ABR DMP study guide
ABR DMP · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ABR Diagnostic Medical Physics Initial Certification Exam is the examination pathway through which the American Board of Radiology certifies medical physicists practicing in diagnostic imaging. The ABR describes its mission as certifying "that our diplomates demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skill, and understanding of their disciplines to the benefit of patients," and lists Medical Physics among the disciplines for which it offers initial certification. The ABR DMP study guide has 5 sections and about 1,526 words.
01Diagnostic Radiological Physics
A candidate must be fluent in x-ray production (bremsstrahlung and characteristic spectra, the role of kVp in shaping the spectrum and mAs in scaling output), beam attenuation (linear and mass attenuation coefficients, half-value layer, the exponential attenuation law), and the interaction mechanisms that dominate in the diagnostic range: photoelectric absorption and Compton scatter. Understand how atomic number and photon energy shift the relative probability of each, because this drives contrast and dose tradeoffs.
332 words, about 2 min02Nuclear Medicine Physics
Understand decay modes relevant to imaging-beta-minus, beta-plus, electron capture, isomeric transition-and how each produces gamma photons or annihilation radiation. Know the decay equation and the concept of physical half-life, biological half-life, and their combination into effective half-life.
287 words, about 1 min03Medical Health Physics / Radiation Protection
Know the distinction among absorbed dose (gray), equivalent dose (sievert, weighted by radiation weighting factor), and effective dose (weighted by tissue sensitivity). Understand that for diagnostic x-rays and gamma rays the weighting factor is 1, so equivalent and absorbed dose are numerically equal in grays versus sieverts.
285 words, about 1 min04Anatomy and Physiology Relevant to Imaging
A candidate should be able to localize major structures on plain film, CT, and cross-sectional images: the mediastinal compartments, the lobes of the lung, the abdominal organs and their relationships, and the bony landmarks of the spine and pelvis. Understand how patient positioning changes the projection of structures-for example, why an AP versus PA chest alters cardiac magnification.
300 words, about 2 min05Imaging Equipment and Quality Control
Know the x-ray tube (anode, cathode, focal spot, heel effect), generator types (single-phase, three-phase, high-frequency), and the collimator and filtration assembly. Understand detector systems for radiography (CR plates, DR flat panels) and how each converts x-rays to signal.
322 words, about 2 min