This year was the first time the radiotherapy department had hosted a summer placement student organised through the South East Physics network (SEPNet). More information can be found about the placements here: https://www.sepnet.ac.uk/for-students/sepnet-summer-placement-scheme-information-students/
The placement was for 8 weeks and undertaken by Katie Ryan who had recently graduated from Southampton University with a BSc in Physics and will shortly be starting an MSc in Medical Physics and Engineering at UCL.
The placement focuses around a research project and students have to produce a poster which is showcased to other SEPNet students at the Expo later in the year.
Katie’s project revolved around developing a novel method of analysing x-ray films produced during QC of the Papillon P50 treatment unit. The Royal Surrey is one of only 4 hospitals within the UK to use such a unit and the QC methods are still developing.
Katie produced code using ImageJ which images of scanned x-ray films. The analysis determined the centre of the circular field, and measured the distance from the centre to the edge of the field at multiple angles. This allows irregularities int he uniformity of the fields to be picked up no matter where they lie within the field, which is an improvement on the current method which is limited to only analysing the field at set 90 degree angles.
As well as working on the research project Katie was able to view activities around the department including spending time in the wider areas of Medical physics including Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection. This gives allows the student to gain a wider understating of the roles available within Medical physics which are available after graduating.
The poster can be viewed by clicking here.
