Having reached this last level of the examination process of the American Board of Medical Physics, the candidate has demonstrated acceptable educational credentials and an adequate fund of knowledge. This oral examination is designed to determine whether this knowledge can be effectively applied in the clinic. It is expected that an understanding of various types of commercially available MR-linac systems and their roles in clinical practice can be demonstrated.
The successful candidate will demonstrate to the examination panel that she/he has sufficient knowledge to support the clinical department in the site planning, acquisition, commissioning, and daily operation of the MR-linac. In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to have the necessary knowledge if asked to assist the department in the diagnosis and troubleshooting of artifacts, and to assist with the most common issues that arise in patient setup and treatment with the MR-linac.
The nine content categories (listed in the Part II Study Guide) shall be addressed:
- MR Signal Generation and Manipulation
- Spatial Encoding and Imaging Formation
- Image Pulse Sequences, Signal-to-Noise Ratio, and Image Contrast
- Distortion and other Image Artifacts
- Physics in Radiation Therapy
- Image Segmentation and Co-registration and MR-only Treatment Planning Methods
- Hardware and Instrumentation
- Site Planning, Commissioning, and Quality Assurance for MRsim and MR-LINAC
- Safety