Radiation Physics comprises teams of Physicists, Dosimetrists and Technologists who apply scientific and technical support to all uses of radiation in the Trust including radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and radiology. There are three sections:

A team of Physicists, Dosimetrists and Equipment Technicians apply scientific and technical support to radiotherapy, to ensure safe and advanced treatments.

During treatment, patients are exposed to high doses of ionising radiation; the Radiation Physics department ensure that all treatments are optimised, precise, accurate and above all safely delivered.

Just like most medicines, radiotherapy is given as a “dose”; your doctor will prescribe a dose to the area they wish to treat. All therapeutic radiation exposures are planned prior to treatment in order to achieve the prescribed dose in the treatment region whilst minimising the dose to any normal healthy tissue.

Usually this involves the use of highly complex computerised systems to simulate the transport of radiation inside your body based on CT scan. We can then create a treatment plan, which, by using the tools we have on the treatment machines, can shape and modulate radiation beams to optimally cover the intended treatment volume.

To make sure your plan is delivered accurately and reproducibly, we run an extensive quality assurance system where we test all equipment on a regular basis. We also commission and implement new techniques and technology, to ensure our treatments are up to date and allow us to deliver world class radiotherapy.

Nuclear Medicine uses radioactive tracers to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases.  Please see Nuclear Medicine for more information.

The radiation protection team provide advice on the safe use of x-rays, radioactive material, lasers, etc. in our hospitals, as well as scientific support to users of X-rays to ensure the best quality images for the lowest radiation dose. Please see hullrad Radiation Physics for more on our services, and details of services provided to other public and private healthcare providers.

Professor Andy Beavis

• Sue Heath
• Gill Stephenson

• 01482 461377
• 01482 461376

• hullrad Radiation Physics