The Physics Department at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre supports our clinical work and helps to develop and introduce new techniques and facilities. The department consists of around 50 members of staff, including clinical scientists, dosimetrists and clinical technologists.
What we do
The Physics team is involved in the daily operation of clinical radiotherapy and imaging services. Behind the scenes, we also introduce new techniques and technologies, and ensure that treatments and imaging studies are safe and accurate.
We have extensive links with third parties, including teaching for the University of Liverpool and medical device manufacturers. We also support a large scientist training programme and radiotherapy trials quality assurance (QA) team.
Radiotherapy physics
The Radiotherapy Physics team support the full range of external beam radiotherapy equipment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. This includes a full stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) service, stereotactic radiosurgery, total body irradiation, electron and 4D / Gated treatments.
The team includes a dedicated Treatment Planning Team who are responsible for creating individual treatment plans for radiotherapy patients.
Radiotherapy physicists are involved in planning and checking complex or unusual treatments, and will lead development and improvement projects to bring new technologies into clinical practice.
Imaging physics
The Imaging Physics team support the range of dedicated imaging equipment and radionuclide therapies offered at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. This includes the support of two dedicated PET suites, two dedicated MRI suites, a number of CT scanners, x-ray units, ultrasound units and a nuclear medicine facility.
The Imaging Physics team are responsible for the technical and scientific aspects of medical imaging and nuclear medicine. This includes making sure the equipment meets our quality control specification, introducing new imaging techniques, and making sure work with radiation is done safely.
Cyclotron and specialist radiotherapy services
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre hosts the UK’s only low-energy proton therapy service. The Physics team work directly with patients, and are involved in the planning, quality assurance and treatment of eye cancers.
The Physics team also support a range of other specialist treatments including an Ariane Papillon+ contact therapy unit, two XStrahl orthovoltage units, and an Elekta HDR Flexitron unit for high dose rate Ir-192 brachytherapy.
Teaching and external activities
The Physics department is a large training provider for medical physicists through the NSHCS Scientist Training Programme (STP) and Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST). The department also hosts a number of trainee clinical technologists working through apprenticeships.
The Physics department provides teaching for the University of Liverpool’s radiography and clinical science courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. We also host the international Varian IGRT School, the FRCR Physics course, and we act as a SunNuclear reference site.
The department also supports a range of clinical trials through the national RadioTherapy Trials Quality Assurance (RTTQA) group. The Physics department are involved in making new clinical trials available for patients in radiotherapy and imaging.
We are involved in outreach in the local community, raising awareness of careers in healthcare and sciences. We also host open days and work experience placements. For more information, email Medical Physics work experience requests.
Our team leaders
Professor Carl Rowbottom – Director of Physics
Email Carl
Dr Martyn Gilmore – Lead Consultant Clinical Scientist for Radiotherapy Services
Email Martyn
Matt Ward – Lead Clinical Scientist for Imaging
Email Matt
Chris Lee – Lead Consultant Clinical Scientist for Specialist Services
Email Chris
Dr Julie Kirk – Higher Principal Clinical Scientist and Physics Training Coordinator
Email Julie