The use of irradiating apparatus and
radioactive substances in medicine
Date, Time & Venue
2 February 2018 (Friday); 6:30 –
8:00 pm; James Chiu and Dragage Room, HKIE Headquarters, 9/F Island Beverley,
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
Speakers
Dr. Dennis NGAR
(Senior Physicist, Tuen Mun Hospital) and Dr. Darrell LI
Programme Highlights
Ionizing radiation is widely used
in medicine for radiological imaging and radiotherapy. Ionizing radiation used in medicine is
usually produced by machines known as irradiating apparatus (IA), or emitted by
radioactive substances (RS). In a hospital environment, Medical Physicists (MP)
is a team of professionals who manages and facilitates the use of these IA and
RS. In this talk, two Medical Physicists
will introduce the use of IA and RS in medicine and the roles of MP in a
hospital.
The seminar is free of charge and
prior registration is required. The
number of participants will be limited to 40 and applicants will be served on a
first-come-first-serve basis. Priority will be given to the members of Nuclear
Division. For registration, please complete and return the Standard Reply Form
to Ir Barry LEE via Email: nuclear@ne.hkie.org.hk by 12 January 2018.
Successful applicants will be notified by email. For enquiries, please contact
Ir Barry Lee at Tel: 3155 3950.
Disclaimer
All information and
views expressed by speakers and in their conference materials do not reflect
the official opinion and position of HKIE. No responsibility is accepted by the
HKIE or their publisher for such information and views including their accuracy,
correctness and veracity.
Report
Seminar
on “The Use of Irradiating Apparatus and Radioactive Substances in Medicine”
Prepared by
Mr Elton C K WONG and Mr M N TAI
A technical
seminar was organized by the Nuclear Division on “The Use of Irradiating
Apparatus and Radioactive Substances in Medicine” on 2 February 2018 at the
HKIE Headquarters. The seminar was presented to over 40 participants firstly by
Dr Dennis NGAR, Senior Physicist of Tuen Mun Hospital and then by Dr Darrell
LI, Physicist at Prince of Wales Hospital.
The
fundamental principles of radioactive substances and medical physics were
briefly introduced by Dr Dennis NGAR. In this respect, nuclear
energy used in medicine and medical applications could generally be divided
into three main categories, namely radiotherapy, diagnostic radiology and
nuclear medicine. In turn, Radiotherapy could be classified into teletherapy,
brachytherapy and therapeutic nuclear medicine. Teletherapy, as the most popular
type of radiotherapy, is applied with an external source of ionizing radiation
while brachytherapy, as a treatment by placing a radiation source inside or in
contact to the disease area, is more localized. As for the therapeutic nuclear
medicine, it utilizes unsealed radioactive sources for providing a targeted
treatment. Its non-invasive nature has a relatively low toxicity compared with
conventional chemotherapy and by using the external beam, this kind of therapy is
an attractive and realistic alternative in managing benign and malignant
diseases.
Dr Darrell LI
further introduced medical X-ray and irradiating
apparatus at the seminar. Medical
X-ray was introduced in 1896 shortly after the discovery of X-ray and was soon
being used in irradiating apparatus, which is designed to produce or emit
ionization for use in diagnostic radiology and radiation therapy. Advances in technology has enabled the
delivery of a calculated dose of high energy Xrays or electrons to a treatment
target with much lower effects to surrounding body tissues. The work of a
medical physicist, entailing the safe and accurate use of radiation in medicine
and radiation health protection, was also presented.
On behalf of the Nuclear Division, we wish to express our sincere
gratitude to Dr Dennis NGAR and Dr Darrell LI for providing this informative
seminar to our members.
Photo Caption:
Ir Dr Alain LAM (middle), Immediate Past Chairman of Nuclear Division
presenting souvenirs to Dr Darrell LI (left) and Dr Dennis NGAR (right)