A How-To Compendium for GammaPod Treatments, Clinical Workflow, and Clinical Program at an Early Adopting Institution

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Breast Cancer Treatment

Background:

• The GammaPod is a dedicated system for stereotactic radiation therapy of breast cancer.
• It offers breast immobilization, real-time imaging, and conformal dosimetry.
• Our institution was the second globally to implement this technology in 2019.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the institutional workflow for GammaPod utilization.
• To analyze observed procedure step times.
• To present homegrown techniques for enhancing GammaPod treatment efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 93 patients treated between 2019 and 2021.
• Detailed description of the GammaPod treatment workflow.
• Time-motion analysis of individual procedure steps.

Main Results:

• GammaPod is employed for various treatment regimens: 5-fraction adjuvant partial breast irradiation, single-fraction tumor boost, preoperative radiation, and definitive radiation.
• Observed procedure step times were recorded.
• Homegrown efficiency techniques were developed and implemented.

Conclusions:

• The GammaPod facilitates diverse stereotactic radiation therapy approaches for breast cancer.
• Workflow optimization and specific techniques can improve treatment efficiency.
• This experience provides valuable insights for institutions adopting GammaPod technology.