Physical Sciences

Physical Sciences - Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

The Physical Sciences department comprises Medical Physicists, who provide a range of services underpinning the planning and delivery of radiotherapy treatments. These include equipment commissioning and quality assurance, development and enhancement of treatment techniques, fundamental and clinically oriented research, involvement in clinical trials, and teaching. Medical Physicists play a key role at our main campus at East Melbourne, and also at each of Peter Mac’s four satellite centres.

The Biomedical Engineering section of the department is primarily responsible for the testing, maintenance and quality control of patient-related equipment. The team also contributes to the design and development of special-purpose radiotherapy equipment.

Specifically, the department’s role includes:
  • Radiation physics support for clinical radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging.
  • Biomedical engineering support for computer systems and the automatic brachytherapy equipment used in radiotherapy, as well as the patient-coupled equipment used in operating theatres and in the wards.
  • Responsibility for radiation safety throughout Peter Mac.
  • Clinical and developmental research
  • Teaching of radiation physics to other Peter Mac staff, eg. to radiation oncology registrars.

Quality Assurance
Radiotherapy
The Physical Sciences Department performs basic and comprehensive checks on all major radiotherapy equipment which are used in planning or delivery of RT, to meet specifications which ensure that in routine clinical operation, the equipment will not limit the accurate delivery of the prescribed dose(s) to the specified anatomical volume(s) - tumours and adjacent organs. The Department also carries out individual in vivo dose measurements, as required, for certain complex treatments where regular dose calculations are considered uncertain.

Technical procedures in external beam radiotherapy are monitored, largely through the Department's day-to-day oversight of treatment planning, while each individual brachytherapy treatment is subject to close checks by a physicist.

Diagnostic Imaging
The Physical Sciences Department carries out compliance testing of:
  • Image quality (contrast, spatial resolution) of diagnostic imaging equipment (planar X-ray, CT scanners, fluoroscopy,);
  • Operating parameters of X-ray sources (kilovoltage, milliamp settings);
  • Radiation dosimetry in and around the x-ray field
The Department also provides guidance on techniques, procedures and on the correct use of instrumentation.

Biomedical Engineering
The Physical Sciences Department performs:
  • Acceptance testing of all electromedical equipment, all electrical installations to patient treatment areas of the hospital, and of all medical laser equipment and installations
  • Periodic testing of all the above and preventive maintenance of all electromedical equipment to ensure safety, function and minimum downtime
  • Testing of safety interlocks and calibration of surgical laser power output, prior to each treatment session
  • Educational/advisory services to users on the safe and correct use of electromedical equipment.

Radiation Protection
The Physical Sciences Department is responsible for:
  • Management of the personal radiation monitoring service, whereby all occupationally exposed staff members have their accumulated radiation doses read and recorded at 3-monthly intervals. This serves as an ongoing check of work practices and working environments
  • Surveys of radiation levels in and around radiation treatment areas, done regularly and in special circumstances, along with continuous oversight of radiation protection aspects of nuclear medicine, brachytherapy, imaging and nursing practices
  • Surveys of radiation levels and consultation on radiation practices in diagnostic imaging
  • General oversight of the utilisation of radiation and radioactive materials in Laboratory Research
  • Educational/advisory service to users, with respect to radiation safety matters.

Education
The Physical Sciences Department participates in educational programs for Peter Mac staff and others.
  • Radiation Physics teaching to registrars training as radiation oncologists.
  • Training of medical physicists from developing countries, in conjunction with IAEA.
  • Training of junior physicists and physicis registrars for ACPSEM accreditation.
  • Supervision of postgraduate training of staff for higher degrees.
  • Supervision of project work for university students.

Research
The Physical Sciences Department at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is located within the Division of Radiation Oncology. As such, most of its research projects are directly aimed at improving patient care in radiotherapy. However, there are also collaborations outside of the division including both applied and basic research.

The department has 1.5 positions dedicated to research and 3 of its staff members are currently enrolled in research work as part of studies for a higher degree. However, all members of the department are involved in various activities for research and development. Examples for current projects are given below.

We have affiliations with Melbourne University, RMIT, Monash and Wollongong Universities. A particular strength of the group is that it includes both medical physicists and biomedical engineers. This has led to many successful development projects in the past. Examples are the design of a compensating filter cutter, a monitor unit calculation program and the development of a unique parallel plate ionisation chamber for brachytherapy dosimetry.

For more information please see Physical Sciences Research Projects.

Staff
Director
Jim Cramb B.Sc (Hons) M.Sc MACPSEM

Deputy Director
Dr John Coles B.E., PhD, Grad Dip Bus (Mgt) FIE Aust,MACPSEM, MIEEE, CPEng

Principal Research Physicist
Dr Tomas Kron Dipl. Phys., PhD FACPSEM, FCCPM, FInstP(UK), MARPS

Senior Physicists
Dr Ray Budd B.Sc(Hons), MSc, PhD MACPSEM, MANZSNM, MARPS
Mr Chris Fox B.Sc (Hons) Dip Ed, M.AppSc AMACPSEM
Mr Christopher Gehrke B.App.Sc (Phys), M.App.Sc
Dr Jim Hagekyriakou B.Sc (Hons) PhD MACPSEM
Dr Annette Haworth B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc, PhD FACPSEM, ABG, MIPEM
Mr Sisira Herath B.Sc.(Hons), M.Sc AMACPSEM
Mr Michael Kenny B.Sc (Hons) M.Sc MAIP, MACPSEM
Ms Catherine Lawford B.Sc, M.Sc, MIPEM, MACPSEM
Dr Jenny Lydon B.SC (Hons), PhD, MACPSEM
Mr Ajit Mullen B.Sc(Phys) M.Sc M.Tech(Mod&Sim) AMACPSEM
Dr Ramachandra Prabhakar PhD
Mr Paul Roxby M.A, M.Sc MIPEM, MIEE, C.Eng
Mr David Taylor B.Sc, M.Sc AMACPSEM
Ms Elena Ungureanu B.Phys, M.Sc (Med Phys) AMACPSEM
Dr Li Zhu B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD MACPSEM
Dr Sivananthan Sarasanandarajah (Siva) B.Sc (Hons), PGDipSc(Distinction), M.Sc, PhD, MACPSEM

Junior Physicists and Physics Registrars
Ms Rachitha Antony B.Sc (App Phys), MSc (Med Rad Phys)
Mr Simon Atkins B.App.Sc (Hons), M.Sc
Mr Magdi Ayyad B.Sc (Physics) AMACPSEM
Mr Eu Jin Chan B.Sc (App.Phys) AMACPSEM
Ms Natalie Clements B.App.Sc(Hons), M.App.Sc
Mr Kurian George B.Sc (App Elec), M.Sc (Med Rad Phys)
Mr Kosta Gerontzos B.Sc (Phys), G.Dip (Comp), M.Tech (Comp)
Dr Francis Gibbons B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD
Mr William Hackworth B.Sc (Hons)
Dr Nicholas Hardcastle B.Sc(Hons), PhD
Ms Peta Lonski B.App.Sc (Hons)
Mr Karl Roozen B.Sc, M.Sc, BCIT(prog) AMACPSEM
Mr Habeeb Sidhique B.Sc (Phys), M.Sc (Med Rad Phys)
Dr Derrick Wanigaratne B.Sc(Hons), M.Sc, PhD

Senior Biomedical Engineer
Mr Stephen Todd B.E. M.App Sc MIE Aust, SMIREE

Biomedical Engineer
Mr Jason Chung B.Sc, B.E, M. Biomed Eng

Contact us
The Physical Science Department has offices at all Peter Mac sites:

East Melbourne
Jim Cramb
9656 1254
Box Hill
Sisira Herath
03 9895 7228
Moorabbin
David Taylor
03 9928 8964
Bendigo
Chris Gehrke
03 5454 9333

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