Dr. Steven Thomas

Dr. Steven Thomas (PhD, FCCPM) is a Senior Medical Physicist at BC Cancer Vancouver.  Dr Thomas's primary clinical responsibilities include the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) treatment modality and the Magnetic Resonance Imaging simulator program. Dr Thomas has received an MSc in biomedical engineering, a PhD in the departments of physics and oncology (both from the University of Alberta) and a BSc in Physics from the University of Lethbridge. Further to this he completed a medical physics clinical residency at BC Cancer Vancouver.

Research Areas

Cardiac Radiosurgery is an exciting new non invasive modality for treating Ventricular Tachycardia. Dr Thomas's research involves the development of technologies to increase treatment precision in the complicated cardiac and respiratory motion environments. 

Physiological Treatment Optimization. Radiation therapy can often result in reduced organ function for organs that are in close proximity to treated tumors. Conventional radiation treatment planning has relied on anatomical information to try to minimize the impact from treatment to adjacent healthy organs. Next generation treatment planning will incorporate patient specific organ functional data from imaging modalities like qMRI into the optimization with the goal of minimizing the impact of radiation therapy on healthy organs. 

Appointments and Affiliations

Assistant Clinical Professor- UBC Dept of Surgery

Honorary Lecturer- UBC Dept of Physics

Interim Director- BC Cancer Provincial Medical Physics Residency Program

Fellow - Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM)

Students

Current

Jakob Marshall - PhD

Katja Nell - MSc

Previous

Justin Poon - PhD

Don Ta - MSc

Hal Clark-PhD

Publications

Google Scholar Publication List

Grants

Research and Clinical Trials Advisory Group (RCTAG) Seed funding Award

"Evaluation of Photon Counting CT and Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI for the measurement of Lung Morphology and Function"

BC Cancer Radiation Oncology

 "The impact of cardiac motion on dynamic respiratory tracking for ultra-central SABR targets"

Varian Medial Systems Research Grant

"Comparison of Motion Management Strategies for Cardiac SBRT"

Research and Clinical Trials Advisory Group (RCTAG) Translational Pilot Project Award

"Cardiac Radiosurgery for Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia"

UBC Division of Cardiology Academic Practice (CAPP) Plan Pilot Project Award

“Treatment of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia Using Stereotactic Ablative
Radiotherapy”

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Innovation (VCHRI) Award

"Optimization of Cardiac Radiosurgery Using Patient-Specific Data"