To investigate whether a radiographer-led radiotherapy pathway can provide an efficient service for patients requiring treatment for symptomatic skeletal metastases.

A retrospective review of 425 courses of palliative radiotherapy was conducted. Data was analysed assessing diagnosis, dose/fractionation, time from referral to treatment, gender, age, inpatient/outpatient status and referring clinic location for radiographer- and clinical oncologist-led cohorts.

Patients aged ≥70 years were more likely to be planned by radiographers (n = 162/57, p < 0·001). Patients were more likely to be treated with 8 Gy in single fraction than with 20 Gy in five fractions (n = 279/136, p = 0·012). The median referral to treatment time in 8-Gy single-fraction prescriptions was 3 days for radiographer-led versus 7 days for clinical oncologist-led cohorts. In all patients and in 20 Gy in five-fraction prescriptions, it was 4 versus 8 days. A comparison of all prescriptions (p < 0·001), 8 Gy in single-fraction (p < 0·001) and 20 Gy in five-fraction prescriptions (p = 0·001) showed radiographer-led procedures as enabling faster access to treatment in each category.

A radiographer-led service can facilitate faster access to treatment than a clinical oncologist-led pathway for an appropriately selected patient caseload.

The aim of this study was to optimise patient dose and image quality of Varian TrueBeam cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) pelvis, thorax and head and neck (H&N) images based on patient size.

An elliptical phantom of small, medium and large size was designed representative of a local population of pelvis, thorax and H&N patients. The phantom was used to establish the relationship between image noise, CT and CBCT exposure settings. Using this insight, clinical images were optimised in phases and the image quality graded qualitatively by radiographers. At each phase, the time required to match the images was recorded from the record and verify system.

Average patient diameter was a suitable metric to categorise patient size. Phantom measurements showed the power relationship between noise and CBCT exposure settings of value −0·15, −0·35 and −0·43 for thorax, pelvis and H&N, respectively. These quantitative phantom measurements provided confidence that phased variation of ~±20% in mAs should result in clinically usable images. Qualitative assessment of almost 2000 images reduced the exposure settings in H&N images by −50%, thorax images by up to −66% and pelvis images by up to −80%. These optimised CBCT settings did not affect the time required to match images.

Varian TrueBeam CBCT mAs settings have been optimised for dose and image quality based on patient size for three treatment sites: pelvis, thorax and H&N. Quantitative phantom measurements provided insight into the magnitude of change to implement clinically. The final optimised exposure settings were determined from radiographer qualitative image assessment.

This work compares dose-volume constraints (DVCs) and tumour control predictions based on the average intensity projection (AVIP) to those on each phase of the four-dimensional computed tomography.

In this prospective study plans generated on an AVIP for nine patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer were recalculated on each phase. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) metrics extracted and tumour control probabilities (TCP) were calculated. These were evaluated by Bland–Altman analysis and Pearson Correlation.

The largest difference between clinical target volume (CTV) on the individual phases and the internal CTV (iCTV) on the AVIP was seen for the smallest volume. For the planning target volume, the mean of each metric across all phases is well represented by the AVIP value. For most patients, TCPs from individual phases are representative of that on the AVIP. Organ at risk metrics from the AVIP are similar to those seen across all phases.

Utilising traditional DVH metrics on an AVIP is generally valid, however, additional investigation may be required for small target volumes in combination with large motion as the differences between the values on the AVIP and any given phase may be significant.

How groups view themselves and each other is very important in order to promote effective work practices. These views can be tribal in nature and lead to stereotyping which may affect how we communicate and act with other groups. This study primarily aims to identify how student radiographers view their own and other radiographic profession.

A survey was undertaken using the Student Stereotypes Rating Questionnaire with all radiographic training sites in England. The questionnaire was given to radiography students training as either diagnostic radiographers or therapeutic radiographers. It asked students to rate four professions: doctors, diagnostic radiographers, therapeutic radiographers and nurses on nine characteristics.

The online survey was open between February and July 2019 and elicited 233 responses. Overall, the radiography students’ perceptions of their own profession and the other non-radiography professions were generally positive; however, each radiographic profession’s view on the other radiographic professions was less favourable, the scores being significantly lower than for other professions. The professions each identified unique attributes (interpersonal skills, being a team player and independent working) that separated the professions from each other. Differences and similarities in stereotypes appeared not to change with time, although gender differences for certain attributes did exist.

Students appear to have preconceived positive stereotype of their own profession and a more negative stereotype of the other radiography profession that appears relatively stable during their training period and was unaffected by interprofessional education.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether RapidPlan (RP) could generate clinically acceptable prostate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans.

The in-house RP model was used to generate VMAT plans for 50 previously treated prostate cancer patients, with no additional optimisation being performed. The VMAT plans that were generated using the RP model were compared with the patients’ previous, manually optimised clinical plans (MP), none of which had been used for the development of the in-house RP prostate model. Differences between RP and MP in planning target volume (PTV) doses, organs at risk (OAR) sparing, monitor units (MU) and planning time required to produce treatment plans were analysed. Assessment of PTV doses was based on the conformation number (CN), homogeneity index (HI), D2%, D99% and the mean dose of the PTV. The OAR doses evaluated were the rectal V50 Gy, V65 Gy, V70 Gy and the mean dose, the bladder V65 Gy, V70 Gy and the mean dose, and the mean dose to both femurs.

D99% and mean dose of the PTV were lower for RP than for MP (p = 0·006 and p = 0·040, respectively).V50 Gy, V65 Gy and the mean dose to rectum were lower in RP than in MP (p < 0·001). V65 Gy, V70 Gy and the mean dose to bladder were lower in RP than in MP (p < 0·001). RP had enhanced the sparing of both femurs (p < 0·001) and significantly reduced the planning time to less than 5% of the time taken with MP. MU in RP was significantly higher than MP by an average of 52·5 MU (p < 0·001) and 46 out of the 50 RP plans were approved by the radiation oncologist.

This study has demonstrated that VMAT plans generated using an in-house RP prostate model in a single optimisation for prostate patients were clinically acceptable with comparable or better plan quality compared to MP. RP can add value and improve treatment planning efficiency in a high-throughput radiotherapy department through reduced plan optimisation time while maintaining consistency in the plan quality.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Canadian women. Surgery is often the first line of treatment for low-risk early stage patients, followed by adjuvant radiation therapy to reduce the risk of local recurrence and prevent metastasis after lumpectomy or mastectomy. For high-risk patients with node positive disease or are at greater risk of nodal metastasis, radiation therapy will involve treatment of the intact breast or chest-wall as well as the regional lymph nodes.

We retrospectively evaluated the treatment plans of 354 patients with breast cancer with nodes positive or were at high risk of nodal involvement treated at our cancer centre. All patients were treated with a prescription dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions to the intact breast or chest-wall and 50 Gy in 25 fractions to the supraclavicular region and, based on patient suitability and tolerance, were treated either using the deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) or free-breathing (FB) techniques.

Based on patient suitability and tolerance, 130 (36·7%) patients were treated with DIBH and 224 (63·3%) with FB techniques. There were 169 (47·7%) patients treated with intact breast, whereas 185 (52·3%) were treated for post-mastectomy chest-wall. The mean PTV_eval V92%, V95%, V100% and V105% for all patients are 99·4 ± 0·7, 97·6 ± 1·6, 74·8 ± 7·9 and 1·5 ± 3·2%, respectively. The mean ipsilateral lung V10Gy, V20Gy and V30Gy are 30·0 ± 5·3, 22·4 ± 4·7 and 18·4 ± 4·3% for intact breast and 30·9 ± 5·8, 23·5 ± 5·4 and 19·4 ± 5·0% for post-mastectomy patients with FB, respectively. The corresponding values for patients treated using DIBH are 26·3 ± 5·9, 18·9 ± 5·0 and 15·6 ± 4·7% for intact breast and 27·5 ± 6·5, 20·6 ± 5·7 and 17·1 ± 5·2% for post-mastectomy patients, respectively. The mean heart V10Gy, V20Gy, is 1·8 ± 1·7, 0·9 ± 1·0 for intact breast and 3·1 ± 2·2, 1·7 ± 1·6 for post-mastectomy patients with FB, respectively. The corresponding values with the DIBH are 0·5 ± 0·7, 0·1 ± 0·4 for intact breast and 1·1 ± 1·4, 0·4 ± 0·7 for post-mastectomy patients, respectively.

The use of 3 and/or 4 field hybrid intensity-modulated radiation therapy technique for radiation therapy of high-risk node positive breast cancer patients provides an efficient and reliable method for achieving superior dose uniformity, conformity and homogeneity in the breast or post-mastectomy chest-wall volume with minimal doses to the organs at risk. The development and implementation of a consistent treatment plan acceptability criteria in radiotherapy programmes would establish an evaluation process to define a consistent, standardised and transparent treatment path for all patients that would reduce significant variations in the acceptability of treatment plans.

To investigate the impact of intra-fractional motion on dose distribution in patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for lung cancer.

Twenty patients who had undergone IMRT for non-small cell lung cancer were selected for this retrospective study. For each patient, a four-dimensional computed tomography (CT) image set was acquired and clinical treatment plans were developed using the average CT. Dose distributions were then recalculated for each of the 10 phases of respiratory cycle and combined using deformable image registration to produce cumulative dose distributions that were compared with the clinical treatment plans.

Intra-fractional motion reduced planning target volume (PTV) coverage in all patients. The median reduction of PTV covered by the prescription isodose was 3·4%; D98 was reduced by 3·1 Gy. Changes in the mean lung dose were within ±0·7 Gy. V20 for the lung increased in most patients; the median increase was 1·6%. The dose to the spinal cord was unaffected by intra-fractional motion. The dose to the heart was slightly reduced in most patients. The median reduction in the mean heart dose was 0·22 Gy, and V30 was reduced by 2·5%. The maximum dose to the oesophagus was also reduced in most patients, by 0·74 Gy, whereas V50 did not change significantly. The median number of points in which dose differences exceeded 3%/3 mm was 6·2%.

Intra-fractional anatomical changes reduce PTV coverage compared to the coverage predicted by clinical treatment planning systems that use the average CT for dose calculation. Doses to organs at risk were mostly over-predicted.

Commissioning of a new planning system involves extensive data acquisition which can be onerous involving significant clinic downtime. This could be circumvented by extracting data from existing treatment planning system (TPS) to speed up the process.

In this study, commissioning beam data was obtained from a clinically commissioned TPS (Pinnacle™) using Matlab™ generated Pinnacle™ executable scripts to commission an independent 3D dose verification TPS (Eclipse™). Profiles and output factors for commissioning as required by Eclipse™ were computed on a 50 × 50 × 50 cm3 water phantom at a dose grid resolution of 2 mm3. Verification doses were computed and compared to clinical TPS dose profiles based on TG-106 guidelines. Standard patient plans from Pinnacle™ including intensity modulated radiation therapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy were re-computed on Eclipse™ TPS while maintaining the same monitor units. Computed dose was exported back to Pinnacle for comparison with the original plans. This methodology enabled us to alleviate all ambiguities that arise in such studies.

Profile analysis using in-house software showed that for all field sizes including small multi-leaf collimator-generated fields, >95% of infield and penumbra data points of Eclipse™ match Pinnacle™ generated and measured profiles with 2%/2 mm gamma criteria. Excellent agreement was observed in the penumbra regions, with >95% of the data points passing distance to agreement criteria for complex C-shaped and S-shaped profiles. Dose volume histograms and isodose lines of patient plans agreed well to within a 0·5% for target coverage.

Migration of TPS is possible without compromising accuracy or enduring the cumbersome measurement of commissioning data. Economising time for commissioning such a verification system or for migration of TPS can add great QA value and minimise downtime.

Lung tumours, especially those in the lower lobes, can move a lot during respiration; this motion needs to be accounted for during radiotherapy. In cases where 4D CT simulation scans are not performed, the current protocol at our centre is to apply a generic (internal motion + setup) margin of 0·70 cm in the axial plane and 1·20 cm in the longitudinal plane to all lung tumours, regardless of location. We analyse the tumour motions of a cohort of our local patients and categorise them into different locations in the lung. We seek to assess the adequacy of the current margins and to derive a more accurate set of standard margins which are specific for lung tumour locations.

All cases of lung tumours treated with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy between 2012 and 2016 were identified retrospectively and 4D CT scan data analysed. These tumours were grouped into the following locations: upper zone (UZ), middle zone (MZ) and lower zone (LZ). The treatment planning system was used to generate the displacements of the centre of mass of the tumours in the right–left, anterior–posterior and superior–inferior axes; these were compared with the current generic margins. Median displacements were calculated for each axis in each location. New planning target volume (PTV) margins were derived by summing the median displacement, median absolute deviation (MAD) and 0·5 cm (for setup error).

Sixty-three cases were eligible for analyses. Motion in the superior–inferior direction was the greatest for all tumour locations, ranging from a median of 0·17 cm (MAD 0·12 cm) in UZ to 0·77 cm (MAD 0·27 cm) in LZ. Median tumour displacements in the anterior–posterior and right–left axes were similar for all locations, <0·30 and 0·20 cm, respectively. The current generic margins were adequate for only one-third of the cases in this study. A new PTV margin of 2·10 cm in the superior–inferior axis may be required for LZ tumours, while an additional 1–2 mm should be added to the current radial margins.

The current generic margins are inadequate for the majority of cases. Tumour motion is the greatest in LZ in the superior–inferior axis. Motion mitigation strategies are essential for large LZ tumours.

Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) is a serious condition requiring urgent palliative radiotherapy to alleviate symptoms and avoid permanent paralysis. This audit compares the number of patients treated for MSCC before and during Covid-19, their treatment regimes and 30-day mortality rates to assess if the pandemic affected the treatment and the number of patients referred for palliative radiotherapy.

A retrospective audit was performed (July–December 2019) and 101 patients were treated for MSCC, an average of 17 patients per month. A further audit was undertaken during Covid-19 (March–May 2020) and 36 patients were treated for MSCC, an average of 12 patients per month in this shorter cohort.

The results have demonstrated fewer patients presenting during the pandemic and this may be due to patients not wishing to utilise the National Health Service (NHS) during this time. It also highlighted the need to reduce the treatment duration to minimise hospital attendance and lessen the potential for exposure to Covid-19.

Educating patients at risk of MSCC is essential and all cancer patients should be counselled on symptoms and what to do if they occur. Ensuring clinicians know the warning signs and the referral pathway for MSCC is also key to ensure early presentation and early referral for treatment.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is indispensable for treatment planning in prostate radiotherapy (PR). Registration of MRI when compared to planning CT (pCT) is prone to uncertainty and this is rarely reported. In this study, we have compared three different types of registration methods to justify the direct use of MRI in PR.

Thirty patients treated for PR were retrospectively selected for this study and all underwent both CT and MRI. The MR scans were registered to the pCT using markers, focused and unfocussed methods and their registration are REGM, REGF, and REGNF, respectively. Registration comparison is done using the translational differences of three axes from the centre-of-mass values of gross tumour volume (GTV) generated using MRI.

The average difference in all three axes (x, y, z) is (1, 2·5, 2·3 mm) and (1, 3, 2·3 mm) for REGF-REFNF and REGF-REGM, respectively. MR-based GTV Volume is less in comparison to CT-based GTV and it is significantly different (p < 0·001).

Image registration uncertainty is unavoidable for a regular CT–MR workflow. Additional planning target volume margin ranging from 2 to 3mm could be avoided if MR-only workflow is employed. This reduction in the margin is beneficial for small tumours treated with hypofractionation.

In many countries, there is a skills gap in proton therapy with many staff unprepared to work with the new technology. The new Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) proton module provides learners with a simulated proton machine 3D environment. This project aimed to evaluate the role of VERT in training the radiotherapy workforce for the future use of protons.

A practical teaching session using VERT was deployed after a traditional teaching session had provided basic knowledge. A questionnaire deployed before and after VERT enabled comparison of knowledge while a combination of Likert and open questions gathered participant feedback concerning the initiative.

A total of 38 students provided evaluation of the session. Overall, there were high levels of satisfaction and enjoyment with 35 participants reporting enjoyment and 36 indicating that the event be repeated.

Participants felt that they had learned from the experience, although quantitative data lacked statistical significance to demonstrate this. All participants agreed that VERT had provided improved understanding of proton dose deposition arising from visualisation of beams and dose deposition. Most participants agreed that the simulation was realistic and that it had improved their understanding. Feedback in relation to future sessions concerned smaller group sizes, more patient cases, more time and additional clinical datasets.

A proton simulation module has been shown to be an enjoyable teaching tool that improves students’ confidence in their knowledge of the underpinning theory and clinical usage of the modality. Learners felt better prepared to encounter protons in clinical practice. Future work will build on these findings using smaller group work and a more robust assessment tool to identify long-term impact of the training.

To compare tumour dose distribution, conformality, homogeneity, normal tissue avoidance, tumour control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) using 3D conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), 3- and 4-field intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Twenty-four patients staged T1–3N+M0 with locally advanced rectal cancer underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Four different radiotherapy plans were prepared for each patient: 3DCRT, 3- and 4-field IMRT and VMAT are evaluated for target distribution using CI and homogeneity index (HI), normal tissue avoidance using Dmax, V45, V40, V50 and TCP and NTCP using the Lyman–Kutcher–Burman model.

VMAT has better HI (HI = 1·32) and 3DCRT exhibited better conformality (CI = 1·05) than the other radiotherapy techniques. With regard to normal tissue avoidance, all radiotherapy plans met the constraints. Dmax in the 3DCRT plans was statistically significant (p = 0·04) for bladder and no significant differences in V40 and V50. In the bowel bag, no significant differences in Dmax for any radiotherapy plan and V40 was lower in 3DCRT than VMAT (p = 0·024). In the case of femoral heads, 3DCRT has a statistically significant lower dose on Dmax than 4-field IMRT (p = 0·00 « 0·05). VMAT has the biggest TCP (80·76%) than the other three radiotherapy plans. With regard to normal tissue complications, probabilities were shown to be very low, of the order of 10-14 and 10-41 for bowel bag and femoral heads respectively.

It can be concluded that 3DCRT plan improves conformity and decreases radiation sparing in the organ at risks, but the VMAT plan exhibits better homogeneity and greater TCP.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and sensitivity of the Varian portal dosimetry (PD) system as a quality assurance (QA) tool for breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans.

Four hundred portal dose images from 200 breast cancer patient IMRT treatment plans were analysed. The images were obtained using Varian PortalVision electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) on Varian TrueBeam Linacs. Three patient plans were selected, and the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) positions were randomly altered by a mean of 0·5, 1, 1·5 and 2 mm with a standard deviation of 0·1 mm on 50, 75 and 100% of control points. Using the improved/global gamma calculation algorithm with a low-dose threshold of 10% in the EPID, the change in gamma passing rates for 3%/3 mm, 2%/2 mm and 1%/1 mm criterion was analysed as a function of the introduced error. The changes in the dose distributions of clinical target volume and organ at risk due to MLC positioning errors were also analysed.

Symmetric and asymmetric breast or chest wall plan fields are different in delivery as well as in the QA. An average gamma passing rate of 99·8 ± 0·5 is presented for 3%/3 mm symmetric plans and 96·9 ± 4·5 is presented for 3%/3 mm asymmetric plans. An average gamma passing rate of 98·4 ± 4·3 is presented for 2%/2 mm symmetric plans and 89·7 ± 9·5 is presented for 2%/2 mm asymmetric plans. A large-induced error in MLC positioning (2·0 mm, 100% of control points) results in an insignificant change in dose that would be delivered to the patient. However, EPID portal dosimetry is sensitive enough to detect even the slightest change in MLC positioning error (0·5 mm, 50% of control points).

Stricter pre-treatment QA action levels can be established for breast IMRT plans utilising EPID. For improved sensitivity, a multigamma criteria approach is recommended. The PD tool is sensitive enough to detect MLC positioning errors that contribute to even insignificant dose changes.

A comprehensive analysing method has been required since long in the field of radiotherapy. The basic purpose of all techniques has been to deliver the prescribed dose safely to the target volume containing tumour and as well as to reduce dose to organs at risk (OARs). The detailed comparison between different treatment techniques is very difficult and inexplicit as well. The gradual improvement in imaging software has made easy to users to assess spatial arrangement of tumour, critical organs and isodose lines in the form of a single 3D representation that can be observed from all angles. The conformity index (CI) alone cannot provide practical information about treatment plans as it is a single isodose line quantity.

The aim of this study was to develop a new method to assess the degree of damage numerically for OARs along with CI assessment for the target.

The radiotherapy plans of 30 patients of different sites, diagnosed as cancer, were selected for this study irrespective of gender. Out of 30 cases, 8 plans were of head and neck, 2 were of glyoblastoma (GBM), 10 were of pelvis, 5 were of left breast and other 5 were of oesophagus cancer. The mean age was 42 years ranging from 31 to 72 years. Patient’s consents were taken before starting the treatment and carried out this research. Risk factor (RF) for OARs depends on volume of irradiation (VVOI), total volume of the organ (VTVO) and tolerance dose (DTDO). All radiotherapy plans (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)) were generated using eclipse planning system, version 11.0 (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, California, USA).

The formula developed to assess degree of damage of OARs including CI of the target is risk factor conformity index (RFC) = CI + RF. In head and neck cases, for right parotid, the maximum value of RF is 1·50 and minimum value is observed as 0·97. Optic nerve, brainstem and spinal cord are completely safe as their RF values are found to be 0 on RF scale.

RFC is a comprehensive evaluation tool encompassing a wider range of clinically relevant parameters, isodose volumes and tolerance dose of OARs. It is an advance analysing method to check both the qualitative and quantitative nature of a conformal plan, and at the same time, it assesses the degree of damage of OARs.

If RF ≥ 1, then OAR will be completely damaged as a result of irradiation.

If RF = 0, then OAR will remain safe totally during the course of irradiation.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients may have anatomical variations during their radiotherapy treatment course. In this study, we determine the daily accumulated dose by the deformable image registration (DIR) process for comparing with the planned dose and explore the number of fractions which the daily accumulated dose significantly changed from the planned dose.

The validation of the DIR process in MIM software has been tested. One hundred and sixty-five daily megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) images of NPC patients who were treated by helical tomotherapy were exported to MIM software to determine the daily accumulated dose and then compared with the planned dose.

The MIM software illustrated the acceptable validation for clinical application. The accumulated dose (D50%) of the planning target volume (PTV70) showed a decrease from the planned dose with an average of 0.5 ± 0.27% at the end of the treatment and was significantly different from the planned dose after the second fraction of the treatment (p-value = 0.008). In contrast, the accumulated dose of organ at risk (OAR) tended to increase from the planned dose and was significantly different after the fifth fraction (left parotid), the twelfth fraction (right parotid) and the second fraction (spinal cord).

The inter-fractional anatomic changes cause the actual dose to be different from the planned dose. The dose differences and the number of fractions were varied in each target and OAR. The dose accumulation explored the necessary information for the radiation oncologist to consider adaptive treatment strategies to increase the efficiency of treatment.