Joint ICTP-IAEA International Workshop on the Implementation of Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)
8-12 May 2017, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
The IAEA together with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) organized in May 2017 a Joint ICTP-IAEA International Workshop on the Implementation of Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT). The workshop was also co-sponsored by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).
The purpose of the workshop was to learn about IGRT and its application in the clinic, its relevant best practices and quality management.
IGRT is an important component in the safety and effectiveness of advanced techniques, such as intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). IGRT technology permits the verification of the positioning of the patient, allowing for immediate corrective strategies, thus helping ensure that the tumoral area to be treated is precisely targeted. Advanced IGRT techniques often include motion management and treatment gating. For the safe and effective practice of IGRT, clinical medical physicists need to have a good understanding of the application of this technique, but also knowledge of the relevant commissioning and quality assurance. Medical physicists should also have an understanding of the dose burden to patients deriving from IGRT imaging procedures.
This workshop aimed to train clinical medical physicists working in hospitals, to support a response to a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency (NRE) situation. Eighteen medical physicists were selected to attend this Workshop.
The interest in the course was extremely high: 130 applicants from 51 different Member States. Those awarded were selected on the basis of the criteria outlined in the prospectus.
The final selected participants were 54 from 40 different countries, where about half were participants coming from the Joint ICTP - University of Trieste - IAEA – Master's Programme in Medical Physics, who were already in Trieste for the programme.
The Region distribution of the participants of the course is shown in the graph below.
The workshop included a theoretical part with lecture classes and a practical part which took place at the Maggiore Hospital in Trieste, so that the participants could see the application of what was discussed in class.
The workshop was highly appreciated by the participants, as demonstrated in the feedback form.
Graph extracted from analysis of the feedback performed on the last day of the course. The rating scale ranges from 1 (weakest score) to 5 (strongest score)
The knowledge evaluation quantified the impact of the course, showing an increase in correct answers to the test: before the workshop 90% of the students passed the test, after the course that increased to 100%. Furthermore the percentage of students receiving a high grade more than doubled, passing from 33% of students with more than 75% correct answers to 70% of students. The results are shown in the graph below.
Acknowledgement
The IAEA acknowledges the financial and organisational support provided by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) for this training course, as well as the financial support of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).