Static and rotational step-and-shoot IMRT treatment plans for the prostate: a risk comparison study.

Purpose: For certain clinical applications, rotational intensity modulated radiation therapy (R-IMRT) techniques such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are capable of improved target dose coverage and shorter delivery time when compared to static, step-and-shoot IMRT. The authors performed a risk comparison study for two standard step-and-shoot IMRT plans and two step-and-shoot Rotational IMRT plans that were designed specifically for a Siemens Primus linear accelerator.

Methods: CT images of a RANDO phantom were used to generate R-IMRT and static IMRT plans.

Quality assurance in radiotherapy: evaluation of errors and incidents recorded over a 10 year period.

Background And Purpose: To establish an incident reporting system to (1) record and classify incidents, (2) assess the impact of incidents on patients in terms of dose errors, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the quality assurance checking program implemented at the Radiation Treatment Program at the Northeastern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre (NEORCC).

Materials And Methods: An 'incident' is defined as an event or a series of events that has led to, or would have led to if undiscovered, dose errors to a patient undergoing radiation therapy treatment. The incidents reported between November 1992 and December 2002 were analyzed according to their source of error, stage of discovery and dose errors.