Applied Physics for Radiation Oncology

From The Critics

Reviewer: Lynne M. Hendee, BA, RT(R)(University of Wisconsin Medical School)
Description: Although not labeled as a second edition, this textbook is an updated successor to An Introduction to Radiation Oncology Physics (1992).
Purpose: This book describes introductory radiation therapy physics as it applies clinically to radiation therapists. The authors believe that a basic physics book such as this, combined with clinical experience, can help students develop a better understanding of the principles involved.
Audience: Most books on this topic are written at the graduate study level and above, whereas this book is designed to fill the need for a general radiation therapy physics textbook to meet the educational requirements for radiation therapists. This book could also serve as a valuable reference for radiation oncology residents and dosimetrists.
Features: A number of figures are included throughout the text to illustrate key points, and the new chapter on "clinical applications in treatment planning" includes several examples of clinical treatment plans. The end of each chapter includes a bibliography and a number of questions to test the reader's comprehension of the material. The appendixes provide additional information to the reader, such as tables of dosimetry data, a glossary, and answers to the chapter questions.
Assessment: This is a very useful book for its targeted audience because it simplifies radiation therapy physics for students who often lack a strong physics background. In this new version of their book, the authors have filled in a few gaps in the material and included a new chapter of about 20 pages. Because the rest of the material is essentially identical to the previous book, it is unlikely that those readers with the older version would find this a necessary upgrade.

Lynne M. Hendee

Although not labeled as a second edition, this textbook is an updated successor to An Introduction to Radiation Oncology Physics (1992). This book describes introductory radiation therapy physics as it applies clinically to radiation therapists. The authors believe that a basic physics book such as this, combined with clinical experience, can help students develop a better understanding of the principles involved. Most books on this topic are written at the graduate study level and above, whereas this book is designed to fill the need for a general radiation therapy physics textbook to meet the educational requirements for radiation therapists. This book could also serve as a valuable reference for radiation oncology residents and dosimetrists. A number of figures are included throughout the text to illustrate key points, and the new chapter on "clinical applications in treatment planning" includes several examples of clinical treatment plans. The end of each chapter includes a bibliography and a number of questions to test the reader's comprehension of the material. The appendixes provide additional information to the reader, such as tables of dosimetry data, a glossary, and answers to the chapter questions. This is a very useful book for its targeted audience because it simplifies radiation therapy physics for students who often lack a strong physics background. In this new version of their book, the authors have filled in a few gaps in the material and included a new chapter of about 20 pages. Because the rest of the material is essentially identical to the previous book, it is unlikely that those readers with the older version would find this a necessaryupgrade.

3 Stars from Doody