IAEA Dosimetry Lab Marks 60 Years Advancing Safe, Accurate Cancer Treatment

Today, the laboratory’s state-of-the-art equipment includes a linear accelerator, a high dose rate brachytherapy afterloader, advanced irradiators, and precision dosimetry systems.

For more than six decades, the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria has been at the forefront of global efforts to ensure that ionizing radiation is used safely and effectively in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Since its establishment in 1961, the laboratory has played a critical role in standardizing radiation measurements, improving quality assurance in radiotherapy, and supporting the growth of medical physics capacity worldwide.

Following a recent refurbishment under the IAEA’s Renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories initiative, the facility is now better equipped to meet the growing demand for its services in an era of rising global cancer cases. According to IAEA projections, the global cancer burden will reach 32.6 million new cases and 16.9 million deaths by 2045, making access to safe and precise radiation-based treatment more crucial than ever.

A Global Standard for Radiation in Medicine

When the laboratory opened, many hospitals were transitioning from older X-ray machines and radium applicators to more powerful radiation sources for cancer treatment — but few had the trained staff or equipment to measure radiation doses accurately. The IAEA stepped in to provide calibration, auditing, training, and research support so that radiation doses could be measured and delivered consistently and safely.

Today, the laboratory’s state-of-the-art equipment includes a linear accelerator, a high dose rate brachytherapy afterloader, advanced irradiators, and precision dosimetry systems. This equipment serves not only in medical radiation procedures but also in radiation protection and hands-on training for professionals from across IAEA Member States.

Calibration and Audit Services

The Dosimetry Laboratory serves as the central hub for the joint IAEA/WHO Network of Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs), which currently includes 87 national laboratories. It calibrates the national reference standards of nearly 90 countries, ensuring that radiation measurements align with the International System of Units (SI).

Since 2011, the lab has calibrated more than 800 ionization chambers and issued over 1,500 certificates. In 2023–2024 alone, it calibrated 106 chambers and issued 229 certificates to SSDLs in 39 countries.

The laboratory also runs a global postal dosimetry audit programme in partnership with the WHO. Hospitals receive dosimeters, expose them to radiation as part of simulated patient treatments, and send them back for analysis. Discrepancies prompt follow-up checks to ensure accuracy. Over the last 55 years, the programme has audited more than 22,700 radiotherapy beams and 6,000 machines in nearly 2,900 hospitals across 145 countries. In the past two years alone, it has assessed 2,200 beams and 950 machines in 660 hospitals from 110 countries.

Research and Innovation in Cancer Treatment

Beyond service delivery, the laboratory is engaged in cutting-edge research to address new clinical techniques and technologies in radiotherapy. Through IAEA coordinated research projects, it develops dosimetry devices, audit methodologies, and quality assurance programmes tailored for both basic and advanced treatment modalities.

Recent successes include new brachytherapy dosimetry audit methodologies and quality assurance programmes for complex radiotherapy techniques in developing countries. These innovations are helping to ensure that even the most technologically advanced cancer treatment techniques are implemented with accuracy and safety.

Training the Global Medical Physics Workforce

The laboratory’s role extends to education and professional development, offering workshops, fellowships, internships, and scientific visits. Training covers calibration techniques, quality assurance, quality management, and clinical dosimetry practices, often using the lab’s own linear accelerator and brachytherapy systems for practical instruction.

Collaborations with hospitals and laboratories worldwide also support the dissemination of dosimetry codes of practice, ensuring that best practices are shared and implemented globally.

A Commitment to Patient Safety

“Given the technological advancements in cancer management, particularly in radiotherapy, maintaining quality assurance and adhering to robust dosimetry practices is essential to ensure patient safety,” said Jamema Swamidas, Head of the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory.

With its modernized facilities, strong research base, and global network of partners, the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory is poised to remain a cornerstone of safe and effective cancer treatment — ensuring that no matter where a patient lives, the radiation they receive is accurate, consistent, and of the highest quality.