Newswise — ALEXANDRIA, VA. September 27, 2021 – Oct. 1 marks the 50th anniversary of the first computed tomography (CT) scan. To commemorate the occasion, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) is making CT experts and educational resources available to journalists and the public.
Focus on Safety and Quality
Qualified medical physicists are health care professionals focused on the quality and safety of medical imaging and radiation therapy. In CT imaging, they partner with radiologists and radiologic technologists to design scan protocols that provide crucial diagnostic information using the lowest doses of radiation and contrast media possible. They also evaluate the performance of CT systems to confirm that regulatory and accreditation requirements are met.
Partners in Patient Care and Technology Advances
Formed in 2010, the AAPM-led Alliance for Quality Computed Tomography provides practical resources and recommendations to promote the highest level of quality for patients receiving CT exams or procedures. In 2013, the Alliance was recognized by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the Federal Drug Administration "for developing CT imaging radiation safety instructional materials through a collaboration of end-users, CT manufacturers, and the Food and Drug Administration." AAPM members have also played major roles in the development of new CT technologies and applications.
AAPM Online Museum Debuts CT Gallery
Considered the most significant medical advance of the 20th century, CT scans are prescribed by physicians to diagnose and guide the treatment of more than 90 million Americans each year. A new gallery in the AAPM Virtual Museum of Medical Physics -- launched this week to coincide with CT's 50th anniversary -- takes the viewer on a journey from 1963 to the present day, describing the pioneering work of CT's inventors that earned them a Nobel prize and the technology breakthroughs that have transformed medicine.
CT Featured in September Issue of Physics Today
John Boone, professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Davis, and Cynthia McCollough, Brooks-Hollern Professor and a professor of medical physics and biomedical engineering at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reflect on CT's evolution in "Computed tomography turns 50," published as the cover story of September's issue of Physics Today, the most influential and widely read physics magazine in the world.
Experts in the Science, Technology, and Clinical Applications of CT
Drs. Boone and McCollough are certified in diagnostic medical physics by the American Board of Radiology, each with decades of experience in the field of CT imaging. Research scientists and inventors themselves, they have each served as the chair of AAPM's CT Subcommittee and chaired or served on many CT task groups, working groups, and committees, including international standards committees related to CT safety and quality. They are both Fellows of the AAPM, the American College of Radiology, and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and past presidents of the AAPM. Dr. Boone is the current Editor-in-Chief of Medical Physics, AAPM's flagship journal, and recipient of AAPM's highest honor, the Coolidge medal. Email [email protected] to arrange interviews.
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About the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM)
AAPM is the premier organization in medical physics, a scientific and professional discipline that uses physics principles to address a wide range of biological and medical needs. The mission of AAPM is to advance medicine through excellence in the science, education, and professional practice of medical physics. Currently, AAPM represents over 9,000 medical physicists in over 96 countries.
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