Access to brachytherapy treatment for cervical cancer management in Africa.

Background And Purpose: Cervical cancer is an important public health issue with a high incidence and death rate in Africa. It is mostly treated with Brachytherapy as the gold standard but its access is limited. This study set out to investigate the distribution and accessibility of brachytherapy units in Africa for the treatment of cervical cancer, and to provide some recommendations for increasing the quantity and accessibility of such equipment throughout the continent.

The influence of artificial intelligence on the work of the medical physicist in radiotherapy practice: a short review.

There have been many applications and influences of Artificial intelligence (AI) in many sectors and its professionals, that of radiotherapy and the medical physicist is no different. AI and technological advances have necessitated changing roles of medical physicists due to the development of modernized technology with image-guided accessories for the radiotherapy treatment of cancer patients. Given the changing role of medical physicists in ensuring patient safety and optimal care, AI can reshape radiotherapy practice now and in some years to come.

Africa's readiness for artificial intelligence in clinical radiotherapy delivery: Medical physicists to lead the way.

Background: There have been several proposals by researchers for the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology due to its promising role in radiotherapy practice. However, prior to the introduction of the technology, there are certain general recommendations that must be achieved. Also, the current challenges of AI must be addressed.

Patient skin dose measurement and risk of deterministic effect during fluoroscopy cardiac procedures.

This study aimed at assessing patient's peak skin doses (PSD) during fluoroscopy cardiac procedures and proposed a look up table to enhance patient's dose management. Perspex phantom and thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLD) were irradiated for different dose levels with X-ray equipment (Philips Azurion 7). It was found that PSD measures were higher than the kerma at the interventional reference point [K (IRP)] reported with factors 1.

Science diplomacy in medical physics - an international perspective.

Purpose: Science diplomacy in medical physics is a relatively young research field and translational practice that focuses on establishing international collaborations to address some of the questions biomedical professionals face globally. This paper aims to present an overview of science diplomacy in medical physics, from an international perspective, illustrating the ways collaborations within and across continents can lead to scientific and professional achievements that advance scientific growth and improve patients care.

Methods: Science diplomacy actions were sought that promote collaborations in medical physics across the continents, related to professional and scientific aspects alike.

A review of MRI studies in Africa with special focus on quantitative MRI: Historical development, current status and the role of medical physicists.

This scoping review provides overview on the historical and major developments, current status, quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) studies and the role of medical physics bodies in MR imaging in Africa. The study analyzed MRI availability in 32 (59 %) of the 54 African countries. South Africa and Egypt have the most dominant MR systems.

National inventory of authorized diagnostic imaging equipment in Ghana: data as of September 2020.

Introduction: to address the challenge of inadequate and non-equitable distribution of diagnostic imaging equipment, countries are encouraged to evaluate the distribution of installed systems and undertake adequate monitoring to ensure equitability. Ghana´s medical imaging resources have been analyzed in this study and evaluated against the status in other countries.

Methods: data on registered medical imaging equipment were retrieved from the database of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority and analyzed.

ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVELS IN ADULT COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY FOR FOUR AFRICAN COUNTRIES: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY.

This preliminary study aims towards the establishment of regional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for routine adult computed tomography (CT) examinations. The study was performed on 54 CT facilities from four African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and Senegal) and the results compared with international DRLs. Data were collected from facilities using a structured questionnaire provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Critical Appraisal of Radionuclide Calibrators and Gamma Cameras Prior to Lutetium-177 Internal Dosimetry at Two South African Hospitals.

 The functionality of radionuclide dose calibrator and nuclear medicine imaging systems hasa direct effect on the accuracy and preciseness of internal dosimetry evaluations. Our study, therefore, aimed to critically appraise the radionuclide calibrators and gamma cameras prior to Lutetium-177 ( Lu) internal dosimetry in a developing country.  Two radionuclide calibrators' and three gamma cameras at two South African hospitals were critically appraised in preparation for internal dosimetry of Lu.

Physics in Africa.

Africa tends to be isolated and sometimes forgotten when it comes to scientific research and in particular physics. But the region has great potential, being home to the youngest population in the world, and despite a variety of issues, there has been steady, albeit uneven progress towards establishing a scientific infrastructure. Ten African researchers discuss the diverse challenges and opportunities faced by physicists across the continent.

Knowledge and perception on the transmission and control of SARS-COV-2 infection among allied radiation medicine professionals in Ghana.

Knowledge and perception on transmission and control of SARS-COV-2 infection are key to preventing outbreak of the disease in healthcare settings and in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the level of knowledge on SARS-COV-2 infection prevention, transmission and symptoms of COVID-19, as well as perceptions regarding prevention of SARS-COV-2 infection among allied radiation medicine professionals. Cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out among 145 radiation medicine professionals in Ghana using facts on COVID-19 as presented on the website of the World Health Organization and data was analyzed based on weighted average indices.

BENCHMARKING OF A NEW AUTOMATIC CT RADIATION DOSE CALCULATOR.

Information on patient radiation dose is essential to meet the radiation protection regulations and the demands of dose optimization. Vendors have developed different tools for patient dose assessment for radiological purposes. In this study, estimated effective doses derived from a new image-based software tool (DoseWatch, GE Healthcare) was benchmarked against the corresponding doses from a dose calculator (CT-Expo, SASCRAD) and a conversion coefficient method.

Safety measures in selected radiotherapy centres within Africa in the face of Covid-19.

Radiotherapy is life-saving treatment which ought to be guaranteed for all cancer patients who are indicated. While this is so, it is incumbent on the management of radiotherapy centres to ensure that patients, patient care-givers and radiotherapy personnel are at all times safe within the radiotherapy facility. Cancer patients are known to have increased risk for respiratory viruses like Covid-19 due to the compromised immune state of such persons.

Radiation Protection, Safety and Security Issues in Ghana.

Although the use of radioisotopes in Ghana began in 1952, the Radiation Protection Board of Ghana was established in 1993 and served as the national competent authority for authorization and inspection of practices and activities involving radiation sources until 2015. The law has been superseded by an Act of Parliament, Act 895 of 2015, mandating the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Ghana to take charge of the regulation of radiation sources and their applications. The Radiation Protection Institute in Ghana provided technical support to the regulatory authority.

Quantitative Assessment of Radionuclide Uptake and Positron Emission Tomography-computed Tomography Image Contrast.

Radionuclide uptake and contrast for positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) images have been assessed in this study using NEMA image quality phantom filled with background activity concentration of 5.3 kBq/mL fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG). Spheres in the phantom were filled in turns with water to mimic cold lesions and FDG of higher activity concentrations to mimic tumor sites.

Medical physics practice and training in Ghana.

Medical physics has been an indispensable and strategic stakeholder in the delivery of radiological services to the healthcare system of Ghana. The practice has immensely supported radiation oncology and medical imaging facilities over the years, while the locally established training programme continues to produce human resource to feed these facilities. The training programme has grown to receive students from other African countries in addition to local students.

Effect of Radionuclide Activity Concentration on PET-CT Image Uniformity.

Assessment of radionuclide activity concentration on positron emission tomography-computedr tomography (PET-CT) image uniformity has been carried out quantitatively. Tomographic PET-CT images of cylindrical phantom containing F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) activity concentration was acquired and used for the assessment. Activity concentrations were varied and PET-CT images were acquired at the constant acquisition parameters of time, matrix size, and reconstruction algorithm, respectively.

Comparative Study of Radionuclide Uptake Levels between Primary and Metastatic Bone Tumors.

Study on 95 patients to compare radionuclide uptake levels in patients undergoing bone scintigraphy at a Nuclear Medicine Unit has been performed quantitatively using Image J software. Patients were administered with activity ranging from 0.555 to 1.