Keeping Radiation Safe: Todd Pawlicki and LINACs Artwork

Inside Out Quality

Inside Out Quality explores product failures that effected lives and companies, which all could have been avoided. Aaron and Leslie aim to both educate and share how a well-designed quality system can save your company and the lives of those you care about.

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Inside Out Quality

Keeping Radiation Safe: Todd Pawlicki and LINACs

May 16, 2023 • Aaron & Leslie • Season 3 • Episode 10

Gordon Isaacs sat on a table at Stanford Medical School in 1955. A large linear accelerator shadowed behind him while he waited for treatment of the tumor growing in his retina. He made history as the first patient treated in the US with this radiation therapy approach. Linear Accelerators (LINACs) have come a long way since that time and have treated millions. How has there been so much success? The answer is a harmonization between quality and engineering.

Dr. Todd Pawlicki, Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences at UC San Diego's School of Medicine joins Leslie and I to talk LINACs, Quality, and the role of Physicists in healthcare. Dr. Pawlicki is an expert and leader in the field of radiation oncology (and quality nerd!). Click here to learn more about Dr. Pawlicki's work.

ASTRO is the group of professionals working to continue improving radiation therapy. They helped connect me to Dr. Pawlicki and are a great resource for professionals and patients!

Information for patients can be found here