Smart Medicine

Welcome to another episode of Smart Medicine! Hosted by clinical medical physicist Dr. Ali Fatemi, this episode features a special interview with David Gammel, Executive Director of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).In this conversation, we dive deep into how the medical physics community is preparing for the rapid advancements of AI and computational medicine. We explore the challenges and opportunities of leading a major scientific society through an era of profound technological change, while supporting members across all stages of their careers.Key highlights from this episode include:The AAPM Digital Reset: Discover how AAPM is retiring 20 years of technical debt and custom software to adopt modern, best-in-class platforms for its members.AI in the Clinic: We discuss the future of AI tools and LLMs in medical physics, including the potential for highly accurate chatbots that can deliver relevant clinical guidelines, TGs, and MPGs directly to your phone during QA processes.The Expanding Role of the Physicist: As some traditional tasks are automated, medical physicists are uniquely positioned to oversee AI, commissioning, and validation in clinical environments.Data as the Foundation of AI: A look at successful public-private partnerships like MIDRC, which are solving the challenge of secure, anonymized data sharing to train FDA-approved AI models.The Mission: Everything AAPM does ultimately ties back to one crucial goal: improving health through physics.Whether you are a student, a clinical physicist, or a researcher, this episode offers an incredible look at where our discipline is headed.Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments! I

Welcome to another episode of Smart Medicine! Today, host Dr. Ali Fatemi (Clinical Medical Physicist & Founder of SpenTex and PrecisionM.ai) is joined by Dr. Ramin Hamid, an Assistant Professor of Neuroradiology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. With a unique background spanning neuroradiology and an MBA in healthcare operations.Dr. Hamid shares fascinating insights into how Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the reading room and beyond.In this episode, we dive deep into the reality of AI in medicine—clarifying that AI doesn't "think" or "understand," but rather acts as a powerful statistical weighting machine for pattern recognitionKey Topics Covered in this Episode:What AI Is (and Isn't): Why we should treat AI like a "bicycle for the mind" and how it acts as an explainable tool to highlight areas of concern, such as blood inside or outside the brain.AI Workflow Integration: How AI can optimize patient care prior to imaging (NLP for protocol selection), during acquisition, and post-imaging (flagging critical issues like pneumothorax or large vessel occlusions).Patient Perspectives: A University of Louisville study revealing that patients are actually willing to pay for AI integration—if it improves detection and outcomes.The Future of Diagnostics & Personalized Medicine: Using AI to predict disease vectors, diagnose Alzheimer's, and screen for learning disorders like dyslexia or autism from MRI scans.Training the Next Generation: How AI can simulate emergency environments to rapidly train medical residents on rare pathologies.The Power of Teamwork: The importance of eliminating "silos" and fostering consultation between clinicians, medical physicists, and technologists.Topics- Introduction to Dr. Ramin Hamid- What AI Actually Is: Steve Jobs' Bicycle Analogy- How AI is Used Pre, During, and Post-Imaging- Explainable AI: Spotting Strokes, Fractures & Hemorrhages- Do Patients Want AI? (UofL Study Results)- Using AI to Screen for Alzheimer's & Autism- The Role of Medical Physicists & Breaking Healthcare Silos- The Next 5-10 Years: The Era of Personalized Medicine

Today’s guest is Dr. Percy Lee, Senior Physician Executive and Medical Director of Radiation Oncology (Orange County) at City of Hope, and Vice Chair of Clinical Research.Dr. Lee is a nationally recognized leader in radiation oncology, with extensive experience building and scaling clinical programs, integrating research into practice, and expanding access to high-quality cancer care. His leadership journey includes key roles at MD Anderson and UCLA, where he helped shape one of the leading SBRT and residency programs in the U.S.In this conversation, we explore:What it really takes to build and scale successful radiation oncology programsHow to separate meaningful innovation from hype in cancer careWhere AI and smart technologies will realistically impact clinical workflowsHow physician leadership has evolved—and what skills matter most todayThe biggest opportunities and risks facing radiation oncologyPractical advice for trainees and early-career clinicians aiming to lead responsiblyThis discussion is a clear look at how leadership, technology, and clinical reality must align to drive real impact in cancer care.

In this episode, I speak with Professor Nico Van Den Berg, Director of the Centre of Image Science at UMC Utrecht and Scientific Co-Lead of the IMAGINE Consortium—one of the leading voices at the intersection of MR physics, computational imaging, and AI-driven clinical translation.We explore how MRI is evolving from a hardware-driven modality into a computational and intelligent system, and what this means for the future of diagnostics and therapy.Key topics we discuss:• From MRI physics to computational imagingHow Nico’s journey shaped his vision for integrating physics, computation, and clinical workflows.• What “computational imaging” really means in MRIHow reconstruction, acquisition, and processing are being redefined—and where this creates real clinical impact.• MR-Linac: promise vs realityWhy it’s one of the most advanced technologies in radiation oncology—and why adoption still faces barriers.• AI and autonomous imagingWhat is realistic in the next 5–10 years, where AI is already delivering value today, and the risks of using AI without strong physics grounding.• Image-guided interventions & the IMAGINE ConsortiumThe infrastructure and computational challenges behind making advanced interventions scalable and clinically relevant.• RF engineering, safety, and translation to clinicWhy safety, implants, and system-level understanding remain critical as MRI moves deeper into therapy.• The future of MRIWill intelligence reshape hardware, pulse sequences, and workflows? What does this mean for adaptive radiotherapy?• Advice for the next generationWhat young physicists should focus on to stay relevant in an AI-driven era.This conversation highlights a central theme:AI alone is not enough—true progress in medical imaging requires deep integration of physics, computation, and clinical insight.#SmartMedicine #MedicalPhysics #MRI #AIinMedicine #ComputationalImaging #MRLinac #Radiology #RadiationOncology #ImageGuidedTherapy #DigitalHealth

Dr. Mahesh, Board Chair of AAPM, joins the Smart Medicine Podcast to discuss how medical physics is evolving in the era of AI.We explore:• The shift beyond traditional QA• AI in clinical workflows• Future skills for physicists• Training and education gaps• Patient safety in autonomous systemsA forward-looking conversation on the future of the field.

Smart Medicine Podcast – Episode: Kevin BrownIn this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, Ali Fatemi sits down with Kevin Brown, retired Distinguished Scientist at Elekta, following an extraordinary 45-year career helping shape modern radiation therapy technologies.Kevin has played a key role in advancing radiotherapy systems—from early hardware and imaging innovations to leading global scientific research programs that helped translate technology into real clinical impact.In this conversation, we explore:• The evolution of radiation therapy technology over four decades• How engineering innovations become scalable clinical systems• Lessons from industry–academia collaboration• Where complexity helps—or hinders—clinical progress• Advice for physicists and engineers entering the medical technology industry• The future of radiation oncology innovationThis discussion offers a rare perspective from someone who helped build many of the systems that define modern radiation therapy today.🎙 Host: Ali FatemiFounder – SpinTecx | PrecisionMRI.aiHost – Smart Medicine Podcast

In this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, I speak with Thomas “Rock” Mackie, medical physicist, entrepreneur, and Professor of Medical Physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Dr. Mackie is one of the key innovators in modern radiation medicine. As a co-founder of TomoTherapy and founder of Leo Cancer Care, he has helped translate medical physics research into technologies that have significantly influenced radiation therapy practice worldwide.In this conversation, we discuss:• The journey from academic medical physics to entrepreneurship and leadership• What distinguishes technologies that truly change clinical practice• The role of boards and governance in guiding innovation• How AI, automation, and data-driven tools are shaping the future of healthcare• Advice for physicists and clinicians who want to build and lead innovationThis discussion explores how medical physicists can play a larger role in shaping the future of healthcare technology and patient care.Smart Medicine Podcast features conversations with leading scientists, physicians, and innovators shaping the future of medicine.#SmartMedicinePodcast #MedicalPhysics #RadiationOncology #MedTech #HealthInnovation #SmartMedicinePodcast #MedicalPhysics #AIinMedicine #PrecisionMRI #SpinTecx #MRI #MRPhysics #QuantitativeImaging #MRIGuidedRT #ImagingScience #RadiologyInnovation #GeometricDistortion #ImagingQA #HealthcareAI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIinRadiology #ClinicalAI #MedicalImagingAI #PhysicsAndAI #DigitalHealth #SaMD #RadiationOncology #MedicalPhysicist #CancerTechnology #Radiotherapy #ClinicalTranslation #PatientSafety #OncologyInnovation#HealthcareInnovation #MedTechStartup #PhysicianEntrepreneur #ScientificLeadership #TranslationalScience #HealthTech #SmartMedicinePodcast #MedicalPhysics #AIinMedicine #MRI #RadiationOncology #HealthcareInnovation #ClinicalAI #MedTech #AAPM #COMP 

Dr. Sasa Mutic, President of Radiation Oncology Solutions at Varian Medical Systems, joins the Smart Medicine Podcast to discuss leadership, AI, and the future of radiation oncology.We explore the transition from academia to global industry leadership, the real impact of automation, and how medical physicists can shape — not fear — the future of intelligent healthcare systems.

In this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, Dr. Ali Fatemi speaks with Dr. Yujan Shrestha, MD, physician–engineer and Partner at Innolitics, about AI medical device regulation and clinical validation.We discuss FDA pathways, including 510(k), De Novo, and Breakthrough programs, common regulatory pitfalls in AI/ML software as a medical device (SaMD), post-market model updates, and how AI will reshape clinical decision-making in oncology and beyond.Smart Medicine explores the intersection of AI, medical imaging, regulation, and healthcare innovation.AI in healthcareregulated AImedical device innovationclinical AI validationFDA medical devicesAI in oncologydigital health regulation

In this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, Dr. Ali Fatemi speaks with Dr. Matthew Rosen of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Michael Hoff of UCSF about low-field MRI, quantitative imaging, AI-driven reconstruction, and the future of smart imaging systems.We explore reproducibility challenges, hybrid physics–AI approaches, and the evolving role of medical physicists in clinical AI validation.

From Proton Physics to Platform LeadershipIn this episode of Smart Medicine, Dr. Ali Fatemi speaks with Dr. Niek Schreuder, Chief Scientific Officer and President of Proton Therapy at Leo Cancer Care.Dr. Schreuder reflects on his journey from Chief Medical Physicist to executive leadership, offering an insider’s view on what it truly takes to design, deploy, and sustain proton therapy systems. The discussion explores clinical reality, financial viability, leadership decision-making, and the evolving role of AI in particle therapy.A grounded, experience-driven conversation on the present and future of proton therapy—beyond hype, focused on impact.

🎙️ Smart Medicine Podcast — Full EpisodeGuest: Dr. Issam El-NaqaMedical Physicist | Chair of Machine Learning, Moffitt Cancer CenterIn this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, Dr. Ali Fatemi is joined by Dr. Issam El-Naqa, a leading figure in medical physics, artificial intelligence, and radiation oncology.Dr. El-Naqa’s career spans academia, clinical practice, and AI leadership. He began as an Assistant Professor at Washington University, spent nearly a decade at McGill University working across medical physics, biomedical engineering, and clinical systems, and then moved to the University of Michigan as Professor of Medical Physics and Radiation Oncology. He is now the Chair of Machine Learning at Moffitt Cancer Center, where he leads one of the most advanced and clinically integrated AI programs in oncology.In this full-length conversation, they discuss:His path into AI and radiation oncologyThe early days of machine learning—before the hypeAdaptive therapy and quantitative modelingBringing AI into real clinical workflowsAccess, scalability, and global equity in AI-driven careHow the role of the medical physicist is evolvingWhat the next 5–10 years may hold for the fieldThis episode offers a grounded, experience-based discussion on how AI, physics, and clinical insight can come together to meaningfully improve patient care.🎧 Smart Medicine PodcastHosted by Dr. Ali FatemiClinical Medical Physicist | Founder of SpinTecx | Entrepreneur

Welcome back to the Smart Medicine Podcast.I’m your host, Dr. Ali Fatemi, Founder of SpinTecx, clinical medical physicist, and entrepreneur.In this episode, we are honored to welcome Ehsan Samei, one of the most influential leaders in modern medical physics and medical imaging.Dr. Samei is a board-certified medical physicist and Professor at Duke University, with appointments in Radiology, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical & Computer Engineering. He also serves as Chief Imaging Physicist for the Duke University Health System.A past president of American Association of Physicists in Medicine, Dr. Samei’s work spans X-ray imaging, image quality science, simulation and modeling, dosimetry, and translating imaging physics into patient-centered clinical care. He is the founder or co-founder of several landmark initiatives, including the Duke Imaging Physics Residency, the Center for Virtual Imaging Trials, and the globally influential Medical Physics 3.0 movement. In recognition of his impact and leadership, he received the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Award in 2022.Beyond science, Ehsan is a talented musician and a devoted father.What Medical Physics 3.0 is, why it matters, and how it works in real clinical practiceHow imaging is evolving from regulatory compliance to quantitative, patient-specific optimizationWhat virtual imaging trials are and how they extend beyond traditional phantom and clinical studiesWhether virtual imaging trials will become routine in scanner development and clinical QAHow AI and automation are reshaping the role of medical physicistsWhether AI can—or should—replace radiologists or physicistsAdvice for students, residents, and young scientists entering medical physics todayWhat fundamentally changes in medicine when imaging systems become adaptive, data-driven, and AI-nativeThank you for joining us on the Smart Medicine Podcast.

In this episode of the Smart Medicine Podcast, Dr. Ali Fatemi—clinical medical physicist, founder of SpinTecx, and entrepreneur—welcomes Dr. Shirin Abbasinejad Enger, Professor of Radiation Oncology at McGill University, Canada Research Chair, and Director of the Medical Physics Unit.The conversation explores the foundations and future of radiation therapy, from patient-specific dose calculation and radiation detectors to emerging radiation sources, AI-driven modeling, and intelligent treatment delivery systems. Dr. Enger shares insights into how advanced computation, novel detectors, and personalized approaches are reshaping clinical decision-making and cancer care.The episode also examines the evolving role of radiation therapy within multimodal cancer treatment, leadership at the intersection of research, education, and clinical practice, and what the next decade may hold for innovation—particularly for startups working in medical physics, AI, and smart healthcare.A thoughtful discussion for clinicians, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future of personalized cancer care and smart medicine.

Dr. Ali Fatemi sits down with Dr. James Robar — Senior Clinical Medical Physicist at Nova Scotia Health, Professor at Dalhousie University, and Chief Scientific Officer at Adaptiiv Medical Technologies.They explore how Dr. Robar turned academic innovation into clinical reality — from 3D printing in radiation therapy to AI-driven precision imaging.The conversation dives into entrepreneurship, translation of research into startups, and the future role of medical physicists in smart healthcare.🎧 Watch and subscribe for more conversations on innovation in imaging, therapy, and AI-driven medicine.#MedicalPhysics #SmartMedicine #AIinHealthcare #Adaptiiv #Innovation #RadiationOncology #SpinTecx

Host: Dr. Ali FatemiGuest: Dr. Michael Noseworthy — Professor, McMaster UniversityDr. Fatemi speaks with his mentor and friend, Dr. Mike Noseworthy, about the evolution of MRI, the rise of quantitative imaging, and how AI is transforming the way we see the human brain.An inspiring discussion about mentorship, curiosity, and translating science into clinical impact.#MRI #AI #MedicalImaging #SmartMedicinePodcast

In this episode of Smart Medicine, Dr. Daniel Low joins Dr. Ali Fatemi to explore how innovation, physics, and AI are shaping the future of radiation therapy.We talk about:⚙️ The evolution from IMRT to adaptive therapy💨 Real-time motion management and MR-guided radiotherapy🧠 The promise — and limits — of AI in clinical practice⚡ FLASH therapy and the next wave of disruption💡 What it really takes to translate innovation from lab to clinicA conversation about vision, leadership, and what it means to think beyond today’s technology.🎧 Hosted by Dr. Ali Fatemi, founder of SpinTecx — where hybrid MRI physics and AI are redefining MRI quality assurance for safer, smarter therapies.#SmartMedicinePodcast #MedicalPhysics #AIinMedicine #RadiationTherapy #Innovation #SpinTecx #5DCT #UCLA

I’m excited to share the very first episode of Smart Medicine! 🎙️In this podcast, I’ll be exploring the big questions at the intersection of physics, medicine, and technology — and how innovations like AI are reshaping healthcare.As a clinical medical physicist, entrepreneur, and founder, I’ve seen firsthand how solutions that look great on paper don’t always translate into the clinic. That’s why this series is about asking the right questions, sparking deeper conversations, and highlighting ideas that truly make a difference for patients, clinicians, and innovators.This is just the beginning — and I’d love for you to join me on the journey.