"The treatment using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer therapy, to either kill or control the growth of malignant cells."
Using mathematical models and computer simulations to study the effects of radiation on biological tissues.
Basic concepts of physics: The study of the fundamental principles of physics, such as mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics, which are essential for understanding models and simulations in medical physics.
Mathematical modeling: The development of mathematical models that describe the behavior of biological systems and physical phenomena in medical physics, which can be used to simulate and predict their behavior in various conditions.
Computational methods: The use of computational algorithms and techniques such as numerical methods and statistical tools to solve mathematical problems in modeling and simulation in medical physics.
Medical Imaging: The use of imaging technologies such as X-ray, MRI, CT scans, and ultrasound to provide visual representations of biological systems in medical physics, which can be used to build computational models and simulations.
Radiation therapy: The study of how radiation is used in the treatment of cancer, including the effects of radiation on biological systems and the use of simulation to optimize treatment planning.
Molecular dynamics simulations: The study of the behavior of molecules in dynamic systems, including the simulation of protein folding and drug design, which can be applied to medical physics.
Biomechanics and bioengineering: The study of the mechanical properties and behavior of biological systems, such as tissues and organs, which can be used to develop simulations for biomedical applications.
Electromagnetic fields and their application in medicine: Understanding the fundamentals of electromagnetism and how electromagnetic fields can be used in medical applications such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging and electroencephalography (EEG).
Systems biology: The study of biological systems as a whole, including the interactions between different components and their effect on the behavior of the system, which can be modeled and simulated using computational tools.
Data analysis: The use of statistical and computer-based methods to analyze data, including time-series data and high-dimensional data sets, which are crucial for building and validating models and simulations in medical physics.
Finite Element Method: This method uses numerical techniques to solve partial differential equations of a physical phenomenon to generate a finite element model of the system.
Monte Carlo Method: The Monte Carlo method simulates the behavior of a system by using random numbers to map the statistical distribution of the phenomenon and calculating the probability of specific outcomes.
Computational Fluid Dynamics: CFD simulates the flow of fluids in complex geometries, such as blood flow through arteries, by solving partial differential equations.
Molecular Dynamics: MD simulates the behavior of molecules and the interactions between them by integrating the equations of motion for each atom based on potential energies.
Agent-Based Modeling: ABM models a system by simulating the behavior of individual agents and their interactions with one another.
Boundary Element Method: BEM simulates the behavior of a physical phenomenon near the boundary of an object by using a simpler equation than the one used in the Finite Element Method.
Lattice Boltzmann Method: LBM is used primarily to simulate the movement of fluids in porous media, such as the human lung.
Cellular Automata: CA models the behavior of a system by simulating the interactions between a large number of simple agents, following a set of rules for their behavior.
Stochastic Modeling: This method models the behavior of biological systems by incorporating noise and variability in the system.
Differential Equations: This method models the behavior of a system by using a set of differential equations describing the dynamics of the system.
Multi-Scale Modeling: This approach uses multiple levels of detail to model a system, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the system's behavior.
Network-Based Modeling: This approach models the behavior of a system by simulating interactions between nodes in a network.
"It is normally delivered by a linear particle accelerator."
"Radiation therapy may be curative in a number of types of cancer if they are localized to one area of the body and have not spread to other parts."
"It may also be used as part of adjuvant therapy, to prevent tumor recurrence after surgery to remove a primary malignant tumor."
"Ionizing radiation works by damaging the DNA of cancerous tissue leading to cellular death."
"To spare normal tissues... shaped radiation beams are aimed from several angles of exposure to intersect at the tumor, providing a much larger absorbed dose there than in the surrounding healthy tissue."
"The radiation fields may also include the draining lymph nodes if they are clinically or radiologically involved with the tumor, or if there is thought to be a risk of subclinical malignant spread."
"These uncertainties can be caused by internal movement (for example, respiration, and bladder filling) and movement of external skin marks relative to the tumor position."
"Radiation oncology is the medical specialty concerned with prescribing radiation, and is distinct from radiology, the use of radiation in medical imaging and diagnosis."
"It is also common to combine radiation therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy or some mixture of the four."
"The precise treatment intent (curative, adjuvant, neoadjuvant therapeutic, or palliative) will depend on the tumor type, location, and stage, as well as the general health of the patient."
"Total body irradiation (TBI) is a radiation therapy technique used to prepare the body to receive a bone marrow transplant."
"Brachytherapy, in which a radioactive source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment, is another form of radiation therapy that minimizes exposure to healthy tissue during procedures to treat cancers of the breast, prostate, and other organs."
"Radiation therapy has several applications in non-malignant conditions."
"The treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, acoustic neuromas, severe thyroid eye disease, pterygium, pigmented villonodular synovitis, and prevention of keloid scar growth, vascular restenosis, and heterotopic ossification."
"The use of radiation therapy in non-malignant conditions is limited partly by worries about the risk of radiation-induced cancers."
"The subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiotherapy is called radiation oncology."
"A physician who practices in this subspecialty is a radiation oncologist."
"Radiation therapy is synergistic with chemotherapy, and has been used before, during, and after chemotherapy in susceptible cancers."
"Most common cancer types can be treated with radiation therapy in some way."