Physics and Radiation Protection

Our department offers support for all the departments at the hospital that use ionising radiation for patient treatment or diagnosis, and also for the professionals who use radionuclides in their research.

The primary responsibility of members of this department is to ensure effective, risk-free management of radiation, in order to attain the best results in diagnosis or therapy in accordance with what had been prescribed for the patient. This includes protecting the patient, the staff and other people present, as well as the environment, from potential risks or excess radiation exposure.

In order to carry out this task, we establish suitable dosimetry and quality control, measure and characterise radiation, determine the dose administered, and define procedures to ensure good image quality. We also carry out quality assurance programmes and collaborate with other health professionals involved in optimising the balance between the benefit and the risk of using radiation.

 

Portfolio of services

• Patient dosimetry studies.
• 3DCRT dosimetry study. Photons and electrons.
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) dosimetry study.
• Radiosurgery dosimetry study.
• Dosimetry study of cranial and extracranial stereotaxis.
• Dosimetry study and in vivo dosimetry with total body irradiation.
• Dosimetry study for ophthalmic brachytherapy.
• Dosimetry study for patients undergoing diagnostic tests.
• Dosimetry study for pregnant patients undergoing X-ray tests.
• Dosimetry studies in molecular therapy.
• Equipment quality control.
• Quality control of radiotherapy equipment and accelerators.
• Quality control of image diagnostics equipment.
• Quality control of nuclear medicine equipment, radioisotope calibrators, gamma chambers, surgical probes, SPECT and PET.
• Quality control of imaging monitors.
• Radiation protection.
• Quality control of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Management of radiation protection: licences, inspections, authorisations, modifications to radioactive and radiodiagnosis installations.
• Basic radiation protection measures: classification of personnel, zoning, signs, rules, regulations, emergency procedures.
• Monitoring and control of workers: dosimetry controls, dosimetry management, dosimetry history, dosage calculations.
• Monitoring and control of working areas in facilities: risk of external irradiation and contamination.
• Quality control of detectors: environmental radiation and pollution.
• Management of non-encapsulated radioactive material and radioactive sources.
• Management of radioactive waste.
• Continuous education and advisory services on radiation protection.

 

Education and Training

Our Department was accredited as a teaching unit for specialisation in hospital radiophysics in 1995. Internationally, this specialisation is known as "medical physics" and involves the application of physics to the field of medicine. The title of specialist in hospital radiophysics is obtained after three years of training as a resident. The Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Department has three residents, one for each year of training.