Support Departments

The object of the Medical Physics Department is to ensure that all therapeutic and diagnostic medical procedures that use ionizing radiation or magnetic resonance (MRI) are performed reliably and accurately.

Specifically, the Department performs:

• Diagnostic procedures (radiology scans, scintigraphies, etc.), by acquiring diagnostic information through quality images, with minimal radiation doses to patients and staff.
• Treatments (radiotherapy, brachytherapy, iodine therapy), by developing techniques and designing procedures that allow the administration of maximum radiation dose for the disease, with the lowest possible radiation exposure to healthy tissue.
  

It is also responsible for implementing the radiation protection rules, as specified by the Greek and European legislation.

The Department is equipped with the latest technology, which guarantees the accuracy, safety and effectiveness of each medical procedure.

It is staffed with a scientific team of experienced radiophysicists with postgraduate studies in domestic and foreign universities.

Services / Activities

To achieve its aims, it provides support to the departments of Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology and MRI. Specifically, it is responsible for:

1. Conducting radiation protection studies in the areas where ionizing radiation equipment will be installed (calculation of required shielding), as well as safe operation studies for the facilities, which assess the operational parameters, as well as the passive and active radiation protection measures in place for staff and visitors.
   The Shielding and Safe Operation Studies are submitted to the competent state authority to obtain a construction license for the installation and an operating license for the lab respectively.
2. Taking delivery of and calibrating the machines that emit radiation, based on internationally recognized protocols and procedures. Apart from certifying their performance, the department also carries out detailed checks of the safety / radiation protection systems.
3. Developing and applying quality assurance programs and quality control protocols, based on the Greek and European legislation.
4. Optimizing applications that use ionizing radiation.
5. Controlling the use of radioactive sources and managing radioactive waste.
6. Performing dosimetry of staff working in departments that use ionizing radiation.
7. Carrying out staff training on topics that relate to radiation protection, quality assurance, and new equipment and techniques.
8. Evaluating the systems and parts for the needs of the departments using ionizing radiation.

It also advises the staff on radiation protection issues and participates in scientific conferences, through its scientific work and papers.

Especially for the:

Radiation Oncology Center

The Medical Physics Department is responsible for the quality control and the safe and accurate operation of four linear accelerators, one simulator, a CTSIM scanner, an Ir-192 high-dose brachytherapy system, three treatment planning systems (BrachyOncentra, Monaco, Pinnacle) and a treatment management software system (Mosaiq).

In addition, in partnership with the radiotherapist, the Department’s radiophysicists carry out the treatment plan based on international protocols and organizations (RTOG, ASTRO, ESTRO).

The Medical Physics Department has been applying the most advanced radiotherapy techniques (IMRT / VMAT IGRT) since 2008.

It carries out dosimetry of the treatment plans with machine-based measurements or independent calculations, before the start of treatment.

It is responsible for the dosimetry of the Center’s systems. Our participation in a European comparative dosimetry program by the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) has shown that our dosimetry is within the optimal accuracy limits.

In addition, during treatment with the use of radioactive sources (brachytherapy), the Department is responsible for their safe management, dosimetry and treatment planning.

Nuclear Medicine Department

The Medical Physics Department is responsible for the quality control and the safe and accurate operation of a gamma camera, the dose calibrator, an automated liquid radioactive waste collection tank system. It further ensures that the radioactive iodine (I-131) treatment chambers follow all the radiation protection procedures.

It also takes delivery of and manages all radiopharmaceuticals and other sources required for the proper operation of the Department, and manages radioactive waste disposal.

For treatment with Iodine I-131, it checks the levels of residual activity in the patient’s body, provides written instructions and measures the levels of radioactive pollution in the chambers.

Imaging Department

The Medical Physics Department is responsible for the quality control and the safe and accurate operation of a CT scanner, two digital mammography / tomosynthesis systems, seven conventional X-ray / fluoroscopy machines, two digital angiography devices and a bone density measurement system.

It is also responsible for developing and optimizing the imaging protocols, so as to acquire diagnostic information through quality images, with minimal radiation doses to patients and staff.

MRI Department

The Medical Physics Department is responsible for the quality control and the safe and accurate operation of an MRI scanner.

Staff

The Department is staffed by 5 radiophysicists trained in the area of ionizing and non-ionizing medical applications, with postgraduate studies and professional licenses as radiophysicists.