthesis of the workshop sessions, and recommendations coming from the working groups discussion. Parallels are drawn with the recommendations arising from the 13th EAN workshop on 'ALARA and the medical sector (2011)' to consider how the optimisation challenges in IR and NM have evolved over the past decade. Current levels of exposure are presented along with operational practice and the challenges and opportunities for improvement, both in monitoring and practice. Whilst RP challenges remain, the application of ALARA appears more established in IR compared with experiences reported in 2011. The application of ALARA to emerging technologies in the NM setting is in need of further development to ensure that RP is considered at all stages in the development process of new radiopharmaceuticals. Besides the obvious technical and operational aspects, the importance of education and training, human factors and broadly the RP 'culture' were deemed fundamental to the success of the application of ALARA and where further emphasis is needed. All concerned parties, medical physics experts (MPEs), radiation protection experts, clinical staff, manufacturers and regulators have a role to play in the application of ALARA and this is discussed in the memorandum. Many of the recommendations from the 13th EAN workshop remain applicable today and overlap with the recommendations arising from the 20th workshop. This should prompt attention given that the use of IR and the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for NM is only anticipated to increase with time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Andresz
- Nuclear Protection Evaluation Centre (CEPN), 28, rue de la Redoute, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Penelope Allisy-Roberts
- European Federation of Medical Physicist (EFOMP), RA Utrecht, PO box 8003 3503, The Netherlands
| | - Sotirios Economides
- Greek Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE), Neapoleos 70, Ag., Paraskevi 153 41, Greece
| | - Julie Morgan
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Harwell Campus, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom
| | - Franz Kabrt
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety GmbH, Sparegelfeldstrasse 191, 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sharan Packer
- Chair of Medical Sector Committee, Society for Radiological Protection (SRP), United Kingdom
| | - Arturo Perez Mulas
- Spanish Nuclear Safety Authority (CSN), Justo Dorado 11, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andy Rogers
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Schieber
- Nuclear Protection Evaluation Centre (CEPN), 28, rue de la Redoute, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Nicolas Stritt
- Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (SFOPH), Schwarzenburgstrasse 157, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
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Koutsouveli E. Incoming President of the European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics editorial. Phys Med 2024; 117:103197. [PMID: 38135650 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.103197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Efi Koutsouveli
- Medical Physics & Radiation Protection Expert, Laser Safety Officer, Department of Medical Physics, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece.
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Sjögreen-Gleisner K, Flux G, Bacher K, Chiesa C, de Nijs R, Kagadis GC, Lima T, Georgosopoulou ML, Gabiña PM, Nekolla S, Peters S, Santos J, Sattler B, Stokke C, Tran-Gia J, Gilligan P, Bardiès M. EFOMP policy statement NO. 19: Dosimetry in nuclear medicine therapy - Molecular radiotherapy. Phys Med 2023; 116:103166. [PMID: 37926641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.103166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (BSS Directive) includes optimisation of treatment with radiotherapeutic procedures based on patient dosimetry and verification of the absorbed doses delivered. The present policy statement summarises aspects of three directives relating to the therapeutic use of radiopharmaceuticals and medical devices, and outlines the steps needed for implementation of patient dosimetry for radioactive drugs. To support the transition from administrations of fixed activities to personalised treatments based on patient-specific dosimetry, EFOMP presents a number of recommendations including: increased networking between centres and disciplines to support data collection and development of codes-of-practice; resourcing to support an infrastructure that permits routine patient dosimetry; research funding to support investigation into individualised treatments; inter-disciplinary training and education programmes; and support for investigator led clinical trials. Close collaborations between the medical physicist and responsible practitioner are encouraged to develop a similar pathway as is routine for external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. EFOMP's policy is to promote the roles and responsibilities of medical physics throughout Europe in the development of molecular radiotherapy to ensure patient benefit. As the BSS directive is adopted throughout Europe, unprecedented opportunities arise to develop informed treatments that will mitigate the risks of under- or over-treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glenn Flux
- Joint Department of Physics, Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Klaus Bacher
- Medical Physics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Carlo Chiesa
- Nuclear Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Robin de Nijs
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - George C Kagadis
- 3DMI Research Group, Department of Medical Physics, University of Patras, Rion, Greece
| | - Thiago Lima
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Lucerne, Switzerland/Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Switzerland
| | | | - Pablo Minguez Gabiña
- Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, Gurutzeta-Cruces University Hospital /Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Stephan Nekolla
- School of Medicine and Health, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Steffie Peters
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Joao Santos
- Medical Physics, Radiobiology and Radiation Protection Group, IPO Porto Research Center, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center & Health Research Network, Porto, Portugal
| | - Bernhard Sattler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig Medical Centre, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Caroline Stokke
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway & Department of Physics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Johannes Tran-Gia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paddy Gilligan
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Manuel Bardiès
- IRCM, UMR 1194 INSERM, Université de Montpellier and Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), France & Département de Médecine Nucléaire, Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), France
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Chauvie S, Mazzoni LN, O’Doherty J. A Review on the Use of Imaging Biomarkers in Oncology Clinical Trials: Quality Assurance Strategies for Technical Validation. Tomography 2023; 9:1876-1902. [PMID: 37888741 PMCID: PMC10610870 DOI: 10.3390/tomography9050149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Imaging biomarkers (IBs) have been proposed in medical literature that exploit images in a quantitative way, going beyond the visual assessment by an imaging physician. These IBs can be used in the diagnosis, prognosis, and response assessment of several pathologies and are very often used for patient management pathways. In this respect, IBs to be used in clinical practice and clinical trials have a requirement to be precise, accurate, and reproducible. Due to limitations in imaging technology, an error can be associated with their value when considering the entire imaging chain, from data acquisition to data reconstruction and subsequent analysis. From this point of view, the use of IBs in clinical trials requires a broadening of the concept of quality assurance and this can be a challenge for the responsible medical physics experts (MPEs). Within this manuscript, we describe the concept of an IB, examine some examples of IBs currently employed in clinical practice/clinical trials and analyze the procedure that should be carried out to achieve better accuracy and reproducibility in their use. We anticipate that this narrative review, written by the components of the EFOMP working group on "the role of the MPEs in clinical trials"-imaging sub-group, can represent a valid reference material for MPEs approaching the subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephane Chauvie
- Medical Physics Division, Santa Croce e Carle Hospital, 12100 Cuneo, Italy;
| | | | - Jim O’Doherty
- Siemens Medical Solutions, Malvern, PA 19355, USA;
- Department of Radiology & Radiological Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 20455, USA
- Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging, University College Dublin, D04 C7X2 Dublin, Ireland
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