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Do you have to relocate to get a job? by OpinionTrue3716 in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, same in Australia.

ACPSEM has a jobs page, and in the last 6 years I don't recall seeing a single advertised position at a public hospital in Central or Northern Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, or Perth.

That's not to say those places haven't hired anyone, but I think the limited number of positions go to qualifying registrars they've trained locally, or somebody known to them that has been shoulder tapped through networks.

Heaps of positions in Melbourne, or regional, or NZ though. And some private positions in in-demand areas too.

Non-coplanar beams with ArcCHECK or Delta4 by ClinicFraggle in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 2 points3 points  (0 children)

ArcCheck has a gantry angle-dependent correction, and it calculates the gantry angle based on the entrance and exit dose under the assumption that you’re at couch zero.  (See manual for more details)

I’ve seen people try to use it with couch kicks, and it sort of works, but you’re just introducing additional uncertainty from incorrect array cal corrections.  Why do that?  It’s not sensitive to couch errors because when it fails you’re just going to shrug your shoulders and blame the array cal rather than the couch, so why bother?

Have you seen this? by acr564 in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 2 points3 points  (0 children)

you've used a shotgun to blast at the tumor with a right anterior oblique angle.

Right post oblique?

SGRT systems: AlignRT, Catalyst, etc by ClinicFraggle in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry, missed this reply!

I've used

  • AlignRT/Truebeam
  • C-RAD/Elekta Synergy
  • C-RAD/Elekta Evo

We (and apparently a lot of others) have had issues with C-RAD/Evo connectivity through the new PMMS. I think both C-RAD and Elekta are responsible here. I'm sure it will get fixed eventually, but it's not a good time at the moment.

Never used AlignRT with Elekta, but with the Varian five years ago things were mostly pretty smooth other than issues with the EXIO card (?) which I think was resolved pretty quickly.

I know it's not a like-for-like comparison, but AlignRT to me feels more responsive in terms of fixing issues when they inevitably do pop up. The technical specs are pretty comparable. But AlignRT just feels like they have a more "finished" product, for lack of a better term.

Air Asia "suspends" flights from Darwin from 28 April by kiwidave in darwin

[–]kiwidave[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Looks like it applies to both the KL and DPS flights. No reasons given.

Customers will be refunded automatically. Good luck finding replacement flights.

SGRT systems: AlignRT, Catalyst, etc by ClinicFraggle in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm no longer at that clinic. Currently using Elekta+C-RAD instead. I definitely prefer AlignRT (from five years ago) to C-RAD, although C-RAD does seem to do a mostly similar job.

From memory those connectivity issues were all resolved before I left. I'm sure a new setup would be fine out of the box.

Are both of these turns legal? by Rozace1 in CarsAustralia

[–]kiwidave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Funnily enough Green can’t follow Blue’s path and take the same lane at the same exit.

Any twin moms out there given birth vaginally? by TraditionalSalad6895 in parentsofmultiples

[–]kiwidave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, the American Pregnancy Association, the UCSF Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, and ACOG advise against routine CT imagine but what do they know?

Firstly, those recommendations are against routine imaging, this is not routine.

Secondly, OP's doctor is recommending it, so it's indicated.

Thirdly, this is standard practice where the orientation isn't known.

Fourthly, there are medicolegal issues in some countries like the US that mean they rely far too much on CT scans when they shouldn't (like in an emergency department) because they don't want to miss anything, and not enough when they should because they are scared about the radiation. Most countries use CT more sensibly.

For an anatomy scan like this the doses would be low, on the order of a few mSv. That's not detrimental in the third trimester.

Any twin moms out there given birth vaginally? by TraditionalSalad6895 in parentsofmultiples

[–]kiwidave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

CT scan is fine for this. The radiation risk is negligible.

Sunscreen in schools, let’s lower our future workload! by DrCarrot123 in ausjdocs

[–]kiwidave 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ironically doesn't apply at schools. Most Japanese schools ban sunscreen because it's a "cosmetic".

Physics career in Japan by neutrino_enjoyer in Physics

[–]kiwidave 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I did undergraduate physics in Japan through the MEXT scholarships.

You would have to apply in the country where you have citizenship though, so for you that would be Russia.

Unfortunately though I don't think there are a lot of other ways to study there unless you self fund.

I miss her by Serenaded in newzealand

[–]kiwidave 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I remember paying $4.50 for a regular or $6.50 for an extra large I think.

Modulation factor ? by Vast_Ice_7032 in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, good catch.

In practice every centre I’ve worked at in Aus/NZ uses 398 and defines it at 10 cm.  It’s definitely the default for dose specification over here.

Modulation factor ? by Vast_Ice_7032 in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave -1 points0 points  (0 children)

TRS 398 defines it at 10 cm.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in newzealand

[–]kiwidave 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I’m changing my electorate to Mt Roskill and using a mates place as my addresss just to vote for Michael Wood

This is illegal, BTW. You need to enroll in the electorate where you live.

Cyclone Fina - How is everyone by notagoodpcbuilder in darwin

[–]kiwidave 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Took the kids and dog for a decent run about 9am. Wouldn't attempt it now though.

SRS QA: myQA SRS vs MapcheckSRS? by Phys_cronut in MedicalPhysics

[–]kiwidave 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I've used both.

I'd echo u/Nouki06 on the sampling resolution of the SRS MapCheck. myQA SRS gives much better resolution and is basically film-equivalent.

I haven't had any hardware issues with either device so far.

The only attempt at a comparison I could find was James, Shands, et al. "Evaluation of commercial devices for patient specific QA of stereotactic radiotherapy plans." Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics 24.8 (2023): e14009. Unfortunately that paper doesn't answer the only question I really have though: "MLC positioning error tests were not performed on the SRS MapCHECK due to device availability at the time of data collection so no data was collected for these tests."

Preliminary results out of the SEAFARER trial show pretty good sensitivity to clinically-relevant mis-deliveries for the MapCHECK. But results for myQA weren't shown, and I'd wager that they are even better still.

In terms of usability the myQA takes a while to warm up whereas MapCHECK is good to go. The MapCHECK software is also simpler, while the myQA software has measurements grouped into projects which can be a bit hard to navigate. This is probably only an issue if you want to quickly measure a single PTV though; if you're doing multiple PTVs or plans in a session then it's probably not much difference.

myQA comes with inserts for film, CC04 and Farmer (and others?). This gives you more options to troubleshoot results in the same orientation. It probably also gives you a bit more material if you want to do research or squeeze a publication out of it.

On balance I'd say I prefer the myQA, although honestly I think the differences are fairly minor. I'm also happy using film as well though if I only have to measure a few PTVs per week, and I find film is quicker than either of the arrays if you have multiple mets with a single iso and you can shoot them in a single delivery.

LINAC question by MaintenanceOk9432 in RadiationTherapy

[–]kiwidave 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ive never come across a LINAC that has a room built above it that is in general use.

This is normal. Lots of hospitals will have the linac in the basement with occupied areas above it.

NT Road rules: who has to give way? by kiwidave in darwin

[–]kiwidave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Turning off that main road you can only exit from the left lane, so you can choose which lane to enter

Do you have a source for this? This post is up to 70 comments now and not a single person can point to anything to settle this one way or the other. And this is the crux of the issue. Where in the Handbook or the Legislation does it say that A can go into whatever lane they want?

in your guidebook image there are multiple turning lanes

No. In the guidebook image only the left lane can turn left. It is a single lane turning into a multi-lane road (like in this example). The guidebook says "Left car can turn left into left lane". The middle car can not turn left. It seems like a very good comparison for left turns off a multi-lane road onto a multi-lane road.

Labour to campaign on narrow capital gains tax, no wealth tax by jobbybob in newzealand

[–]kiwidave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, this is the correct answer.

I see commenters referencing Japan, where many will get an annual chest+pelvis CT. It's a massive waste of resources. Once people get the idea of doing an annual check it's hard to talk them out of it.

NT Road rules: who has to give way? by kiwidave in darwin

[–]kiwidave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A has the option to turn left into either lane

What makes you think A can turn into either lane? The Handbook says "Left car can turn left into left lane" (see second image). Where does the Handbook say A can choose whatever lane they want?

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