Queen’s students publish medical imaging research in Physics World
Two Queen’s University ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ students have published articles in Physics World examining developments in medical imaging with applications in healthcare.
Sophie O’Neill and Ceothán Gormley, both MSci students in Applied Mathematics and Physics, authored articles in the journal’s Medical Physics section based on work completed during their final year at Queen’s.
Sophie O’Neill’s article, focuses on Computed Tomography (CT) imaging, which is widely used in healthcare to produce accurate three‑dimensional images of the body. A typical CT scan delivers a radiation dose several times higher than that received annually from natural background radiation, increasing long‑term risk to patients. It can also be difficult to clearly distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue.
In her article, Sophie explains how developments in X‑ray semiconductor detectors could enable CT scanners to count individual photons. This approach could allow future CT systems to produce clearer images while reducing the radiation dose patients receive. The article was selected as an Editor’s Choice by Physics World.
Ceothán Gormley’s article, , examines Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a key imaging technique used to study diseases such as cancer and neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and epilepsy. PET imaging works by injecting a radioactive tracer that emits gamma rays, allowing a specific biological process in the body to be imaged.
Ceothán outlines how it may be possible to modify existing PET scans so that they can distinguish between two different tracers. While a typical PET tracer emits two gamma rays, swapping the radioactive material in one tracer so that it emits three gamma rays could allow two separate processes to be detected and imaged at the same time. This could be particularly relevant for cancer treatment if both the metabolic activity and oxygenation state of a tumour could be measured simultaneously.
“In these thoughtful articles, Sophie and Ceothán show how physics continues to shape cutting‑edge medical progress. Drawing on the skills and knowledge developed through their degrees, they researched recent advances in these areas and critically assessed their future potential. In doing so, they demonstrate perfectly how complex science can be communicated in an engaging and accessible way. A successful career in medical physics, science communication, or beyond surely awaits them.”
Dr Jason Greenwood, Reader, School of Maths and Physics, Queen’s University ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ
Both articles were developed through the undergraduate module Ionising Radiation in Medicine (PHY4003) and were published online by Physics World in April 2026, highlighting how undergraduate study at Queen’s can engage directly with real‑world medical physics challenges.
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