EFOMP Special Interest Group for “Radionuclide Internal Dosimetry”

Therapeutic applications in nuclear medicine are developing rapidly. They use a growing range of radiolabeled vectors (simple vector molecules, peptides, antibodies) and medical devices (radioactive microspheres). Various radioactive nuclides (beta, but also alpha or Auger) are also considered. Due to this variety, the characterisation of the irradiation delivered to the patient is at the same time stimulating and challenging. Yet, reliable absorbed dose calculations are now available thanks to technological and scientific developments of the last decades.

An increasing number of patients will benefit from treatment with radiotherapeutics, since therapeutic agents recently developed or in early phase trials are able to treat more common cancers, including liver colorectal metastases or prostate cancer. However, the role of patient- specific dosimetry in therapeutic nuclear medicine is still, astonishingly, a matter of discussion, despite regulations: treatment planning and/or verification of the irradiation delivered during nuclear medicine therapy are seldom performed in clinical practice, even though they correspond to a legal requirement (Basic Safety Standard Council Directive EURATOM 2013/59).

The role of the medical physics expert (MPE) in nuclear medicine dosimetry was presented in EFOMP Policy Statement 16. However, the availability of physicists able to implement clinical dosimetry is still severely limited. Furthermore, the important shortage in medical physics resources within the European Union is more pronounced in nuclear medicine dosimetry.

The objective of the Special Interest Group for Radionuclide Internal Dosimetry (SIG_FRID) is to establish a network of medical physicists working in radionuclide dosimetry. The SIG aims to fulfil the need for networking, education, research and professional exchanges in this field.

The SIG for radionuclide internal dosimetry was officially created in February 2021. The kickoff meeting took place on March 8th. The SIG_FRID is a permanent structure (renewal has to be asked to the EFOMP Board every 3 years by the SIG_FRID parent committee).

SIG members participate in different working groups via a specific mail list.

The priority list (revised in December 2022) includes:

  1. Organisation of scientific meetings

    • Scientific meetings on dosimetry-related topics (4/year)

    • Clinical dosimetry case reports (4/year)

  2. Management of SIG WorkGroups. Currently 5 WGs are operational:

    • WG0 - EU Survey on the practice of clinical dosimetry

    • WG1 - Time-Activity Data Fitting

    • WG2 - Treatment Planning Software benchmarking

    • WG3 - Absorbed Dose Effect Relationships

    • WG4 - Voxel S Value generation and benchmarking

  3. Teaching/Education/Dissemination

    • Creation of webinars

    • Contribute to ECMP educational programme

    • Generation of a dosimetry resource database

    • Contribution to the revised Core Curriculum in collaboration with the EANM 

  4. Communication 

    • Publication of an internal monthly newsletter

    • Contribution to the quarterly EMP News 

  5. Professional/Regulatory/Economic matters

In addition, the SIG_FRID is proud to announce the first Symposium on Molecular Radiotherapy Dosimetry: The future of theragnostics, in Athens on Nov 9th-11th 2023. Registration and abstract submission is now open.

SIG_FRID Application Procedure

The current (June 2023) number of members is 170 and still growing!

EFOMP members (members of their NMO), or Individual Associate Members (including physicists outside the EU) can apply to be a member of the SIG_FRID, using the member application form. 

A short professional CV is required for every application.

Corporate members (company staff) are accepted. NMOs can also nominate representatives.

Applications can be sent anytime to: board.sig_frid@efomp.org

 

The Steering Committee members elected during the kick-off meeting for a 3-year term  are:

  • Manuel Bardiès, Montpellier, France
  • Gerhard Glatting, Ulm, Germany
  • Ernesto Amato, Messina, Italy
  • Carlo Chiesa, Milano, Italy
  • Steffie Peters, Radboud, Netherlands
  • Caroline Stokke, Oslo, Norway
  • Pablo Minguez Gabiña, Bilbao, Spain
  • Glenn Flux, Sutton, UK
  • Ana Denis Bacelar, Teddington, UK

 Board

  • Chair: Manuel Bardiès, Montpellier, France
  • Vice-Chair: Pablo Minguez Gabiña, Bilbao, Spain
  • Secretary: Ernesto Amato, Messina, Italy

Initial Call 

Special Interest Groups Radionuclide Internal Dosimetry Early Career Medical Physicists Dental Imaging Particle Therapy