Accurate method for evaluating the duration of the entire radiotherapy process

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Accurate radiotherapy workflow management is crucial for timely cancer patient treatment.
• High-precision radiotherapy devices necessitate precise time evaluation of treatment processes.
• Real-time data are vital for enhancing radiotherapy quality and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an accurate and reliable method for evaluating the total duration of the radiotherapy process.
• To utilize real-time measurement data for precise time evaluation.
• To improve the quality and efficiency of radiotherapy delivery.

Main Methods:

• Real-time measurement of 17,620 cancer patients' radiotherapy experiences.
• Division of the radiotherapy process into five sequential core modules.
• Automatic recording of module start/stop times using MOSAIQ software for duration calculation and analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in treatment time were observed based on tumor site.
• The findings offer a practical reference for optimizing treatment modules and appointment scheduling.
• Over 60% of cancer patients' total treatment time has the potential for reduction.

Conclusions:

• A reliable method for evaluating radiotherapy protocol duration was successfully established.
• The study provides a clear pathway for improving future radiotherapy workflow management.
• Enhancements in appointment systems can be guided by these findings.