PRIMPS 27 Branch Meeting – Recap

Michael Bernardo
Photo: PRIMPS 27 attendees

PRIMPS 27 was held on Friday, 29th March 2019 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Education Centre in The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital campus.

The event focused on applications of MRI in diagnostic imaging and in radiation oncology.

PRIMPS 27 – Presentations
The talks can be viewed below:

MRI in radiation therapy treatment planning – Jason Dowling, A/Prof
Viability of MRI-only proton treatment planning using synthetic CT – Matthew MacDonald
ADC as a biomarker from MRI – Shermiyah Rienecker, Ph.D
Is AI ready for End to End Care? – Elliot Smith, Ph.D

Open Forum – AI and Machine Learning
An Open Forum was held after the talks to discuss the state of AI and machine learning in healthcare and how ACPSEM members can respond to this growing area.

Chris Noble led the discussions and highlighted some of the key issues raised by the use of AI and machine learning software, namely:
– How will AI be used in Medical Physics?
– Who is liable for the outcomes?
– Who has responsibility?
– How should ACPSEM members interact with Software as A Medical Device (SaMD)?
– Do we have sufficient expertise?

The general opinion was that ACPSEM members should position themselves in such a way that they are able to assess and verify the outcomes (e.g. diagnosis, treatment plans) that the software produces. Identifying the usefulness of apps, managing risks of adopting the software and being a part of the procurement process were also discussed.

More opportunities for professional development targeted specifically at this fast growing field are required.

Photo: Chris and Elliot discussing regulation of AI and machine learning software

PRIMPS 27 held on the 29th March 2019

Emma Whittle


PRIMPS 27 will be held on 29th March from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Seminar Room 1, RBWH Education Centre.

CPD points are available for attendees with additional CPD points for those who present. If you register via the ACPSEM link, the CPD points will be automatically allocated.

Thanks goes out to Steven Sylvander (RBWH) for providing space for the event!

PRIMPS is a regular informal ACPSEM QLD event that allows all ACPSEM members to present work to a group of their peers.

Presentations are invited from all ACPSEM Specialty Groups:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology and Nuclear Medicine)
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Radiation Protection
  • Radiopharmaceutical Science
  • University

To register to attend, please visit the following link: https://www.acpsem.org.au/events/event/qld-branch-event-primps-27

If you would like to present, please contact Chris Noble (Christopher.noble@health.qld.gov.au) or myself.

There are still a few more slots available to share your work.

Lawn Bowls with ACPSEMQ at New Farm

Emma Whittle

March 10 @ 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Hello ACPSEMQ members,

Let’s all meet up for a social event and challenge each other to a game of lawn bowls. The cost to play is only $8 for 2 hours of bowls. All members and Medical Physics students are welcome. This will be the first social event for 2019. RSVP on the FB page or to emma.whittle2@health.qld.gov.au by 3rd March (no RSVP= no entry).

Look forward to seeing you there!

Emma Whittle, Social Officer

Welcome to 2019!

Emma Whittle

Welcome to 2019 with ACPSEMQ (i.e. Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine QLD). After a successful PRIMPs event and annual branch meeting at the end of 2018, the new committee is listed below:

General Committee Members 2019:

  • Branch Chair: Michael Bernardo
  • Branch Vice-Chair: Nancy Yu
  • Records: Emma Spelleken
  • Finance: Luke Webb
  • General Member: Emma Whittle
  • General Member: Kirstie Caravani
  • General Member: Christopher Noble

Different events during the year will be as follows:

– social events
– PRIMPS; progress and research in medical physics series
– annual symposium
– winter and summer school

We will also keep you updated on any other information you may need throughout the year. ACPSEMQ has a new facebook page, so please like for regular updates: https://www.facebook.com/ACPSEMQ/

The first PRIMPS is currently set for a tentative date of 29 March.

Watch this space!

2018 annual branch meeting

Scott Crowe

The 2018 ACPSEM QLD annual branch meeting will be held on Friday, December 14th in conjunction with the PRIMPS 26, at Biomedical Technology Services (450 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill). The AGM will be held between 3:00 and 3:30 PM, and is open to all members of the branch. PRIMPS will be run directly after, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Please RSVP your attendance to either (or both!) events to branch chair Scott Crowe, and indicate if you are interested in presenting work.

Save the date: Symposium & Winter School

Tanya Kairn

Yes, it’s on!!! Find your way to the Russell Strong Auditorium at the Princess Alexandra Hospital at any time between 8.30am and 4.30pm today (21st September) to join in the fun of the Winter School & Symposium!

The ACPSEM QLD Annual Symposium and Winter School is happening on Friday, 21st September. The theme for this year’s Winter School is Dose in Imaging. More details are to follow so please save this date in your calendar!

As usual, we would like to invite anyone who is interested in doing a 10 to 15 minute talk to register with myself (emma.spelleken@genesiscare.com). This is a great opportunity for anyone to practice their presentations for any upcoming conferences!

See you all at the Symposium!! 🙂

Thanks,

Emma Spelleken
ACPSEMQ Secretary

ACPSEM vs Engineers Australia – The Great Debate

Tanya Kairn

Engineers Australia have thrown down the gauntlet and challenged the physics profession to a comedic debate (possibly the most impressive form of modern combat).

The topic of the debate: Who IS the better Mini Golfer?
A question we have asked ourselves for many a moon, who IS the better Mini Golfer? Is it those who understand the interactions of matter and energies, Physicists, or those who pioneer to analyse the limitations imposed by the course, Engineers?  Bring a keen ear and a sense of humour as the engineers and physicists battle in a comedic debate. Each side will prove their strengths and discredit the opposition all under the watchful eye of Ms Moderator. But ultimately it is you who’ll have to be convinced.

  • Venue: Hawken Auditorium, Level 1, 447 Upper Edward St, Brisbane
  • Date: Wednesday 5th September 2018
  • Time: 7:30pm
  • Cost: $15 – ACPSEM members
  • $45 – non members

RSVP at https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/Event/engineers-vs-physicists-comedic-debate

Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

I look forward to seeing you all there, defending the profession and enjoying the company.

Tim Ireland
Committee member & immediate past chair, ACPSEM Qld branch

NEWSFLASH: ACPSEM training grants

Tanya Kairn

The list of successful applications for the 2018 round of ACPSEM training grants has been published on the national ACPSEM website. Of the 26 grants awarded, four went to Queensland radiation oncology departments:

  • Princess Alexandra Hospital
  • ICON Toowoomba
  • Sunshine Coast University Hospital
  • Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Congratulations to everyone involved in the successful applications and sincerest thanks to everyone who submitted an application, for your ongoing support of medical physics training in Queensland.

PRIMPS 25

Tanya Kairn

The second PRIMPS event of 2018 is now here!

Date: Friday 8th June 2018
Time: 15:00-17:30
Location: BTS, Gregory Terrace
Extra bonus feature: Learn about the IQON Spectral Computed Tomography system
RSVP by: 5th June

There are still spots available for anyone who wishes to present. Contact the ACPSEM Qld branch Secretary (Emma Spelleken) to confirm your attendance, volunteer to present, or request more information.

PRIMPS 24 recap

Tanya Kairn

PRIMPS 24, the first meeting in the “Progress and Research In Medical Physics Series” for 2018, was hosted by Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) on the afternoon/evening of 23rd March 2018. Most of the large crowd of visiting physicists from Brisbane and the Gold Coast arrived on a minibus hired for the occasion and were then treated to a tour of the impressive Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology facilities, and the beautiful buildings and gardens of SCUH, by Mikey Bernardo and Francis Gibbons. After the tour, we had the pleasure of listening to and learning from eight fascinating and friendly presentations:

  • Lucy Cartwright of UNSW – KIM vs CBCT
  • Daniel Serra of BTS – Pitfalls and issues in radiation shielding design
  • Deborah Carrick of GCUH – ROLLIS (Radio-Occult Lesion Localisation using I-125 seeds)
  • Elaine Ryan of BTS, working with University of Sydney – Improving the accuracy and reproducibility of breast tumour receptor status reporting using laser imaging
  • Athreya Sherma Buddhavarapu of QUT, working with SCUH – QATrack+ and routine output QA
  • Tanya Kairn of RBWH – Linac leakage dose measured using OSLDs
  • Lynsey Hamlett of SCUH – The introduction and validation of a model basd dose calculation algorithm for brachytherapy
  • Georgia Brown of PAH, working with RBWH and QUT – Dosimetric outcomes of respiratory gated breast radiotherapy

Scientific events were followed by drinks at a stylish venue just a few minutes walk from SCUH, with views onto an inlet of Lake Kawana, and then an informal dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant.

Many thanks go to Mikey Bernardo for organising this memorable PRIMPS event.