Proper equipment calibration and maintenance are some of the most critical components of making sure imaging systems are safe and produce quality images. Medical physicists are extremely important players in this arena, bridging the gap between technologists and physicians to make sure advanced diagnostic imaging (ADI) equipment is functioning optimally.

In an educational, one hour webinar session, Physics for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging, RadSite’s Chief Physics Officer, Phillip W. Patton, PhD, CHP, DABR, DABSNM, reviews basic components of physics testing for ADI systems, highlights key differences in state requirements for physicists and explains why it is important to hire a qualified medical physicist for your physics testing when applying for RadSite accreditation. In this webinar, Dr. Patton shares extensive information about the types of tests needed and how often to test your diagnostic imaging equipment. The recorded webinar as well as downloadable slides are now available on RadSite’s website.

You can expect to learn:

  • Evaluation requirements.
  • Various tests for advanced modalities.
    • MRI.
    • CT.
    • Nuclear Medicine.
    • PET.
  • RadSite requirements.
  • Dr. Patton’s answers to attendees’ questions such as:
  1. Does RadSite have a particular phantom requirement for each of the modalities?
  2. How often should these tests be completed?
  3. Who should be running these tests?

Dr. Patton has conducted research in a wide variety of medical imaging and cancer treatment projects. He has worked extensively to model and develop experimental measurements for doses received during high energy X-ray interrogation of cargo containers for Homeland Security applications. He devised a unique combination of radiation measurements in air with human-simulating phantoms embedded with Thermoluminescence Dosimetry (TLDs). In addition to being a Certified Health Physicist (2006), he is CEO of LBT Radiation Physics Consulting, Ltd., a Diplomat of the American Board of Radiology (2009), a Diplomat of the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine (2011) and a Licensed Medical Physicist. He was a professor of health physics at University of Nevada Las Vegas from 2000-2011. Dr. Patton’s work has been published in such professional journals as Health Physics, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, and Medical Physics. His early work involved modeling and exploring improved methods of imaging and treating cancer in the skeleton. Dr. Patton’s efforts were responsible for improvements in the Monte Carlo modeling code for radiation transport and measured doses to bone and bone marrow to validate the modeling effort.

Upcoming Webinars

In addition to discussing the importance of medical physics in diagnostic imaging, RadSite is hosting additional webinars in the upcoming months. The final two sessions will feature nationally recognized expert, Eliot Siegel, MD.

Session III: Tackling Medicolegal Concerns in PACS – Part I.

  • December 9, 2015, 12 p.m. ET.

Legalities in health care often make this important practice muddled at best – especially in the field of radiology and for facilities using PACS. In the first part of a two-part series, Eliot Siegel, MD, will discuss who really owns medical images, how to deal with bankruptcy in an imaging facility and why physicians don’t use image compression more often. The recording will be available at here on Friday, December 11, 2015.

Session IV: Tackling Medicolegal Concerns in PACS – Part 2

  • February 3, 2016, 12 p.m. ET

In the second of a two-part series, Eliot Siegel, MD, will discuss whether or not to retain the markings produced by mammography computer-aided detection (CAD) software to highlight suspicious findings, which could have important medicolegal implications.

Final Thoughts

With any screening, it is important to have the exam done on quality equipment at an accredited facility. RadSite can help you evaluate your CT, MR, PET and nuclear medicine imaging systems and certify they are operating at the optimal level of performance, so you can provide quality care for your patients. We hope you take the opportunity to view this pertinent webinar recording, and we look forward to seeing you at the next one! To find out more about these webinars, . A Q&A session will follow each presentation, so don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about current topics in radiology.