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Radiographer-led plan selection for bladder cancer radiotherapy: initiating a training programme and maintaining
H A McNair1, S Hafeez, H Taylor
11 Department of Radiotherapy, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
The British Journal of Radiology
|January 8, 2015
Summary
A training program successfully enabled radiographers to confidently select daily radiotherapy plans for bladder cancer patients. This approach maintained high-quality treatment over three years through continuous assessment.
Area of Science:
- Radiation Oncology
- Medical Imaging
- Radiography
Background:
- Implementing daily radiotherapy planning for bladder cancer requires precise decision-making.
- Competency in selecting planning target volumes (PTVs) is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and assess a training program for radiographer-led selection of the daily radiotherapy plan.
- To ensure and maintain competency in this technique for bladder cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Cone beam CT (CBCT) images were used to assess baseline competency.
- A training program was implemented, followed by PTV selection on patient images.
- Post-implementation review and a 3-year audit assessed ongoing quality.
Main Results:
- Initial concordance was 73%; post-training improved from 66% to 76%.
- Independent review achieved 91% concordance, with a 92% concordance in the 3-year audit.
- Six radiographers and two clinicians completed the training.
Conclusions:
- Radiographer-led daily plan selection is feasible and effective for bladder cancer radiotherapy.
- The training program successfully established and sustained competency.
- Quality of care was maintained over a three-year period.
