IMRT/VMAT and Other Highly Conformal Techniques in Practice.

IMRT/VMAT and Other Highly Conformal Techniques in Practice. 24-28 mayo 2020. Módena – Bolonia (Italia).

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants should be able to:

  • Describe, at least in qualitative terms, the inverse treatment planning process and potential issues with all elements involved
  • List specific contouring requirements for IMRT/VMAT and, in particular for a clinician, assess the extent to which these requirements are fulfilled in their clinical practice
  • Judge/revise the appropriateness of the dose-volume-constraints used in their clinical practice with respect to the current state-of-the-art
  • Analyse/judge treatment plans with regard to applicability, safety and efficacy
  • Evaluate their dosimetry and quality assurance practice with respect to the current standard of practice (specifically for physicists)
  • Reassess their procedure in producing highly conformal treatment plans (specifically for a dosimetrist)
  • Summarise the overall clinical outcomes and remaining open issues with highly conformal techniques across disease types.

Course Content

This course is a five-day course which will start on Sunday morning with introductory lectures by the faculty  followed by on-site demonstrations showing the practical implementation of IMRT/VMAT of the hosting institute. On the second day a well-balanced mix of technical and clinical lectures will bring all participants up to speed regarding IMRT/VMAT. During the third and the fourth day lectures will be alternated with break-out sessions in which treatment plans, which are prepared by the participants at their institution, will be discussed in small groups. Vendor demonstration sessions are also part of the program. Each day will be closed by summarising and discussing the most important conclusions in an interactive way.

  • Rationale of IMRT/VMAT
  • Discussion of IMRT/VMAT-specific clinical issues for Head and Neck, Breast, Lung, Gastrointestinal, Prostate, Lymphoma and Gynaecological cancer
  • Delivery modalities for IMRT/VMAT and other highly conformal techniques
  • Dosimetry and commissioning
  • Quality assurance
  • Imaging and contouring
  • Treatment plan optimization and automation
  • Normal tissue tolerance and dose-volume constraints for treatment sites
  • Predictive modelling of adverse effects
  • Impact of motion and geometrical uncertainties on IMRT
  • IGRT and adaptive IMRT/VMAT
  • Clinical case discussions.

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course participants should:

As a clinician:

  • Be familiar with clinical indications for conformal radiotherapy
  • Have a general understanding of the treatment planning process.

As a physicist:

  • Be familiar with quality assurance measurements for conventional radiotherapy
  • Have a general knowledge of treatment planning for 3DCRT.

As a radiation therapists and dosimetrists:

  • Be familiar with technical aspects of preparation and treatment delivery for conventional radiotherapy
  • Have practical experience with treatment planning for 3DCRT.

Teaching Methods

  • 17 hours of lectures
  • 3 hours of practical demonstrations in a clinical department
  • 2 hours of software demonstration
  • 3 hours of case discussions

Methods of Assessment

  • Interactive MCQs
  • Clinical case discussions