The Role of the Modern Medical Physicist in Diagnostic Imaging

W. Geoffrey West, PhD, DABR, CHP

Diagnostic medical imaging has changed significantly in the last decade. One of these changes is the medical physicist has an increased expectation to be an integral part of patient care and clinical outcomes. In addition to traditional medical physics responsibilities, the modern-day medical physicist is called upon to assist healthcare providers with diagnostic medical imaging equipment purchase selection, manage radiation dose reduction, improve image quality and patient diagnostic outcomes, MRI safety risk mitigation, and standardize radiation safety practices across healthcare enterprise systems.  The presenter will discuss how the modern-day medical physicist is directly engaged with the patient care delivery team to assist with best patient care practices.

You will learn to:
  • Understand the traditional role of the medical physicist
  • Learn how times have changed from diversity of equipment models to a focus on quantitative performance metrics
  • Identify the modern role of the medical physicist and their role in evidence-based medicine in the imaging environment