The Christie Foundation Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22

Christie Medical Physics & Engineering

Christie Medical Physics & Engineering (CMPE) provides physics and engineering expertise for treatment and research at The Christie. In addition to providing and supporting core services at The Christie we provide medical physics services to other NHS trusts throughout the North West region and have clinical scientists, technologists and engineers at The Christie and the centres in Oldham, Salford and more recently Macclesfield. We are organised into several operational groups; radiotherapy physics, protons physics, imaging physics and radiation protection, nuclear medicine and medical illustration. The imaging physics and radiation protection group includes the specialist areas of diagnostic x-ray imaging, radiation protection, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound and optical radiation. The group supports activities at The Christie and also provides scientific support services to many hospitals in the North West and other private healthcare organisations. The size of the group and the specialist skills of the employees means it is well placed to take a lead role in the establishment of sustainable physics services to the North West Imaging Network. The nuclear medicine group provides diagnostic nuclear medicine, Positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) and molecular radiotherapy (MRT) services at The Christie, alongside providing support to regional and national services. We are currently in the process of commissioning our new gamma camera, have begun refurbishing our radiopharmacy, and are working to expand our PETCT and MRT services to meet the increase in demand for both throughout the north-west of England.

The radiotherapy physics group provides clinical, scientific, and engineering support to radiotherapy services at The Christie and at its three satellites for both photons and protons. Treatment planning activity through the year has remained high and has now slightly exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Key achievements for the year include expansion of the SABR programme, clinical implementation of a new treatment planning system, RayStation, and commissioning the Macclesfield satellite. Treatment Planning Activity:

The PBT physics group have continued to support the expansion of the clinical proton service through increased patient numbers and the commissioning of new clinical indications (neuroblastoma, Wilm’s tumour and Lymphoma). We have continued to support existing clinical trials e.g. Torpedo which is recruiting ahead of schedule and developing new techniques for trials due to open in 2022 including a proton trial in breast cancer. In addition to this clinical development, the team have collaborated with the Precise research group on their projects (e.g. FLASH PBT) and with our colleagues at UCLH in supporting them while opening their centre.

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