Scott Penfold
School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I am a Certified Medical Physics Specialist within the field of Radiation Oncology. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Wollongong (UoW) and was awarded the University Medal in the Faculty of Engineering in 2006. I subsequently went on to complete my PhD in a joint project with UoW and Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.
In 2010, during the last year of my PhD, I began clinical medical physics training at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH). In 2013 I sat my final certification exam and joined the ACPSEM register of certified medical physics specialists.
In September 2013, I joined the University of Adelaide (UoA) Department of Physics as a half-time academic, while also retaining half-time employment at the RAH. I am currently working as the postgraduate co-ordinator for Medical Physics at UoA. My roles include undergraduate practical demonstration and lecturing, and postgraduate lecturing and research supervision.
My research interests predominantly lie in proton therapy and quantitative imaging for image guided radiotherapy.
My PhD studies were focussed on image reconstruction algorithms for proton computed tomography (pCT). Proton CT differs from the common X-ray CT scanners by using energetic protons to traverse the body as opposed to kilovoltage X-rays. A measurement of the energy lost by protons as they traverse the body in pCT can be used to reconstruct a stopping power map of a patient. This information is useful in the emerging cancer treatment field of proton therapy.
Proton therapy is a highly conformal method of delivering therapeutic doses of radiation to treat cancer. Proton therapy has the advantage over the more common X-ray therapy that protons have a finite range in matter. Therefore, a beam of energetic protons can be directed at the cancer site, minimizing the dose to the surrounding healthy tissue. To be able to stop the proton beam at precisely the right location, an accurate map of proton stopping powers is required. This is the primary purpose of pCT.
The image reconstruction challenge in pCT stems from the fact that protons, as charged particles, interact with the electric fields of atomic electrons and nuclei in the patient tissues and undergo multiple scattering. Most image reconstruction algorithms assume the radiation travelled in a straight line between source and detector and when using this assumption in pCT, poor spatial resolution of the reconstructed image results. Special techniques are required to accurately account for the scattering of the protons in the patient.
In general, my research interests are focussed around proton therapy, including pCT and intensity modulated proton therapy optimization algorithms.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2013 - ongoing Lecturer and Medical Physics Program Coordinator University of Adelaide 2010 - ongoing Medical Physics Specialist Royal Adelaide Hospital -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2009 Award Cancer Institute NSW Research Scholars Award Cancer Institute NSW Australia 25,000 2006 Award University Medal (Faculty of Engineering) University of Wollongong Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2003 - 2006 University of Wollongong Australia B Medical Radiation Physics (1st Class Honours) University of Wollongong Australia PhD -
Certifications
Date Title Institution name Country 2013 Certified Medical Physics Specialist (Radiation Oncology) Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine -
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Journals
Year Citation 2024 Shierlaw, E., Penfold, M., Crain, R., Santos, A. M. C., & Penfold, S. N. (2024). Dosimetric comparison of gantry and horizontal fixed-beam proton therapy treatment plans for base of skull chordoma. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 71(S2), 19-26.
Scopus3 Europe PMC22024 Penfold, S. N., Santos, A. M. C., Penfold, M., Shierlaw, E., & Crain, R. (2024). Single high-energy arc proton therapy with Bragg peak boost (SHARP). Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 71(S2), 27-36.
Scopus12023 Penfold, S. N., Dell'Oro, M., Gorayski, P., Hwang, E., Le, H., Penfold, M., . . . Yeo, A. (2023). Proton-to-photon comparative treatment planning guidelines for the Australian context. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology, 67(3), 320-328.
Scopus5 Europe PMC42023 Herrick, M., Penfold, S., Santos, A., & Hickson, K. (2023). A systematic review of volumetric image guidance in proton therapy. Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 46(3), 963-975.
Scopus3 WoS1 Europe PMC12023 Herrick, M., Penfold, S., Santos, A., & Hickson, K. (2023). Correction to: A systematic review of volumetric image guidance in proton therapy (Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, (2023), 46, 3, (963-975), 10.1007/s13246-023-01294-9). Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 46(3), 977-979.
2023 Mark, F., Alnsour, A., Penfold, S. N., Esterman, A., Keys, R., & Le, H. (2023). Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) comparison to 3D-conformal technique in lung stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 70(1), 72-80.
Europe PMC12023 Jessop, S., Penfold, S., Gorayski, P., Le, H., O'Connor, M., Skelton, K., & Tee, H. C. (2023). If we build it, will they come? Modeling of public hospital care requirements for the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 19(4), 525-532.
Scopus3 Europe PMC22022 Santos, A., Penfold, S., Gorayski, P., & Le, H. (2022). The Role of Hypofractionation in Proton Therapy. Cancers, 14(9), 2271.
Scopus9 WoS2 Europe PMC32022 Penfold, S. N. (2022). Radiation shielding assessment of high-energy proton imaging at a proton therapy facility. Medical Physics, 49(8), 5340-5346.
Scopus2 Europe PMC12021 Keal, J., Santos, A., Penfold, S., & Douglass, M. (2021). Radiation Dose Calculation in 3D Heterogeneous Media Using Artificial Neural Networks.. Medical physics, 48(5), 2637-2645.
Scopus7 WoS4 Europe PMC42021 Antoniou, G., & Penfold, S. N. (2021). A novel TPS toolkit to assess correlation between transit fluence dosimetry and DVH metrics for adaptive head and neck radiotherapy. Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 44(4), 1121-1130.
Scopus12021 Douglass, M., Austin, A., Penfold, S., & Nguyen, G. T. (2021). Individualised selection of left‐sided breast cancer patients for proton therapy based on cost‐effectiveness. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 68(1), 44-51.
Scopus9 WoS5 Europe PMC82021 Cunningham, L., Penfold, S., Giles, E., Le, H., & Short, M. (2021). Impact of breast size on dosimetric indices in proton versus x-ray radiotherapy for breast cancer. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 11(4), 12 pages.
Scopus7 WoS4 Europe PMC42020 Santos, A. M. C., Kotsanis, A., Cunningham, L., & Penfold, S. N. (2020). Estimating the second primary cancer risk due to proton therapy compared to hybrid IMRT for left sided breast cancer. Acta Oncologica, 60(3), 1-10.
Scopus8 WoS4 Europe PMC62020 Brooke, M. D., & Penfold, S. N. (2020). An inhomogeneous most likely path formalism for proton computed tomography. Physica Medica, 70, 184-195.
Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC12020 Hu, Y., Dalfsen, R., Penfold, S. N., Gorayski, P., Tee, H. C., Penniment, M., & Le, H. (2020). Comparative proton versus photon treatment planning for the Medicare Medical Treatment Overseas Program: The Royal Adelaide Hospital experience. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology, 64(5), 682-688.
Scopus5 WoS4 Europe PMC32020 Austin, A., Douglass, M., Nguyen, G., & Penfold, S. (2020). Patient selection for proton therapy: A radiobiological fuzzy Markov model incorporating robust plan analysis. Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 43(2), 493-503.
Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC32019 Austin, A. M., Douglass, M. J. J., Nguyen, G. T., Dalfsen, R., Le, H., Gorayski, P., . . . Penfold, S. N. (2019). Cost-effectiveness of proton therapy in treating base of skull chordoma. Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 42(4), 1091-1098.
Scopus6 WoS2 Europe PMC42018 Penfold, S. (2018). A positive move: proton therapy in Australia. Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 41(1), 1-2.
2017 Zhu, J., & Penfold, S. (2017). Total variation superiorization in dual-energy CT reconstruction for proton therapy treatment planning. Inverse Problems, 33(4), 18 pages.
Scopus5 WoS42017 Zhu, J., & Penfold, S. (2017). Europium-155 as a source for dual energy cone beam computed tomography in adaptive proton therapy: A simulation study. Medical Physics, 44(10), 5143-5152.
Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC12017 Penfold, S. N., & Zhu, J. (2017). Reply to "comment on 'Dosimetric comparison of stopping power calibration with dual-energy CT and single-energy CT in proton therapy treatment planning' [Med. Phys. 43(6), 2845-2854 (2016)]". Medical Physics, 44(10), 5537-5538.
2017 Austin, A. M., Douglass, M. J. J., Nguyen, G. T., & Penfold, S. N. (2017). A radiobiological Markov simulation tool for aiding decision making in proton therapy referral. Physica Medica, 44, 72-82.
Scopus18 WoS16 Europe PMC72017 Penfold, S., Zalas, R., Casiraghi, M., Brooke, M., Censor, Y., & Schulte, R. (2017). Sparsity constrained split feasibility for dose-volume constraints in inverse planning of intensity-modulated photon or proton therapy. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 62(9), 3599-3618.
Scopus23 WoS18 Europe PMC42016 Zhu, J., & Penfold, S. (2016). Dosimetric comparison of stopping power calibration with dual-energy CT and single-energy CT in proton therapy treatment planning. Medical Physics, 43(6), 2845-2854.
Scopus60 WoS41 Europe PMC322016 Incerti, S., Douglass, M., Penfold, S., Guatelli, S., & Bezak, E. (2016). Review of Geant4-DNA applications for micro and nanoscale simulations. Physica Medica, 32(10), 1187-1200.
Scopus107 WoS91 Europe PMC282016 Zhu, J., & Penfold, S. N. (2016). Review of 3D image data calibration for heterogeneity correction in proton therapy treatment planning. Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 39(2), 379-390.
Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC12016 Poignant, F., Penfold, S., Asp, J., Takhar, P., & Jackson, P. (2016). GEANT4 simulation of cyclotron radioisotope production in a solid target. Physica Medica, 32(5), 728-734.
Scopus17 WoS12 Europe PMC22015 Penfold, S., & Censor, Y. (2015). Techniques in Iterative Proton CT Image Reconstruction. Sensing and Imaging, 16(1), 21 pages.
Scopus20 WoS152015 Douglass, M., Bezak, E., & Penfold, S. (2015). Development of a radiation track structure clustering algorithm for the prediction of DNA DSB yields and radiation induced cell death in Eukaryotic cells. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 60(8), 3217-3236.
Scopus11 WoS11 Europe PMC62015 Douglass, M., Penfold, S., & Bezak, E. (2015). Preliminary investigation of microdosimetric track structure physics models in Geant4-DNA and RITRACKS. Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine, 2015, 968429-1-968429-8.
Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC12014 Penfold, S., Brown, M., Staudacher, A., & Bezak, E. (2014). Monte Carlo simulations of dose distributions with necrotic tumor targeted radioimmunotherapy. Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 90, 40-45.
Scopus9 WoS6 Europe PMC32013 Douglass, M., Bezak, E., & Penfold, S. (2013). Monte Carlo investigation of the increased radiation deposition due to gold nanoparticles using kilovoltage and megavoltage photons in a 3D randomized cell model. Medical Physics, 40(7), 1-9.
Scopus92 WoS74 Europe PMC332012 Penfold, S., Marcu, L., Lawson, J., & Asp, J. (2012). Evaluation of physician eye lens doses during permanent seed implant brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Journal of Radiological Protection, 32(3), 339-347.
Scopus2 WoS1 Europe PMC12012 Douglass, M., Bezak, E., & Penfold, S. (2012). Development of a randomized 3D cell model for Monte Carlo microdosimetry simulations. Medical Physics, 39(6), 3509-3519.
Scopus28 WoS22 Europe PMC122012 Bezak, E., Marcu, L., & Penfold, S. (2012). Computational and mathematical modeling of tumor kinetics and response to radiation and chemotherapy. Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine, 2012, 702675-1-702675-2.
2012 Schulte, R. W., & Penfold, S. N. (2012). Proton CT for improved stopping power determination in proton therapy. Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 106, 55-58.
Scopus13 Europe PMC82011 Penfold, S., Rosenfeld, A., Schulte, R., & Sadrozinski, H. (2011). Geometrical optimazation of a particle tracking system for proton computed tomography. Radiation Measurements, 46(12), 2069-2072.
Scopus11 WoS102010 Penfold, S., Schulte, R., Censor, Y., & Rosenfeld, A. (2010). Total variation superiorization schemes in proton computed tomography image reconstruction. Medical Physics, 37(11), 5887-5895.
Scopus105 WoS94 Europe PMC432010 Missaghian, J., Hurley, F., Bashkirov, V., Colby, B., Rykalin, V., Kachigiun, S., . . . Penfold, S. (2010). Beam test results of a CsI calorimeter matrix element. Journal of Instrumentation, 5(6), 13 pages.
Scopus6 WoS62009 Schulte, R., Bashkirov, V., Hurley, F., Penfold, S., Rosenfeld, A., & Patyal, B. (2009). TH‐D‐BRC‐09: A Status Update On the Development of Proton CT at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Medical Physics, 36(6), 2813.
Scopus1 WoS12009 Penfold, S., Rosenfeld, A., Schulte, R., & Schubert, K. (2009). A more accurate reconstruction system matrix for quantitative proton computed tomography. Medical Physics, 36(10), 4511-4518.
Scopus51 WoS43 Europe PMC232008 Schulte, R., Penfold, S., Tafas, J., & Schubert, K. (2008). A maximum likelihood proton path formalism for application in proton computed tomography. Medical Physics, 35(11), 4849-4856.
Scopus174 WoS144 Europe PMC53 -
Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2011 Hurley, F., Schulte, R., Bashkirov, V., Wroe, A., Ghebremedhin, A., Patyal, B., . . . Sadrozinsk, H. (2011). SU‐E‐T‐350: Calibration of a Prototype Proton CT Scanner. In Medical Physics Vol. 38 (pp. 3568). WILEY.
DOI WoS22011 Sadrozinski, H. F. W., Bashkirov, V., Colby, B., Coutrakon, G., Erdelyi, B., Fusi, D., . . . Zatserklaniy, A. (2011). Detector development for Proton Computed Tomography (pCT). In IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record (pp. 4457-4461). Valencia, SPAIN: IEEE.
DOI Scopus14 WoS122009 McAllister, S. A., Schubert, K. E., Schulte, R., & Penfold, S. (2009). General purpose graphics processing unit speedup of integral relative electron density calculation for proton computed tomography. In B. Yu (Ed.), IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record (pp. 4085-4087). Orlando, FL: IEEE.
DOI Scopus1 WoS12009 Penfold, S. N., Schulte, R. W., Censor, Y., Bashkirov, V., & Rosenfeld, A. B. (2009). Characteristics of proton CT images reconstructed with filtered backprojection and iterative projection algorithms. In B. Yu (Ed.), IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record (pp. 4176-4180). Orlando, FL: IEEE.
DOI Scopus6 WoS52009 Penfold, S., Rosenfeld, A., Schulte, R., & Sadrozinski, H. (2009). Fast and accurate proton computed tomography image reconstruction for applications in proton therapy. In World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering - Radiation Oncology; IFMBE Proceedings, vol. 25, no. 1 Vol. 25 (pp. 213-216). Germany: Springer.
DOI Scopus12009 Wong, K., Erdelyi, B., Schulte, R., Bashkirov, V., Coutrakon, G., Sadrozinski, H., . . . Rosenfeld, A. (2009). The effect of tissue inhomogeneities on the accuracy of proton path reconstruction for proton computed tomography. In American Institute of Physics Proceedings: 20th International conference, application of accelerators in research and industry Vol. 1099 (pp. 476-480). Online: AIP Publishing.
DOI Scopus6 WoS62009 Bashkirov, V., Schulte, R., Coutrakon, G., Erdelyi, B., Wong, K., Sadrozinski, H., . . . Schubert, K. (2009). Development of proton computed tomography for applications in proton therapy. In AIP Proceedings: Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry: Twentieth International Conference Vol. 1099 (pp. 460-463). Online: AIP Publishing.
DOI Scopus15 WoS92007 Bashkirov, V. A., Schulte, R. W., Penfold, S. N., & Rosenfeld, A. B. (2007). Proton computed tomography: Update on current status. In IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record Vol. 6 (pp. 4685-4688). Honolulu, HI: IEEE.
DOI Scopus13 WoS10 -
Theses
Year Citation 2014 Douglass, M. J. (2014). Development of an Integrated Stochastic Radiobiological Model for Electromagnetic Particle Interactions in a 4D Cellular Geometry. (PhD Thesis, University of Adelaide).
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Co-Supervisor Novel techniques to improve proton beam therapy for base of skull tumours. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jia Wei Law 2020 Principal Supervisor Comparison of Novel Volumetric Imaging Systems for Adaptive Proton Therapy Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Mitchell Ryan Herrick -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2019 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Assessment of Adaptive Radiotherapy Workflows for Head and Neck Cancer Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr George Antoniou 2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor The Clinical Effect of Changing from a Dose to Water to a Dose to Medium-Based Methodology to Calculate Monitor Units for Electron Beams Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Miss Hilary Frances Todd 2016 - 2019 Principal Supervisor A radiobiological Markov model for aiding decision making in proton therapy referral Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Annabelle Mary Austin 2015 - 2018 Principal Supervisor An Optical Computed Tomography Scanner for Three Dimensional Gel Dosimetry of Radiotherapy Dose Distributions Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Daniel Paul Norman Ramm 2015 - 2019 Principal Supervisor A Method for Validating a Transperineal Ultrasound System for Intrafraction Monitoring of the Prostate during External Beam Radiotherapy Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Stephen James Gibson 2014 - 2018 Co-Supervisor Investigation of Acuros XB Radiotherapy Dose Calculation Algorithm Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Andrew McGrath 2013 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Monte Carlo Conversion for the Australian Primary Standard of Absorbed Dose to Water in High Energy Photon Beams Master of Science (Medical Physics) Master Part Time Ms Tracy Elizabeth Wright 2013 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Development of an Independent Monte Carlo Dose Calculation Tool for Validation of the Monaco Electron Treatment Planning System Master of Philosophy Master Part Time Mr Robert John Crane 2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Dual Energy Image Reconstruction and Systems for Application in Proton Therapy Treatment Planning Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jiahua Zhu 2011 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Development of an Integrated Stochastic Radiobiological Model for Electromagnetic Particle Interactions in a 4D Cellular Geometry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Dr Michael John James Douglass
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