Doctoral CRP on Quality Assurance of the Physical Aspects of Advanced Technology in Radiotherapy

Closed for proposals

Project Type

Coordinated Research Project

Project Code

E24015

CRP

1464

Approved Date

19 September 2007

Status

Closed

Start Date

15 June 2008

Expected End Date

31 December 2013

Completed Date

15 January 2015

Description

Improved radiotherapy to treat curable cancers relies heavily on advanced imaging to define and locate the tumour volume, and on physical techniques to conform the radiation to it spatially and temporally. Among other techniques, doctoral candidates will investigate quality assurance in dosimetry imaging and radiotherapy delivery with small radiation fields

Objectives

The overall objective of the CRP is to enhance the capabilities of Member States to develop new techniques, methodologies, and training programmes in medical physics for advanced radiation treatment.

Specific objectives

The specific purpose of this project is to enhance the capability of Member States to implement advanced radiotherapy treatments with curative intent, such as IMRT, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) et cetera, by training a number of medical physicists at the Ph.D. level with research and clinical capability

Impact

New radiotherapy technologies are complex and therefore require a qualitative increase in the education and training of personnel using it. With the introduction of new technology, comes an increased risk of treatment errors due to that complexity. Therefore, it is essential that quality assurance and medical physics aspects of treatment modalities are understood and implemented correctly to achieve the expected clinical outcome. The CRP had a positive impact on (i) capacity building for research and development, (ii) safe and effective use of new treatment modalities through QA leading to improved patient treatment, and (iii) to improve the qualifications of medical physicists engaged in the implementation of new treatment techniques, and organization of high level medical physics educational programmes in the participating countries. The pairing of a host institution from a developing country with an agreement institution from a developed country in a doctoral programme, had a positive impact on medical physics services, teaching and research in the participating countries. This has enabled the optimised use of new treatment modalities through QA leading to improved patient treatment, and to increase the number of medical physicists engaged in the implementation of new treatment techniques, and organization of high level medical physics educational programmes in their own countries

Relevance

The scope of the work covered by the CRP remains highly relevant to the Agency's mandate to support implementation of new technology in radiotherapy and corresponding quality assurance programmes. The

CRP Publications

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2012

Description

Statistical process control analysis for patient-specific IMRT and VMAT QA

Country/Organization

Thailand /3Division of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy)

Year

2010

Publication URL

http://www.omicsonline.org/1948-5956/JCST-02-166.php

Description

A Survey on the Quality Assurance Procedures Used in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) at Indian Hospitals by Rajesh Kumar1*, S.D. Sharma1, H. I. Amols2, Y.S. Mayya1 and H. S. Kushwaha3

Country/Organization

India/Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2014

Description

Analysis of Patient Specific dosimetry quality assurance measurements in Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy: A Multi Centre Study

Country/Organization

India/Radiological Physics and Advisory Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2013

Description

Retinoblastoma external beam photon irradiation with a special ‘D’-shaped collimator: a comparison between measurements, Monte Carlo simulation and a treatment planning system calculation

Country/Organization

Spain/ Universidad de Granada

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2013

Description

A method of setting limits for the purpose of quality assurance

Country/Organization

Thailand /3Division of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2014

Description

Monte Carlo study for designing a dedicated “D”-shaped collimator used in the external beam radiotherapy of retinoblastoma patients

Country/Organization

Spain/ Universidad de Granada

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2012

Description

Retrospective analysis of linear accelerator output constancy checks using process control techniques

Country/Organization

Thailand / Division of Radiation Oncology,2 King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2013

Description

Carlo study on the structural components of a collimator used for external beam radiotherapy of retinoblastoma patients. 19 Jahreskongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie

Country/Organization

Spain/ Universidad de Granada

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal (Medical Physics)

Year

2010

Publication URL

http://online.medphys.org/resource/1/mphya6/v37/i6/p3350_s2

Description

Using Control Charts to Analyze the Patient Specific Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma IMRT QA by T Sanghangthum, S Suriyapee, S Srisatit and T Pawlicki

Country/Organization

Thailand/Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

Type

Scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal

Year

2010

Description

Influence of the multi leaf collimator step size in step & shoot IMRT prostate treatments

Country/Organization

Argentina/1Instituto de Radioterapia, Córdoba

Type

Technical report

Year

2011

Description

A method to enhance spatial resolution of a 2D ion chamber array as a filmless tool for quality control of MLC

Country/Organization

Argentina/1Instituto de Radioterapia, Córdoba

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