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Abstract Submission - Category Descriptions

Select the Subject Category which best pertains to your Abstract.

Educational Topic

Category Sub-Category
(if applicable)
Definition/Examples
Innovations in Medical Physics Education
    Submit a description of innovative medical physics educational activities for radiology residents, radiation oncology residents, medical physicists, technologists or others.  The projects can be scientific research, novel teaching strategies – team teaching or adult learning efforts, novel educational materials – lectures, websites, or other innovations.

Professional Topics

Category Sub-Category
(if applicable)
Definition/Examples
Administration and Management
    Abstracts that pertain to management and administration of and by medical physicists. This may include staffing, human relations, recruiting, disciplinary actions, equipment selection and procurement, facility construction and financing.
Economics
    Abstracts that pertain to economic and financial issues that effect medical physicists. This includes reimbursement, compensation, billing, etc.
Education (Clinical)
    Abstracts that pertain to education and training of and by medical physicists. This may include the education of medical physicists, physicians, allied health and the public.
Ethics and Legal
    Abstracts that pertain to litigation, law suits, contract preparation and reconciliation, ethics in patient care, in the workplace and in education and research.
Legislation and Regulation
    Abstracts that pertain to regulatory or legislative issues that effect medical physics or are impacted by medical physics. This includes federal and state agency interactions and federal and state legislative bodies. CRCPD, NRC, Congress, CARE, others.
Professional Practice of Medical Physics
    Organizational activities related to the performance of clinical medical physics procedures. This may include implementation and application of procedures, education related to the practice and issues specific to the practice environment.

Joint: Imaging/Therapy Physics

Category Sub-Category
(if applicable)
Definition/Examples
advanced Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Technologies for Lung Cancer
   

Lung cancer remains a disease with high mortality. Finding disease early and staging it accurately are essential for cure or long-term survival.  A variety of innovative imaging methods are under investigation including low dose computed tomography for lung cancer screening, ‘4D’ CT and PET for tumor localization, and computer aided detection (CAD) tools combined with state of the art imaging modalities to aid the radiologist in nodule detection.  Radiation therapy in the thorax is exceptionally challenging due to cardiac and respiratory motion, and “4DRT” methods which dynamically adjust the treatment beam are in the research phase often in the setting of aggressive hypofractionated dose schedules.

NOTE: Those wishing to be considered for the John S. Laughlin Science Council Research Symposium MUST submit abstracts to this category only.

Proffered submission: Authors interested in being considered for the Symposium MUST:

  • Select the submission type: Science Council Research Symposium
  • Select the subject category: Joint: Imaging-Therapy / Advanced Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Technologies for Lung Cancer
  • Select Oral presentation mode
  • Submit supporting documentation not to exceed 4 pages in length (up to 1 MB file size).

Junior Investigator Competition participants who also wish to be considered for the Science Council Research Symposium should consider the following:

  • JI Competition participants are eligible to be considered for the Symposium.
  • To be considered for the Symposium, authors MUST select the Joint: Imaging-Therapy / Advanced Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Technologies for Lung Cancer category during submission.
  • To be considered for the Symposium, authors MUST signoff on the John S. Laughlin SC Research Symposium - Participation Acknowledgement during the submission process.

Young Investigator Competition participants:

  • Are NOT eligible to be considered for the Science Council Research Symposium.
  • May select Joint: Imaging-Therapy / Advanced Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Technologies for Lung Cancer subject category during submission.

All abstracts submitted to the John S. Laughlin Science Council Research Symposium that are NOT selected for the symposium, will be considered for oral, moderated poster, or standard poster presentation.

  • Young Investigators who wish to participate in the Young Investigator Competition may submit to this category, but will not be considered for the Symposium.
  • Junior Investigators who wish to participate in the Junior Investigator Competition may submit to this category and will be considered for the Symposium.
Image-Guided Localization
  Non-Tomographic Marker-based positioning, fluoroscopic positioning, registration algorithms.
  Tomographic Cone-beam CT (CBCT) artifact reduction, CBCT HU correction, limited projection techniques, MVCT, registration algorithms.
Image-Guided Radiation Therapy
    Integration of imaging information into therapy planning, patient repositioning.
IN-ROOM IMAGING TECHNOLOGIES
    kV/MV-CBCT, kV, EPID
inter- and intra-fraction motion modeling
    Use of imaging for assessment and modeling of intra and inter-fraction motion.
margin assessment
    Use of imaging to assess planning margins.
nanotechnology applications in imaging and therapy
    Nanotechnology-based imaging agents, contrast agents.
SMALL ANIMAL IMAGING AND THERAPY
    Small animal conformal irradiator development, small animal imaging systems.
target and normal organ definition - image registration, fusion, molecular and functional imaging
    Use of imaging for target and normal organ def. Algorithms for organ segmentation and image registration, including deformable methods.  Use of molecular (e.g. PET) and other functional imaging modalities (e.g. dynamic contrast MR) in defining target and normal organs. 
therapy assessment imaging
    Use of functional imaging to map tumor regression or normal tissue damage during or after therapy.

Therapy Physics

Category Sub-Category
(if applicable)
Definition/Examples
adaptive rt
  Correction Strategies Strategies for off-line patient repositioning; on-line patient repositioning.
Treatment Planning for ART Re-planning for off-line correction methods; re-planning approaches for on-line strategies.
Brachytherapy
  Emerging and Novel Clinical Applications Liver microsphere techniques, robotic brachytherapy.
HDR Clinical Applications Simulation, treatment planning, delivery and QA of HDR brachytherapy procedures.
LDR Clinical Applications Simulation, treatment planning, delivery and QA of LDR brachytherapy procedures.
New Isotopes and Radiopharmaceuticals I-131 for prostate LDR
Electron Therapy – Advanced Planning and Delivering Techniques
    Computer-designed bolus, electron MLCs, modulated electron therapy, total skin, electron arc, etc. 
IMRT
  Novel Planning and Delivery Techniques New/novel methods for IMRT planning.  New/novel IMRT delivery systems.
Photons - Optimization (General applications including motion) Optimization algorithms, including multicriteria approaches; techniques for robustness, including motion.
Photons – Routine Clinical Applications Treatment planning and delivery for various clinical sites, e.g. head/neck, prostate, etc.
Quality Assurance of Planning and Delivery: Conventional Delivery Methods for routine QA of IMRT delivered treatment plans.
Quality Assurance of Planning and Delivery: Rotational Therapy Processes and procedures for Rotational IMRT QA.
informatics - Infrastructure and QA; Quality management
    Infrastructure design for image acquisition, processing and storage; QA of data transfer.
Measurements
  Calibration, Commissioning and Routine QA Calibration measurements. Commissioning measurements, routine daily, monthly and annual QA for linacs, imaging equipment, and other specialized clinical imaging and treatment devices.
Clinical Measurements (Inhomogeneities) Dosimetric measurements for inhomogeneous geometry and interfaces.
Clinical Measurements (Small Fields and Buildup Regions) Dosimetric measurements for small fields and buildup regions in uniform phantoms.
New Dosimeters and Dosimetry Systems Commercial dosimetry systems, new dosimetry technologies.
Monte Carlo (photon, electron, particles)
  Clinical Applications Application of Monte Carlo to clinical treatment planning. Challenges in use of MC in routine clinical setting.
Simulation Techniques and Validation Simulation and modeling of linear accelerators, imaging devices (e.g. on-board imagers), etc.  Novel beam modeling approaches.  Novel MC algorithms for simulation. Validation of simulation and modeling techniques.
Outcome Modeling and Design of New Clinical Trials
    Modeling of outcomes, including secondary cancer risks. Development of clinical trials based on outcome models.
Particle Therapy – Planning and Delivery
    Treatment planning, IMPT, validation measurements, QA (excludes Monte Carlo).
Radiobiology - treatment planning and evaluation
    Evaluation of dose distributions incorporating biological dose indices, e.g. EUD, TCP, NTCP, etc.; Use of new biological models in treatment planning.
Specialized non-IMRT photon techniques
    TBI, total marrow.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy
  Cranial Intracranial techniques such as new devices, quality assurance, immobilization, dosimetry.
Extra-Cranial Includes Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT).
Tx Planning and Delivery
  Clinical Planning 2D and 3D Clinical planning and delivery techniques, excluding IMRT planning.
Dose Calculations Methods for dose calculation excluding Monte Carlo.

Imaging Physics

Category Sub-Category
(if applicable)
Definition/Examples
CAD
  New Technology and Techniques Topics in computer-aided diagnosis, including new methodologies as applied to mammography, chest, CT and other modalities.
Clinical Applications Clinical application and/or evaluation of novel CAD technology and techniques.
Computed Tomography
  Reconstruction Techniques Topics in all aspects of CT reconstruction, including cone-beam CT reconstruction, new reconstruction techniques, methods for fast reconstruction, correction of image artifacts, etc.
Multi-Detector CT Topics related to the design and performance of multi-detector CT imaging technology (e.g., 64-slice CT scanners), including detector design, system evaluation, imaging performance, and dosimetry.
Cone-Beam CT Topics related to cone-beam CT, including the use of flat-panel detectors for cone-beam CT. Research related specifically to cone-beam CT reconstruction may be submitted in this subcategory or in "Reconstruction Techniques," above.
Dual-Energy and Spectral CT Topics related to dual energy CT and spectral CT technology and methods.
Clinical Applications Clinical application of novel computed tomography technology and techniques.
Display and PACS
  Display Technology and Evaluation Techniques for display of image data, including display performance evaluation, new display technologies, 2D and 3D displays, and related topics.
Dosimetry, Radiation Protection, and Quality Control (Imaging)
  Quality Control Technology and techniques for imaging quality assurance, including topics related to the practice of diagnostic medical physics and radiology quality assurance (TQM, etc.). Included in this subcategory are topics of accreditation and regulatory interest, such as the ACR, FDA, etc.
Imaging Dosimetry and Radiation Protection All topics in the area of radiation protection, including shielding, safety, and dosimetry as related to medical imaging, including internal and external radiation sources. Special attention will be paid to submissions on new protection or dosimetry approaches. Abstracts concerning a given modality but focusing on dosimetric aspects (e.g., imaging dose in CT or PET) should be submitted under this category.
Fluoroscopy
    Topics related to real-time fluoroscopy, including digital techniques, imaging system design and characterization, new methods of performance characterization, and clinical studies.
Image Registration, Fusion, Segmentation, and Visualization
  Image Registration / Fusion Techniques for registration and/or fusion of image data, including any combination of (2D, 3D, and/or 4D) imaging modalities, deformable modeling, and related topics.
Image Processing and Segmentation Topics in all areas of medical image processing including new methodologies, image or feature enhancement, tissue segmentation, and clinical evaluation, as applied to any medical imaging modality.
Visualization / Rendering Techniques for rendering and display of medical image data.
Image Science
  Imaging Performance: Measurement and Modeling Topics of fundamental image science and imaging physics, including measurement and mathematical modeling of detector performance, imaging system evaluation, linear systems analysis, new evaluation techniques, performance metrology, etc. Topics specific to a given modality may be submitted in this category or that of the modality, at the authors' discretion.
Observer Performance: Measurement and Modeling Topics related to model and human observer performance, including experimental and theoretical analysis of observer performance (ROC, LROC, FROC, 2AFC, MAFC, etc.) and analytical models of human or machine visual systems.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  New Technology and Techniques All aspects of MRI, MRS and MRA, including image acquisition, reconstruction, new technologies, and clinical studies. Unless specifically related to MR, abstracts concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
Clinical Applications Clinical application of novel magnetic resonance imaging technology and techniques.
Mammography
  New Technology and Techniques All aspects of breast imaging including digital x-ray mammography, tomosynthesis, CT, MRI, ultrasound, radioisotope imaging, optical and multi-Modality. Topics include novel detectors and their evaluation, instrumentation, system evaluation, and new techniques in mammography. Abstracts concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
Clinical Applications Clinical application and/or evaluation of novel breast imaging technologies and techniques.
Multi-Modality Imaging
  CT + Nuclear Medicine Imaging techniques combining CT and nuclear medicine (e.g., PET) techniques. Abstracts concerning image fusion may be submitted in this categories related to image registration / fusion. Abstracts concerning display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
X-Ray + Ultrasound Imaging techniques combining x-ray and ultrasound techniques. Abstracts concerning image fusion may be submitted in this categories related to image registration / fusion. Abstracts concerning display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
Non-Conventional Imaging
    All modalities with application in medical imaging not covered in other categories, including infrared imaging, impedance imaging, thermoacoustic imaging, MEG, and other topics.
Nuclear Medicine
  New Technology and Techniques All aspects of Nuclear Medicine, including SPECT and PET, imaging system design, image acquisition, reconstruction, tracers, and clinical studies. Abstracts concerning image fusion of nuclear medicine images should be submitted in the Visualization and Image Fusion category. Those concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under their respective categories.
OPTICAL AND OTHER IMAGING
    All aspects of optical imaging, including optical coherence tomography, detectors, lasers, image acquisition, reconstruction, and clinical studies. Abstracts specific to small animal imaging by optical methods may be submitted in this category or the Small Animal Imaging category. Unless specifically related to optical imaging, abstracts concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
Radiography
  New Technology and Clinical Applications Topics related to x-ray radiography, including DR and CR, detector design and characterization, image acquisition techniques, tomosynthesis, and system design. They also include issues related to image acquisition and formation, e.g. scattered radiation, glare, etc. Abstracts concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under respective categories, below.
Ultrasound
  New Technology and Clinical Applications All aspects of Nuclear Medicine, including SPECT and PET, imaging system design, image acquisition, reconstruction, tracers, and clinical studies. Abstracts concerning image fusion of nuclear medicine images should be submitted in the Visualization and Image Fusion category. Those concerning image processing, display, CAD, etc. should be submitted under their respective categories.
Vascular, Endovascular, and Cardiac Imaging
  New Technology and Clinical Applications Topics related to vascular, endovascular, and cardiac x-ray imaging. Abstracts on other modalities, including ultrasound, MRI, PET, etc., should be submitted their respective categories

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