Gamma Health Physics

Introduction to Gamma Health Physics 

The New Zealand radiation protection legislation consists of the Radiation Safety Act 2016, Radiation Safety Regulations 2016 and Codes of Practice. The legislation controls the hazards from apparatus that generate ionising radiation, and from radioactive material. Responsibility for administration of the Act has been mostly delegated to the Office of Radiation Safety (section of the Ministry of Health) in conjunction with the National Centre for Radiation Science, which is a specialist unit of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research.

In December 2024 the Code of Practice for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (ORS C1) was published by the Ministry of Health. The Code requires X-ray facilities to engage suitably qualified people to perform compliance testing of X-ray facilities used for medical diagnosis or research on humans. More recently, many X-ray facilities have gained accreditation from International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ). Accreditation provides formal recognition that an organisation is meeting internationally accepted standards of quality, performance, technical expertise and competence.

Suitably qualified people are called Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physicists. They are expected to qualify for membership of a professional organisation (such as the ACPSEM, IPSM, AAPM) and who, in the opinion of the Office of Radiation Safety, has special knowledge and experience in the measurement and evaluation of hazards arising from the use of X-rays for medical diagnosis.

Susan Reynolds is a certified Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physicist who, along with her husband Michael, own and operate Gamma Health Physics Limited. Jesse Reynolds, son of Michael and Susan, has recently joined the company as a Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physicist registrar.