Application of failure mode and effects analysis to intracranial stereotactic radiation surgery by linear accelerator.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze the application of the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) to intracranial stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS) by linear accelerator in order to identify the potential failure modes in the process tree and adopt appropriate safety measures to prevent adverse events (AEs) and near-misses, thus improving the process quality.

Methods And Materials: A working group was set up to perform FMEA for intracranial SRS in the framework of a quality assurance program. FMEA was performed in 4 consecutive tasks: (1) creation of a visual map of the process; (2) identification of possible failure modes; (3) assignment of a risk probability number (RPN) to each failure mode based on tabulated scores of severity, frequency of occurrence and detectability; and (4) identification of preventive measures to minimize the risk of occurrence.

Detection of setup uncertainties with 3D surface registration system for conformal radiotherapy of breast cancer.

Aim: To investigate the clinical application of a technique for patient set-up verification in breast cancer radiotherapy based on a 3D surface image registration system.

Background: Accurate and reproducible patient set-up is a prerequisite to correctly deliver fractionated radiotherapy. Various approaches are available to verify and correct patient setup for 3D image acquisition in a radiation treatment room.

Intraoperative radiotherapy during radical prostatectomy for locally advanced prostate cancer: technical and dosimetric aspects.

Purpose: To analyze the feasibility of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in patients with high-risk prostate cancer and candidates for radical prostatectomy.

Methods And Materials: A total of 38 patients with locally advanced prostate cancer were enrolled. No patients had evidence of lymph node or distant metastases, probability of organ-confined disease >25%, or risk of lymph node involvement >15% according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Nomogram.

Reproducibility of patient setup by surface image registration system in conformal radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Background: The reproducibility of patient setup for radiotherapy is based on various methods including external markers, X-rays with planar or computerized image acquisition, and, more recently, surface matching imaging. We analyzed the setup reproducibility of 16 patients affected by prostate cancer who underwent conformal radiotherapy with curative intent by using a surface image registration system.

Methods: We analyzed the setup reproducibility of 16 patients affected by prostate cancer candidates for conformal radiotherapy by using a surface image registration system.