Physics Course RON 211

The introduction to radiation oncology physics  course is an overview of treatment methodologies, medical physics equipment and treatment machines, including calibration, machine quality assurance, patient  dosimetry, and treatment planning.  It also includes simulation and treatment, treatment quality assurance, calculation checks and chart checks as well as brachytherapy.

I. Lectures

1. Patient treatment workflow
2. Overview of treatment methodologies

     a. External field

         i. Low Energy

         ii. Megavoltage

         iii. IMRT/Tomotherapy

         iv. Special Procedures

    b. Brachytherapy

        i. LDR

        ii. HDR

3. Overview of linear accelerators

4. Machine dosimetry

    a. Equipment

    b. Machine calibration protocols

    c. Data required for commissioning

5. Patient dosimetry

    a. Equipment

6. Dose calculation and treatment planning

    a. Dose calculation formalism

    b. Computerized treatment planning systems

II. Clinical activity

1. Simulation

    a. Patient positioning and immobilization

    b. Imaging for treatment planning

2. Patient treatment

    a. Patient dosimetry measurements, if occasion arises

3. Dose calculation and treatment planning

4. Quality assurance

    a. Calculation checks

    b. Patient chart checks

    c. Routine machine QA (daily, monthly)

    d. Patient-specific QA for IMRT/Tomotherapy

5. Special measurements and calculations

Quarters Offered: 

I,II,III,IV  Each Year

Lead Instructors:

Robin Stern, Ph.D.

Title: Professor and Chief Clinical Physicist

Open to physics and engineering graduate students and senior undergraduate physics majors. Not more than 3 students total enrolled in RON 211 at a time

This course is offered in either a 10-week format, which fits the semester timeframe, or a 4-week format, which resembles a typical medical school rotation.

Department of Radiation Oncology
UC Davis Cancer Center
4501 X Street, Suite G-140
Sacramento, CA 95817

For more information please call (916) 734-8170

Or visit us on the web at: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/radonc/