Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics最新文献

{"title":"Dosimetric accuracy of low dose rate volumetric modulated arc therapy delivery in an Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator for pulsed low dose rate treatment of recurrent high-grade glioma using Monaco planning system","authors":"Surendran Jagadeesan,&nbsp;S. P. Vijaya Chamundeeswari","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70253","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70253","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Reducing the dose rate enhances efficacy in radiation therapy by allowing increased repair of sub-lethal damage. Pulsed low-dose radiation therapy (PLDR) is an innovative approach that is safe and effective for the reirradiation of recurrent gliomas and radioresistant tumors. In this study, the accuracy of the low dose rate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery is tested in an Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator (linac) for delivering PLDR.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Material and methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A retrospective study was conducted on ten patients previously treated for high-grade glioma. The Monaco planning system was used to create two or three arc VMAT plans with a minimum monitor unit (MU) exceeding 570. The Mosaiq record and verification system (R&amp;V) was used to select dose rates between 20 and 25 MU/min for delivering VMAT beams, achieving a beam-on time of 30 min and an effective dose rate of 6.7 cGy/min. Measurements from IBA MatriXX resolution were used for gamma analysis. Beam characteristics at low dose rates for 8 gantry angles were investigated using the measurements from the dolphin detector.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>All the deviations of flatness and symmetry were within 1.0% in all gantry angles. MU linearity was within 1% for the lowest dose rate of 20 MU/min. The output deviations were within 1% for all dose rates. The average dose rate achieved was 6.7 ± 0.1 cGy/min. The maximum dose rate achieved in the planning target volume (PTV) was 7.28 (6.86 to 7.28) cGy/min. The gamma pass rate was above 97%, with the analysis criterion 3%3 mm, 2%2 mm, and 2%1 mm for VMAT delivered at a low dose rate.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Low-dose rate VMAT delivery is feasible with higher accuracy in the delivered dose on the Elekta Versa HD linac. PLDR can be implemented successfully on Elekta linacs using the Monaco planning system.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70253","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144934946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiation dose and shielding considerations for digital dynamic radiography (DDR) compared to mobile C-arms","authors":"Azmul Siddique,&nbsp;Gary Ge,&nbsp;Jie Zhang","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70256","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70256","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Background&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Digital dynamic radiography (DDR), integrated into Konica Minolta's portable mKDR system, provides dynamic imaging for pulmonary, orthopedic, and interventional applications. While DDR is not classified as fluoroscopy, its use of pulsed x-rays for cine-like image sequences raises concerns about radiation exposure and shielding, particularly given the absence of a primary beam stop, high output capabilities, and increasing clinical adoption.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Purpose&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;To characterize the primary and scatter radiation output of a DDR system and compare it against commonly used mobile C-arm fluoroscopy units, and to evaluate shielding requirements and potential occupational exposure risks associated with DDR use.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Methods&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Radiation dose output and scatter were assessed for a Konica Minolta mKDR system and three mobile C-arms: GE OEC Elite, Siemens Cios Spin, and Ziehm Vision RFD 3D. Unshielded primary air kerma was measured at 100 cm SID using matched dose settings (low, medium, high). Scatter fraction and normalized scatter were measured at eight angles and three distances using a 20 cm PMMA phantom and an ion chamber. Additional direct comparisons of angular scatter doses between DDR and a GE C-arm were made during 20-s acquisitions at varying distances. The Klein–Nishina differential cross section was also calculated for photon energies representative of clinical settings. Leakage radiation and image receptor attenuation were quantified. Shielding requirements were estimated using NCRP 147 methodology under varying workload and occupancy conditions.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt; Results&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;DDR exhibited dose rates two to three times higher than C-arms at medium and high dose settings, with longer pulse widths (16 ms) producing greater exposure than shorter ones (5 ms). Scatter fraction peaked at 165° and increased with lower beam energy due to energy-dependent Compton interactions and reduced filtration. Compared to the GE C-arm, DDR produced consistently higher scatter values at all angular positions. Measured scatter doses at 0.3 m and 1.0 m from the phantom exceeded those from the C-arm, especially in the forward direction (0°). Image receptor attenuation measurements showed 98% beam reduction when the receptor was properly aligned. Leakage was minimal and well below FDA limits. Shielding assessments indicated that concrete thickness requirements for DDR could reach 145 mm under worst-case conditions, driven primarily by the high primary beam out","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70256","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144934948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficient MLC quality assurance using a virtual picket fence test in an MR-Linac","authors":"Kai Yuan,&nbsp;Matthew Manhin Cheung,&nbsp;Louis Lee","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70232","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70232","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The Elekta Unity MR-Linac system integrates magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a linear accelerator (Linac) for adaptive radiation therapy. Traditional quality assurance (QA) methods for multi-leaf collimators (MLCs) face challenges in this system due to the magnetic field and limited field size of electronic portal imaging devices (EPID).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to develop a ‘virtual picket fence’ test using machine log files to evaluate MLC performance in the Elekta Unity MR-Linac system, providing a more efficient and comprehensive QA method that overcomes the limitations of traditional approaches.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A picket fence test plan with 11 segments was delivered on the Elekta Unity system. Maximum absolute error and root mean square (RMS) error for each leaf were calculated by comparing log file data with nominal values. A deliberate 1 mm error was introduced in selected MLCs to test the sensitivity of the virtual test. The results from the log file were further compared with measurements from radiochromic films.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The maximum deviation between log file data and nominal values was within 1 mm for all leaves. The virtual picket fence test successfully identified MLCs with deviations beyond the 0.5 mm warning threshold in the error-introduced test. Comparisons with film-based measurements showed good agreement, with deviations between film and log file data also within 1 mm.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The virtual picket fence test provides an efficient and comprehensive method for MLC QA in the Elekta Unity MR-Linac system. This method can be integrated into weekly QA workflows alongside traditional film-based methods for thorough quality control.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70232","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144934945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing patient-specific quality assurance in MR-guided radiation therapy: A fluence-based method using log files","authors":"Kai Yuan,&nbsp;Matthew Man-hin Cheung,&nbsp;Louis Lee","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70238","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70238","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) is crucial in radiation therapy to ensure accurate and safe dose delivery. The Elekta Unity MR-Linac system, which combines MRI with a linear accelerator, presents unique challenges for conventional PSQA methods due to its adaptive capabilities and the presence of a magnetic field.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study introduced a novel PSQA method for the Elekta Unity MR-Linac system, utilizing treatment log files and fluence map verification to provide a more efficient alternative to traditional measurement-based techniques.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The proposed method analyzed log file data, including monitor units (MU), multi-leaf collimator (MLC) positions, and jaw positions, comparing them with treatment planning system (TPS) values. Fluence maps were generated for each gantry angle and evaluated using gamma analysis. A user-friendly interface was developed to streamline the process.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The method was tested on nine stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) cases, showing strong concordance between planned and delivered parameters. MU deviations were within 0.5 MU, X-jaw and MLC leaf position deviations were under 1 mm, and gamma analysis of fluence maps achieved passing rates above 98% for all gantry angles.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This log file-based PSQA method offered distinct advantages over traditional measurement-based approaches, including reduced QA time, direct assessment of the delivered plan, and comprehensive evaluation of treatment parameters. This method provided an efficient and accurate alternative PSQA solution for MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70238","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144934947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why diagnostic and nuclear medical physicists matter in academic medical centers: A perspective from a radiology department chair and a medical physicist","authors":"Jie Zhang,&nbsp;M. Elizabeth Oates","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70255","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70255","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Diagnostic and nuclear medical physicists are central to quality, safety, and innovation in radiology, yet their contributions are often underrecognized. Since 2011, our department has developed a Division of Diagnostic &amp; Nuclear Medical Physics from the ground up. The team now includes three ABR‑certified PhD diagnostic physicists, a MS health physicist, a part‑time PhD MRI scientist, a physicist assistant, and two residents. From time to time, we are asked who physicists are, what they do, and why radiology needs an integrated physics division. As a department chair (MEO) and a physicist (JZ), we offer a joint perspective on why physicists are essential and how departments can better leverage and empower them as faculty, leaders, and innovators.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) defines medical physics as a branch of applied physics concerned with the application of the concepts and methods of physics to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Clinical medical physicists specialize in diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, or therapy. Their shared responsibility is to ensure that radiation is used safely and effectively to achieve clinical goals. In theory, medical physicists, regardless of specialty, play an equally complementary role to other medical professionals. However, in reality, diagnostic and nuclear physicists often must justify their roles, while therapeutic physicists are widely accepted because their work is visibly tied to treatment planning, delivery, documentation, and reimbursement. Two factors drive the disparity for diagnostic and nuclear physics: the lack of reimbursement mechanisms and inconsistent perceptions of physicist roles in imaging. Although the AAPM, the American College of Radiology (ACR), and the literature outline these responsibilities, many radiology teams still consider diagnostic physicists as optional.&lt;span&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1-4&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Samei and Seibert observed that even substantial academic centers undervalue this potential, with groups either nonexistent or understaffed and poorly integrated into patient care&lt;span&gt;&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/span&gt;. Since the time of Roentgen, medical physicists have bridged the gap between physics and medicine and catalyzed translational advances to improve patient care. Today, as imaging grows more complex, data-intensive, and technology-driven, physicists are indispensable in ensuring quality, safety, and clinical excellence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Physicists add clinical value to radiology practice across imaging modalities. At our institution, physicists are embedded in daily operations, overseeing more than 200 imaging systems at 11 locations. They lead acceptance testing and calibration, integrate new technologies, and monitor performance. They optimize radiation dose by reviewing protocols and monitoring exposure to balance image quality and safety. Their work supports state and federal requirements, the Joint Commission, and ACR accreditation, including our ","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70255","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual-focal-spot single-detector CT: A simulation study to assess cone-beam artifacts and noise","authors":"Baojun Li,&nbsp;Xiangyang Tang","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70220","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70220","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ultra-wide coverage CT (&gt; 128 detector rows) makes it possible to image a heart or brain in a single rotation but are associated with large cone angles, which can severely degrade the image quality.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study evaluate the image quality and artifact levels of a dual-focal-spot single-detector (DFSSD) CT geometry designed to achieve 140 mm z-axis coverage, through a simulation study.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The DFSSD CT system employs two x-ray focal spots spaced 90 mm apart along the z-axis and a 100 mm CT detector. It provides 140 mm z-axis coverage at the iso-center. A research CT simulation package (CatSim) was employed throughout this study. To compare the image quality, three system geometries were simulated: (A) single focal spot with 40 mm detector (VCT40), (B) single focal spot with 140 mm detector (VCT140), and (C) the DFSSD CT system. A simulated helical body phantom (45 cm x 30 cm x 16 cm) containing various bony structures was used to assess cone-beam artifacts and noise uniformity across the edge, central, and intermediate slices under different acquisition modes: axial half scan, axial full scan, and helical scan at various helical pitch (0.5, 0.75, 1.0). All images were reconstructed using a cone-beam filtered back-projection algorithm with 3D cone-angle-dependent pixel-wise weighting.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Under helical scan conditions (pitch 0.5 to 1.0), all geometries demonstrated similar levels of cone-beam artifacts and noises. Slightly increased artifacts observed on some slices in VCT140 and DFSSD CT, but overall image quality are acceptable. However, under axial half scan condition, the VCT140 geometry exhibited significantly worse artifacts and image uniformity in intermediate and edge slices compared to VCT40, whereas DFSSD CT showed artifact and image uniformity comparable to VCT40.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Simulation results indicate that the DFSSD CT geometry can achieve 140 mm z-axis coverage while maintaining image quality similar to the VCT40 system.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70220","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction to “Characterization of a new low-dose and low-energy Gafchromic film LD-V1”","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70241","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70241","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Masella O, Murphy KJ, Bazalova-Carter M, Characterization of a new low-dose and low-energy Gafchromic film LD-V1. <i>J Appl Clin Med Phys</i>. 2024;25(12):e14531. https://doi.org/10.1002/acm2.14531</p><p>The corresponding author’s name has been updated as Olivia Masella in the author byline and the author contributions section at the end of this article. The online version of this article has been corrected accordingly.</p>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70241","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic medical physicist well-being and employment satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic in California","authors":"Xiaoyu Liu,&nbsp;Jennifer Zhang,&nbsp;Fagen Xie,&nbsp;Dan Ruan,&nbsp;X. Sharon Qi,&nbsp;Zhilei L. Shen,&nbsp;Varun Sehgal,&nbsp;Amy S. Yu,&nbsp;Steve Goetsch","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70233","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70233","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to investigate medical physicist job status during the COVID-19 pandemic in California and collect community feedback on strategies to alleviate job burnout and stress to improve overall work-life balance.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods and materials</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The online survey platform SurveyMonkey was used to generate a 14-question survey, enabling data collection from a large pool of respondents. The 14 survey questions were designed to assess respondent demographics, measuring eight different variables related to medical physicist job status, and collecting feedback regarding burnout and job stress. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Southern California Chapter Education Committee emailed out the survey link to all AAPM Southern California and Northern California chapter members, requesting that each person provide a single response. All responses were anonymized, and data were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>At the end of a 6-week collection period (January 5, 2022, to February 18, 2022), a total of 97 responses (28.7%) were collected out of 338 invitations. Our analysis results show that “Burnout Level” is strongly and positively correlated with “Leaving Job” (Correlation Coefficient CC = 0.66, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), “Work Environment” (CC = 0.54, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and “Stress Level” (CC = 0.70, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05); it is moderately and negatively correlated with “Salary Satisfaction” (CC = -0.49, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and “Job Satisfaction” (CC = -0.48, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Qualitative results revealed that the seven most common recommendation categories to alleviate job burnout and stress from respondents were: adequate staffing, culture of recognition, salary increase, team building, structure and organization, flexibility of remote working, and physicist involvement in decision-making.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study provides an overview of the job status of California-based medical physicists during the COVID-19 pandemic, offers valuable insights into managing job-related stress and burnout. These findings underscore the need for tailored interventions and policy considerations to alleviate burnout, enhance job satisfaction.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70233","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relevance and application of digital project management in academic research: A case study in a Medical Physics lab and practice","authors":"Liesbeth Vancoillie,&nbsp;Milo Fryling,&nbsp;Ehsan Samei","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70242","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70242","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The integration of project management (PM) methodologies in academic research is increasingly recognized as essential for improving research outcomes, enhancing team collaboration, and addressing issues of reproducibility and transparency.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This case study aims to evaluate the impact of implementing a digital project management platform in a medical physics research laboratory and affiliated clinical practice, focusing on improvements in project coordination, research productivity, and trainee development.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A digital PM platform was introduced in a medical physics lab (CVIT) and clinical setting (CIPG) at Duke University to support coordination of research and clinical projects, streamline manuscript and conference submissions, and manage software tool and dataset development. Prior to implementation, project tracking relied heavily on email threads and spreadsheets, resulting in fragmented communication and delays. Usage data and qualitative feedback were collected over a 24-month period to assess outcomes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The implementation led to centralization of project information, more structured workflows, and real-time collaboration. Improvements were observed in task delegation, progress monitoring, and team accountability. The number of actively managed projects increased, project completion rates improved, and manuscript submission became more efficient. Additionally, the platform fostered project management literacy among trainees, providing them with valuable organizational and communication skills viewed as formative for their careers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The integration of a digital project management platform improved research and clinical efficiency, transparency, and collaboration. It cultivated a culture of shared responsibility and structured progress tracking while supporting the professional development of trainees. These findings demonstrate the value of PM platforms in academic environments and provide practical insights for other research groups considering similar implementations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70242","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144927506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of dose reliability in radiotherapy practices in Türkiye: A multicenter study","authors":"Murat Köylü,&nbsp;Ziya Hazeral,&nbsp;Bülent Yapıcı,&nbsp;Elfide Yılmaz,&nbsp;Nezahat Olacak,&nbsp;Hatice Bilge,&nbsp;Serdar Özkök","doi":"10.1002/acm2.70204","DOIUrl":"10.1002/acm2.70204","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Dose accuracy in radiotherapy is crucial for treatment outcomes and patient safety. Ensuring dose accuracy allows for effective targeting of tumors while protecting surrounding healthy tissues. The quality assurance programs implemented worldwide by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are among the most effective methods to enhance dose reliability, particularly in developing countries.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the reliability of treatment doses applied in radiotherapy centers across Türkiye and to determine the impact of national dose control processes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study, thoroughly analyzes dose accuracy in public, private, and university hospitals across six geographical regions of Türkiye. The study investigates whether the treatment doses administered by these centers comply with internationally accepted limits using the IAEA/WHO thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) audit standards. In these audits, the accuracy and consistency of the doses applied by each center were evaluated and compared with international standards.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among the 34 participating centers, 6% achieved dose deviations within ±1%, while 68% were within the widely accepted ±5% tolerance range. Notably, 26% of the centers exhibited deviations in the ±4%–5% band. Differences in dose accuracy were observed between center types and geographical regions. These results provide a snapshot of national performance and highlight areas for quality improvement. The results indicate that while dose reliability in Türkiye is generally within acceptable limits, deviations in some regions suggest the need for further standardization among centers.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings underscore the importance of sustainable dose control processes at the national level and highlight their role in improving the quality of radiotherapy services in Türkiye. The study emphasizes that future dose calibration programs and training will further enhance dose accuracy across the country, contributing to safe and effective treatment for patients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14989,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics","volume":"26 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/acm2.70204","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144920567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}