Anniversary Paper: Fifty years of AAPM involvement in radiation dosimetry

Abstract

This article reviews the involvement of the AAPM in various aspects of radiation dosimetry over its 50 year history, emphasizing the especially important role that external beam dosimetry played in the early formation of the organization. Topics covered include the AAPM's involvement with external beam and x-ray dosimetry protocols, brachytherapy dosimetry, primary standards laboratories, accredited dosimetry chains, and audits for machine calibrations through the Radiological Physics Center.

The evolution of brachytherapy treatment planning

“…Further development and history of brachytherapy technology and medical physics practice during the past 50 years, covering the period in which the remotely controlled afterloaders were introduced and refined, has been described in a review article by Williamson in Physics in Medicine and Biology. 14 Ibbott et al 15 described 50 years of AAPM involvement in radiation dosimetry, including dosimetric issues in brachytherapy, in Medical Physics. Issues and trends in brachytherapy physics were further discussed in the Medical Physics Anniversary Paper by Thomadsen et al 16 In this invited Vision 20/20 article, we focus on the current trends and challenges in brachytherapy, specifically on the medical physics practice of brachytherapy treatment planning and the research activities for advancement.…”

“…The aim of physicists' work in radiation oncology, and thus in brachytherapy dosimetry, is to provide a safe and reliable technical environment for patient treatments. As discussed in previous sections and elsewhere in several recent publications, [14][15][16] there are distinct areas where significant improvements can be made, either to improve the accuracy of given steps in the dosimetry chain or to speed up or improve the procedures for certain techniques to benefit patients or improve cost effectiveness. This is essentially the work of individual researchers or the aim of joint professional groups.…”

ITAR: A modified TAR method to determine depth dose distribution for an ophthalmic device that performs kilovoltage x‐ray pencil‐beam stereotaxy

“…Ultimately, though, it is the role of a clinical medical physicist to ensure that prescribed dose distributions are applied to patients within limits defined by known standards. 15…”

Physics-aspects of dose accuracy in high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy: source dosimetry, treatment planning, equipment performance and in vivo verification techniques

“…ICRP 97 “Prevention of high-dose-rate brachytherapy accidents” [7] reported more than 500 accidents involving HDR brachytherapy. The field of brachytherapy physics, equipment and clinical techniques is undergoing significant innovation and rapid modernisation, including enhanced use of imaging, improved dosimetry and treatment planning, and patient-specific optimisation [8, 9]. It is of course essential that the requirements for dose accuracy are considered and met in all of these developments.…”