World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, 2018 : June 3-8, 2018, Prague, Czech Republic

Dr. Ibbott is a Professor in the Department of Radiation Physics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His research interests include advanced image-guided radiation therapy, and three-dimensional dosimetry. These two interests coincide with the development and installation at MD Anderson of a magnetic resonance image-guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) capability. The introduction of MRI guidance into radiation therapy offers the ability to base treatment delivery on the exquisite soft-tissue visualization of MRI, which promises to improve the confidence of targeting of many tumors in the abdomen and head & neck. The highly-conformal treatment plans that can be delivered by modern techniques demand advanced dose measurement capabilities, and recent 3D dosimetry techniques show promise. Dr. Ibbott’s laboratory has been investigating a variety of gel- and solid plastic-based 3D dosimetry systems for their use in routine clinical dosimetry, remote audits, and dosimetry under circumstances that are challenging for conventional dosimeters. The presence of magnetic fields in MR-IGRT can affect the response of standard dosimeters in ways his lab is presently investigating. Dr. Ibbott’s lab is also evaluating the use of 3D dosimeters for use with MR-IGRT, where their response is less likely to be influenced by the magnetic fields.