Organizational, technical, physical and clinical quality standards for radiotherapy

Aiming for patient safety indicators in radiation oncology - Results from a systematic literature review as part of the PaSaGeRO study

BACKGROUND

Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) allow the evaluation of safety levels in healthcare settings. Despite their use in various medical fields, a specific and comprehensive PSI catalogue for radiation oncology (RO) is lacking. The Patient Safety in German Radiation Oncology (PaSaGeRO) study aims for the development of a specific PSI catalogue in radiation oncology.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this systematic literature review as part of the PaSaGeRO study is to identify, formulate, and categorize PSIs specific to RO to bridge existing gaps in comprehensive patient safety evaluation.

METHODS

An electronic search in PubMed included studies from 1989 onwards, in English or German, focusing on safety and quality indicators in RO, patient safety measures, or risk analyses. Exclusions were non-transferable, country-specific measures, techniques exclusive to specific departments, and legally mandated procedures. Additional sources were identified through reference tracking and professional society websites. Two experts independently extracted PSIs from the included references.

RESULTS

Out of 157 included publications and nine secondary sources, we identified and formulated 145 PSIs. These were categorized into patient-specific processes (82, 56%), quality and risk management (42, 28%), human resources (15, 10%), and institutional culture (13, 9%).

CONCLUSION

The hereby developed PSIs provides a base for professionals to systematically evaluate and improve safety practices, addressing previously unmet needs in this field. By offering clear guidance on safety assessment, the catalogue has the potential to drive significant improvements in patient care and safety outcomes in RO. Funded by Deutsche Krebshilfe. Registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00034690).

Decentralisation of radiation therapy. Is it possible and beneficial to patients? Experience of the first 5 years of a satellite radiotherapy unit in the province of Tarragona, Spain

BACKGROUND

The concept of satellite radiotherapy originates in countries whose populations are largely dispersed in order to treat homogenously the population by a unique fixed team.

AIM

This report describes the creation and management of a satellite radiotherapy unit in Spain (RUTE-Radiotherapy Unit, Terres de l'Ebre). It is managed by the Radiation Oncology Department at Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus. We report the benefit gained in the comfort of patients and the economic benefit gained by reducing the expense of transport for the health care system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RUTE is equipped with a linear accelerator. A team of 10 physicians, specialised in different oncology pathologies, travel to RUTE on a rotational basis from the main Radiation Oncology Department. Simulation and planning of treatment is managed at the Radiation Oncology Department in Reus. Patients from RUTE only have to visit the centre in Reus once throughout the treatment process.

RESULTS

Since August 2008, 1500 patients have completed treatment in the satellite unit. The implementation of RUTE has greatly improved the comfort of patients and along with that, there have been important savings in transport costs to the regional health care system.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the high technological requirements of our speciality, decentralising radiotherapy is feasible. We can guarantee the highest standards of treatment with no differences from attending the main centre. It implies a clear benefit for the comfort of the patients and an economic benefit by decreasing transport costs.

Wax boluses and accuracy of EBT and RTQA radiochromic film detectors in radiotherapy with the JINR Phasotron proton beam

AIM

To present the results obtained using radiochromic films EBT and RTQA 1010P for the reconstruction the dose distributions for targets irradiated by proton beam and modified by wax boluses.

BACKGROUND

In Medico-Technical Complex at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna implemented technology of wax boluses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wax boluses are easier to make and they give better dose distributions than boluses made from modeling clay previously used at our center. We irradiated two imaginary targets, one shaped as a cylinder and the other one as two cuboids. The evaluated calibration curve was used for calculation of the dose distributions measured by the EBT and RTQA radiochromic film. In both cases, the measured dose distributions were compared to the dose distributions calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). We also compared dose distributions using three different conformity indices at a 95% isodose.

RESULTS

Better target coverage and better compliance of measurements (semiconductor detectors and radiochromic films) with calculated doses was obtained for cylindrical target than for cuboidal target. The 95% isodose covered well the tumor for both target shapes, while for cuboidal target larger volume around the target received therapeutic dose, due to the complicated target shape. The use wax boluses provided to be effective tool in modifying proton beam to achieve appropriate shape of isodose distribution.

CONCLUSION

EBT film yielded the best visual matching. Both EBT and RTQA films confirmed good conformity between calculated and measured doses, thus confirming that wax boluses used to modify the proton beam resulted in good dose distributions.

Pretreatment verification of dose calculation and delivery by means of measurements with PLEXITOM™ phantom

AIM

To validate a pretreatment verification method of dose calculation and dose delivery based on measurements with Metaplex PTW phantom.

BACKGROUND

The dose-response relationships for local tumor control and radiosensitive tissue complications are strong. It is widely accepted that an accuracy of dose delivery of about 3.5% (one standard deviation) is required in modern radiotherapy. This goal is difficult to achieve. This paper describes our experience with the control of dose delivery and calculations at the ICRU reference point.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The calculations of dose at the ICRU reference point performed with the treatment planning system CMS XiO were checked by measurements carried out in the PLEXITOM™ phantom. All measurements were performed with the ion chamber positioned in the phantom, at the central axis of the beam, at depth equivalent to the radiological depth (at gantry zero position). The source-to-phantom surface distance was always set to keep the source-to-detector distance equal to the reference point depth defined in the ICRU Report 50 (generally, 100 cm). The dose was measured according to IAEA TRS 398 report for measurements in solid phantoms. The measurement results were corrected with the actual accelerator's output factor and for the non-full scatter conditions. Measurements were made for 111 patients and 327 fields.

RESULTS

The average differences between measurements and calculations were 0.03% (SD = 1.4%), 0.3% (SD = 1.0%), 0.1% (SD = 1.1%), 0.6% (SD = 1.8%), 0.3% (SD = 1.5%) for all measurements, for total dose, for pelvis, thorax and H&N patients, respectively. Only in 15 cases (4.6%), the difference between the measured and the calculated dose was greater than 3%. For these fields, a detailed analysis was undertaken.

CONCLUSION

The verification method provides an instantaneous verification of dose calculations before the beginning of a patient's treatment. It allows to detect differences smaller than 3.5%.