Primer on Radiation Oncology Physics

Eric Ford, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is a board certified medical physicist and has taught radiation oncology residents for 15 years within the programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Washington. He is recipient of the Educator of the Year award in 2008, 2014, and 2016. In the past six years five residents have been recognized in the “Best of ASTRO” series. He has published over 125 research articles and delivered 24 invited lectures at national and international meetings in the last three years. He also serves in volunteer capacities in the leadership of AAPM and ASTRO and was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). He is a Fellow of the AAPM.

Basic Physics. Nuclear Structure and Decay. Mathematics of Nuclear Decay. Brachytherapy I. Photon Interactions with Matter. Photon Beams, Dose, and Kerma. Particle Interactions with Matter. X-Ray tubes and Linear Accelerators. Medical Linear Accelerators. Megavoltage Photon Beams. Megavoltage Photon Beams: TMR and Dose Calculations. Photon Beam Treatment Planning: Part I. Photon Beam Treatment Planning: Part II. IMRT and VMAT. Megavoltage Electron Beams.Radiation Measurement: Ionization Chambers. Other Radiation Measurement Devices. Quality Assurance (QA). Radiographic Imaging. Non-Radiographic Imaging. Image-Guided Radiation Therapy and Motion Management. Stereotactic Treatments. Total Body Irradiation (TBI) and Total Skin Electron Therapy (TSET). Particle Therapy. Radiation Protection. Brachytherapy Applications and Radiopharmaceuticals. Patient Safety and Quality Improvement.