An Introduction to Radiation Protection in Medicine [ Active ]

Preface

This book is the result of informal meetings of a group of medical physicists in Melbourne, Australia. We all share an interest in teaching and radiation protection, but have very different roles in various hospitals and universities. Although this book is written for all health professionals who work with radiation, it originally arose from discussions about the need to equip medical physics trainees with knowledge about radiation safety in a fast-changing and diverse environment such as medicine.

From the very start it was meant to be a practical book. Half of it is concerned with basic issues related to radiation protection, while the other half addresses situations commonly encountered in the three major areas in medicine where radiation is the tool to diagnose or treat human disease: radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy. It is interesting to note that these fields are becoming more entangled—from positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) scanners to image-guided radiotherapy, radiation protection professionals are concerned with a multitude of different issues. The present book aims to equip people with the background to function in such a versatile and fast-developing field.

While the book should be seen as a whole, we did not try to make all chapters sound the same. By maintaining the individual style of each of the authors we are hoping to make accessible their vast personal experience.

On behalf of all the authors, thanks and gratitude are extended to the various spouses, family members, and friends, who bore with this group of "grumpy old men" during the process of preparing the book.

We hope you enjoy the reading and find it interesting and relevant. Please provide us with feedback and suggestions about the book—after all, learning never ends.