Voluntary versus mechanically-induced deep inspiration breath-hold for left breast cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) protects critical organs-at-risk (OARs) for adjuvant breast radiotherapy. Guidance systems e.g.

Radiotherapy-specific quality indicators at national level: How to make it happen.

Purpose /objective: To promote best practice and quality of care, the Belgian College of Physicians for Radiotherapy Centers established a set of radiotherapy specific quality indicators for benchmarking on a national level. This paper describes the development, the collected QIs, the observed trends and the departments' evaluation of this initiative.

Material And Methods: The Donabedian approach was used, focussing on structural, process and outcome QIs.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients and Staff in Radiation Oncology Departments in Belgium: A National Survey.

COVID-19 reached Belgium in February and quickly became a major public health challenge. It is of importance to evaluate the actual impact of COVID-19 on patients and staff in Belgian radiotherapy departments (RTDs). This was evaluated through a weekly national survey sent to departments measuring key factors that were affected by the pandemic.

Feasibility and impact of national peer reviewed clinical audits in radiotherapy departments.

Purpose/objective: A national incentive brought about the instauration of systematic clinical audits of all Belgian radiotherapy departments (n = 25) from 2011 to 2015 using the International Atomic Energy Agency QUATRO (Quality Improvement Quality Assurance Team for Radiation Oncology) methodology. The impact of these audits was evaluated and the emitted recommendations originating from the audit reports were analysed to identify areas of weakness on a national basis.

Method: The QUATRO audits performed in each radiotherapy department gave rise to reports in which each department received a list of recommendations that it is free to implement.

Radiotherapy setup displacements in breast cancer patients: 3D surface imaging experience.

Aim: In this study, we intend to compare two different setup procedures for female breast cancer patients.

Background: Imaging in radiotherapy provides a precise localization of the tumour, increasing the accuracy of the treatment delivery in breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Twenty breast cancer patients who underwent whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) were selected for this study.

ESTRO ACROP guidelines for positioning, immobilisation and position verification of head and neck patients for radiation therapists.

Background And Purpose: Over the last decade, the management of locally advanced head and neck cancers (HNCs) has seen a substantial increase in the use of chemoradiation. These guidelines have been developed to assist Radiation TherapisTs (RTTs) in positioning, immobilisation and position verification for head and neck cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: A critical review of the literature was undertaken by the writing committee.

The updated ESTRO core curricula 2011 for clinicians, medical physicists and RTTs in radiotherapy/radiation oncology.

Introduction: In 2007 ESTRO proposed a revision and harmonisation of the core curricula for radiation oncologists, medical physicists and RTTs to encourage harmonised education programmes for the professional disciplines, to facilitate mobility between EU member states, to reflect the rapid development of the professions and to secure the best evidence-based education across Europe.

Material And Methods: Working parties for each core curriculum were established and included a broad representation with geographic spread and different experience with education from the ESTRO Educational Committee, local representatives appointed by the National Societies and support from ESTRO staff.

Results: The revised curricula have been presented for the ESTRO community and endorsement is ongoing.

Patient setup for PET/CT acquisition in radiotherapy planning.

PET/CT imaging modalities have been shown to be useful in the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of malignant diseases. Its inclusion into the treatment planning process is now central to modern radiotherapy practice. However, it is essential to be cognisant of the factors that are necessary in order to ensure that the acquired images are consistent with the requirements for both treatment planning and treatment delivery.

Evaluation of MVCT protocols for brain and head and neck tumor patients treated with helical tomotherapy.

Purpose: Helical tomotherapy is a modality of radiation treatment delivery which is equipped with an on-board imaging device (MVCT) allowing for daily patient set-up verification and correction in the medial-lateral (m-l), cranial-caudal (c-c), anterior-posterior (a-p) and transversal angular (roll) directions. In this study, we measured set-up deviations and evaluated different MVCT protocols for brain and head and neck (H&N) cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: The daily set-up errors of 75 H&N cancer patients immobilized with 5-point fixation thermoplastic masks and 30 brain cancer patients immobilized with 3-point fixation thermoplastic masks were detected by matching the MVCT with the treatment planning CT images.