Cancer is the nation’s largest killer and chances are you have been or will be affected by cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 2 American males and 1 in 3 women will develop some form of cancer. Dosimetrists diligently fight to eradicate cancer and are part of a largely uncelebrated team in the treatment process.
With that in mind, let’s look at what a Dosimetrist acutally does:
“After the radiation oncologist has consulted with the patient on a plan of treatment, he/she will write a prescription of radiation dose to a defined tumor volume. The medical dosimetrist designs a treatment plan by means of computer and/or manual computation to determine a treatment field technique that will deliver the prescribed radiation dose while taking into consideration the dose-limiting structures. The medical dosimetrist maintains a delicate balance between delivering the prescription that the physician has written while ensuring the patient will not lose important healthy organ function.” (AAMD 2014)
That paragraph above is straight from the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists, and while beautifully written, I’d like to simplify it for everyone else who is reading this and thinking to himself, “huh?”
The physician prescribes the amount of dosage of radiation and it’s the dosimetrist’s job to find the way to get the radiation to the cancer area without affecting all of the other organs. The body is complex so this can be difficult. I’m reminded of the famous quote from the movie “Tommy Boy” while writing this – “I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking….. but I’d rather take a butcher’s word for it. This is a lot like me trying to explain what a dosimetrist does.
Chances are you are going to meet one of these professionals, and they will either be working on your family, a friend, or you. Take the time to celebrate their tireless efforts. When you are introduced to a dosimetrist, hopefully you will have a better idea of what they do and have a better appreciation for the hard work they are about to perform. If it helps, think of them as cowboys herding radiation and getting them to the ranch and avoiding all the pitfalls that can happen, or a less comical version of “City Slickers.”
The AAMD celebrates National Medical Dosimetrist Day the 3rd Wednesday in August each year and honors medical dosimetry professionals around the world. Aureus Medical Group would also like to take this time to thank all of the hard-working dosimetrists. We appreciate everything you do!
Andy Hanneman is an Account Manager in the Diagnostic Imaging division of Aureus Medical Group.Andy and his wife just celebrated the birth of our beautiful twin girls in June. When not working, his life is filled with feeding and changing diapers. (He would also like to mention the tireless efforts of his wonderful, beautiful, patient and understanding wife who takes care of the girls fulltime. Without her, his sleepless nights would be much worse.) They are thinking of opening their home as a tourist attraction and showing off “Diaper Mountain”. Andy went a little overboard when preparing for the birth of his children by stocking up on diapers and now thinks they are good for the next 2 years.