Physical sciences

Administrative Assistant: Rose Lisi
Phone: 416-480-6170
Email: rose.lisi@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• B.Sc., 2004, biophysics, University of British Columbia, Canada
• M.Sc., 2006, medical physics, McGill University, Canada
• PhD, 2010, McGill University, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Affiliate scientist, Physical Sciences, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Clinical medical physicist, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Assistant professor, department of radiation oncology, faculty of medicine, University of Toronto
• Adjunct professor, department of oncology, faculty of medicine, McGill University
• Adjunct professor, department of physics, faculty of science, Ryerson University

Research Foci:

• Radiation dosimetry
• Water calorimetry
• Graphite probe calorimeter
• Beam quality measurement
• Design and development of novel clinical detectors

Research Summary:

Radiation dosimetry is an important aspect of medical physics and radiation oncology in general. It is the measurement of the amount of radiation energy delivered to a phantom or a patient.

Dr. Sarfehnia's main research interest is in design and development of novel dose detectors that can measure radiation dose accurately and directly. The detectors are commonly based on the concept of calorimetry, which attempts to measure dose by measuring the manifested minute temperature rises from radiation.

Dr. Sarfehnia's students are also looking into designing detectors capable of directly measuring radiation beam quality in a clinical setting. This is the first step toward directly measuring biological damage instead of a physical quantity called dose.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Aldosary G, Safigholi H, Song W, Seuntjens J, Sarfehnia A. Polarity and ion recombination corrections in continuous and pulsed beams for ionization chambers with high Z chamber walls. Phys Med. 2017 Mar;35:102–109
2. Renaud J, Sarfehnia A, Marchant K, McEwen M, Ross C, Seuntjens J. Direct measurement of electron beam quality conversion factors using water calorimetry. Med Phys. 2015 Nov;42(11):6357–68.
3. Sarfehnia A, Poon E, Davis S, Fleming A, Mitchell D, Freeman C. A novel approach to total skin irradiation using Helical TomoTherapy®. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2014 Sep-Oct;4(5):330–335.
4. Renaud J, Marchington D, Seuntjens J, Sarfehnia A. Development of a graphite probe calorimeter for absolute clinical dosimetry. Med Phys. 2013;40(2):020701|1-6.
5. Sarfehnia A, Kawrakow I, Seuntjens J. Direct measurement of absorbed dose to water in HDR 192Ir brachytherapy: water calorimetry, ionization chamber, Gafchromic film, and TG-43. Med Phys. 2010 Apr;37(4):1924–32.
6. Sarfehnia A, Seuntjens J. Development of a water calorimetry-based standard for absorbed dose to water in HDR 192Ir brachytherapy. Med Phys. 2010 Apr;37(4):1914–23.

Related News and Stories:

• Reference dosimetry for beam modalities other than MV photons (American Association of Physicists in Medicine Virtual Library, July 2015)
• Radiation as a weapon of mass benediction (McGill Podcasts, April 14, 2011)

Related Links:

• U of T profile, department of radiation oncology
• McGill profile, department of oncology