Expanding on the highly successful previous two editions, this third edition of Proton Therapy Physics has been updated throughout and includes several new chapters on “Adaptive Proton Therapy,” “Imaging for Planning,” “Flash Proton Therapy,” and “Outcome Modeling for Patient Selection.” Suitable for both newcomers in medical physics and more seasoned specialists in radiation oncology, this book provides an in‑depth overview of the physics of this radiation therapy modality, eliminating the need to dig through information scattered across medical physics literature.

 

After tracing the history of proton therapy, this book explores the atomic and nuclear physics background necessary for understanding proton interactions with tissue. The text then covers dosimetry, including beam delivery, shielding aspects, computer simulations, detector systems, and measuring techniques for reference dosimetry. Important for daily operations, acceptance testing, commissioning, quality assurance, and monitor unit calibrations are outlined. This book moves on to discussions of imaging for planning and image guidance as well as treatment monitoring. Aspects of treatment planning for single‑ and multiple‑field uniform doses, dose calculation concepts and algorithms, and precision and uncertainties for nonmoving and moving targets are outlined. Finally, the biological implications of using protons from a physics perspective as well as outcome modeling are discussed.

 

This book is an ideal practical guide for physicians, dosimetrists, radiation therapists, and physicists who already have some experience in radiation oncology. It is also an invaluable reference for graduate students in medical physics programs, physicians in their last year of medical school or residency, and those considering a career in medical physics.

 

This fully updated and expanded new edition continues to provide the most readable, concise, and easy-to-follow introduction to thermal physics.

 

While maintaining the style of the original work, the book now covers statistical mechanics and incorporates worked examples systematically throughout the text. It also covers more problems, and incorporates some essential updates, such as discussions on superconductivity, magnetism, Bose-Einstein condensation, and climate change.

 

Anyone who needs to acquire an intuitive understanding of thermodynamics from the first principles will find this third edition indispensable.