Quality indicators in the intensity modulated/image-guided radiotherapy era

P Gabriele; A Maggio; E Garibaldi; C Bracco; E Delmastro; D Gabriele; A Rosi; F Munoz; N Di Muzio; R Corvò; M Stasi

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2016.10.013

Quality indicators in the intensity modulated/image-guided radiotherapy era

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2016 Dec:108:52-61. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2016.10.013. Epub 2016 Nov 2.

Authors

P Gabriele¹, A Maggio², E Garibaldi³, C Bracco², E Delmastro³, D Gabriele⁴, A Rosi⁵, F Munoz⁶, N Di Muzio⁷, R Corvò⁸, M Stasi²

Affiliations

¹ Radiotherapy Department of the Candiolo Cancer Center-FPO-, IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy. Electronic address: pietro.gabriele@ircc.it.
² Medical Physics Department of the Candiolo Cancer Center-FPO-, IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.
³ Radiotherapy Department of the Candiolo Cancer Center-FPO-, IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.
⁴ Radiotherapy Unit, Sassari University, Sassari, Italy.
⁵ Physics Technologies in Biomedicine Unit, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
⁶ Radiation Oncology, TomoTherapy Unit, Hospital of Aosta, Aosta, Italy.
⁷ Department of Radiation Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
⁸ IRCCS San Martino-IST and University,Genoa, Italy.

PMID: 27931840
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2016.10.013

Abstract

Purpose: To propose new Quality Indicators (QIs) for the Intensity Modulated(IMRT)/Image-Guided(IGRT) Radiotherapy techniques.

Materials and methods: Two structure, 10 process and 2 outcome QIs were elaborated. A working group including Radiation Oncologist, Medical Physicist and Radiation Technologists was made up. A preliminary set of indicators was selected on the basis of evidenced critical issues; the criteria to identify more relevant and specific QIs for IMRT/IGRT were defined; structure, process and outcome QIs were defined. The elaborated indicators were tested in four Italian Radiotherapy Centers.

Results: Fourteen indicators were proposed. Seven indicators were completely new while a new standard is proposed for four indicators based on Validation Centers (VC) data. No change was reported for 3 indicators. The indicators were applied in the four VC. The VC considered were able to respect all indicators except indicator 2 for one Center.

Discussion and conclusion: QIs may provide useful measures of workload and service performances.

Keywords: IMRT/IGRT; Quality assurance; Quality indicators.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
Radiotherapy, Image-Guided* / methods
Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated* / methods