Background/Introduction
The new European Union (EU) Basic Safety Standards (BSS) Directive (1) defines the ‘medical physics expert’ as ‘an individual or,
if provided for in national legislation,
a group of individuals,
having the knowledge,
training and experience to act or give advice on matters relating to radiation physics applied to medical exposure,
whose competence in this respect is recognised by the competent authority’.
Educational qualification of medical physicists is usually accomplished in two phases.
The first phase of the education program is completion of a Bachelor’s...
Description of activity and work performed
The main role of medical physicists in everyday clinical practice is to optimize the use of radiation to ensure the safety and quality of diagnostic or interventional procedures.
The EU BSS states that ‘Member States shall ensure that depending on the medical radiological practice,
the medical physics expert takes responsibility for dosimetry,
including physical measurements for evaluation of the dose delivered to the patient and other individuals subject to medical exposure,
give advice on medical radiological equipment,
and contribute in particular to the following:
(a)...
Conclusion and Recommendations
The medical physicist is a member of the multidisciplinary team responsible for diagnosing or treating patients with ionizing radiations.
Unfortunately,
cases of unintentional exposure to ionizing radiation have been reported which have led to significant overexposure of patients or to exposure of unborn children.
Effective communication is needed among radiologists,
medical physicists and radiographers to avoid errors and optimize diagnostic and interventional procedures.
Personal/Organisational information
References
1.
Council of the European Union.
(2013).
Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation,
and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom,
90/641/Euratom,
96/29/Euratom,
97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom.
Official Journal L-13 of 17.01.2014.
2.
European Commisssion,
‘European Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert’,
Radiation Protection No 174,
Directorate-General for Energy,
Directorate D – Nuclear Safety and Fuel Cycle,
Unit D.3 – Radiation Protection,
2014
