IPOPFG, EPE

IPO Porto is a comprehensive oncology centre providing patient-centred cancer care, integrating clinical practice, research, and education. Serving a population of approximately 3.7 million inhabitants and treating over 10,000 new patients annually, the institution ensures access to advanced oncological treatments supported by state-of-the-art technology. Its Research Center is internationally recognised, having recently renewed an “Excellent” rating from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), reinforcing IPO Porto’s role as a national reference in oncology.

Department of Medical Physics

The Medical Physics Department provides comprehensive support to Radiation Oncology, Brachytherapy, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine. Its activities encompass clinical dosimetry, commissioning and acceptance testing of medical devices, quality assurance programmes, radiation protection, optimisation of clinical workflows, and technical-scientific support to all radiation-based medical practices.

In Radiation Oncology, the department supports an advanced treatment infrastructure, including 9 linear accelerators and modern radiotherapy techniques (IMRT, VMAT, SRS/SBRT, ART, IOERT), as well as HDR and PDR brachytherapy. The department is actively involved in system commissioning, clinical implementation of new techniques, and continuous quality control of treatment planning and delivery systems. Preparatory activities are underway for the installation of a proton therapy facility, planned to become operational within the next four years.

In Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, the department provides comprehensive medical physics support across the full imaging and theranostic pathway, covering advanced diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This includes responsibility for a broad imaging infrastructure (two PET/CT scanners, two SPECT/CT systems, one Anger gamma camera, and complementary activity and exposure rate measurement instrumentation), as well as system commissioning, quality control, optimisation and harmonisation of imaging protocols, quantitative imaging, patient dosimetry, and radiation protection activities. In addition, the department is actively involved in radionuclide therapy implementation, dosimetry-based treatment optimisation, and the development and support of clinical trials, including those integrating quantitative imaging and personalised dosimetry approaches. All activities are conducted in compliance with national regulations and international recommendations, contributing to patient safety, innovation in clinical practice, and continuous improvement in imaging and therapeutic outcomes.

Dosimetry and Quality Assurance Infrastructure

For all types of dosimetry measurements and radiation beam quality control, a broad range of PTW dosimetry and QA products is routinely applied across Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine. The department has a long-standing history of clinical use of PTW instrumentation, spanning from early-generation dosimetry systems to current state-of-the-art solutions, reflecting a continuous and well-established partnership with PTW over several decades.

The dosimetry infrastructure includes multiple PTW electrometers, ionisation chambers, and detectors, as well as water phantoms from several PTW generations, most recently expanded with the acquisition of the PTW Beamscan water phantom to support high-precision beam data acquisition and reference dosimetry.

For verification of advanced treatment techniques and patient-specific quality assurance, PTW OCTAVIUS phantom systems are routinely used for IMRT, VMAT, SBRT, and FFF beam applications. New PTW solutions are continuously evaluated and integrated into clinical workflows to meet the high standards of accuracy and robustness required for modern, highly modulated radiotherapy techniques.

Staff, Training and Education

The department is staffed by certified Medical Physics Experts, medical physicists, and dosimetrists. It is formally recognized as a training-accredited centre for the education of Medical Physics Experts, providing structured clinical training, supervision, and competency-based assessment in accordance with national and European frameworks. The breadth of clinical activities and technological diversity ensures comprehensive exposure for trainees across all major domains of medical physics.

The department also contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate education and supports continuous professional development for healthcare professionals involved in radiation-based practices.

Research and Innovation

The Medical Physics Department is tightly integrated with the Medical Physics, Radiobiology and Radiation Protection Research Group of IPOP’s Research Centre, forming a coherent clinical–research ecosystem. The group carries out high-level translational and applied research across key domains, including radiation dosimetry, radiobiological and radiophysical modelling, treatment optimisation, risk assessment, and radiation protection. This strong and structured integration between clinical practice and research activities ensures that scientific innovation is rigorously validated and efficiently translated into clinical workflows, supporting evidence-based practice, technological innovation, and continuous improvement in patient care and safety.