Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Medical Physics, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta

Senior Medical Physicist, Dept. of Medical Physics, CCI

PhD Medical Physics: University of Alberta, 2010

Member: Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine
Fellow: Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine

Clinical and Research Interests

Stereotactic radiosurgery using the Gamma Knife ICON platform

The Gamma Knife ICON is a radiosurgery tool that allows both frame-based and mask-based treatments of malignant and benign intracranial tumours as well as functional disorders of the brain. Undecided clinical issues include the use of PTV margins and the role and implementation of image guidance for these targets. The role of the medical physicist includes treatment planning, quality assurance, developing clinical workflows and treatment supervision.

Episcleral Plaque Brachytherapy

The Alberta Ocular Brachytherapy Program treats patients with uveal melanoma and other select eye cancers by use surgical application of episcleral brachytherapy plaques. Use of asymmetric plaque loadings and placements can be used to minimize dose to ocular structures such as the fovea, papillomacular bundle, and optic disc, ultimately improving visual outcome for patients.

Selected Publications

A. Desrochers, S. Ghosh, M. Parliament, R. Garraway, L. Kellog, M. Larocque,
"Comparison of dose statistics for bladder wall and rectum wall vs. whole organs for VMAT prostate treatment,"
Medical Dosimetry. (Epub ahead of print). (2019). doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2019.08.003.

H. Morrison, M. Larocque, G. Menon, R. Sloboda, E. Weis,
"Delivered dose changes in COMS-plaque-based ocular brachytherapy arising from vitrectomy with silicone oil replacement,"
Brachytherapy 18, 668-674 (2019). doi.org/10.1016/j.brachy.2019.05.013.

E. Weis, K. Roelofs, M. Larocque, A. Murtha,
"Gene expression profiling as an adjunctive measure to guide the management of indeterminate, high-risk choroidal melanocytic lesions: a pilot study,"
Ocul. Oncol. Pathol. 2019;5:102-109. doi.org/10.1159/000490252.

K. Roelofs, M. Larocque, A. Murtha, E. Weis,
"The use of intravitreal anti-VEGF and triamcinolone in the treatment of radiation papillopathy,"
Ocul. Oncol. Path. 4, 395-400 (2018). doi.org/10.1159/000487543.

H. Morrison, G. Menon, M. Larocque, B. van Veelen, Y. Niatsetski, E. Weis, R. Sloboda,
"Advanced Collapsed Cone Engine (ACE) dose calculations in tissue media for COMS eye plaques loaded with I-125 seeds,"
Med. Phys. 45, 3349-3360 (2018). doi.org/10.1002/mp.12946.

H. Morrison, G. Menon, M. Larocque, B. van Veelen, Y. Niatsetski, E. Weis, R. Sloboda,
"Initial evaluation of Advanced Collapsed cone Engine (ACE) dose calculations in water medium for I-125 seeds and COMS eye plaques,"
Med. Phys. 45, 1276-1286 (2018). doi.org/10.1002/mp.1277.

H. Morrison, G. Menon, M. Larocque, H.-S. Jans, E. Weis, R.S. Sloboda,
"Delivered dose uncertainty analysis at the tumour apex for ocular brachytherapy,"
Med. Phys. 43, 4891-4902 (2016). doi.org/10.1118/1.4959540.

E. Weis, T. Salopek, J.G. McKinnon, M. Larocque, C. Temple-Oberle, T. Cheng, J. McWhae, M. Shea-Budgell, on behalf of the Alberta Cutaneous Tumour Team,
"Management of uveal melanoma: a consensus-based Canadian clinical practice guideline,"
Curr. Oncol., 23, e57-e64, (2016). dx.doi.org/10.3747/co.23.2859.

A.G. Tessier,A. Yahya, M. Larocque, B.G. Fallone, A. Syme,
"Longitudinal Evaluation of the Metabolic Response of a Tumor Xenograft Model to Single Fraction Radiation Therapy Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy",
Physics Medicine and Biology, 59(17), pp. 5061-5072(2014). doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/59/17/5061.

M. Larocque, A. Syme, J. Allalunis-Turner, B. G. Fallone,
"ADC response to radiation therapy correlates with induced changes in radiosensitivity,"
Med. Phys. 37, 3855-3861, (2010). doi.org/10.1118/1.3456442.

M. Larocque, A. Syme, A. Yahya, K. Wachowicz, J. Allalunis-Turner, B. G. Fallone,
"Monitoring T2 and ADC at 9.4 T following external beam radiation therapy in a mouse model,"
Phys. Med. Biol. 55, 1381-1393, (2010). doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/55/5/008.

M. Larocque, A. Syme, A. Yahya, K. Wachowicz, J. Allalunis-Turner, B. G. Fallone,
"Temporal and dose dependence of T2 and ADC at 9.4 T in a mouse model following single fraction radiation therapy,"
Med. Phys. 36, 2948-2954, (2009). doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/55/5/008.