Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency

Antonio L. Damato; Phillip M. Devlin; Mandar S. Bhagwat; Ivan Buzurovic; Scott Friesen; Jorgen L. Hansen; Larissa J. Lee; Christina Molodowitch; Paul L. Nguyen; Desmond A. O'Farrell; Akila N. Viswanathan; Christopher L. Williams; Joseph H. Killoran; Robert A. Cormack

doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency

Antonio L. Damato, Phillip M. Devlin, Mandar S. Bhagwat, Ivan Buzurovic, Scott Friesen, Jorgen L. Hansen, Larissa J. Lee, Christina Molodowitch, Paul L. Nguyen, Desmond A. O'Farrell, Akila N. Viswanathan, Christopher L. Williams, Joseph H. Killoran, Robert A. Cormack

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background and purpose To compare the pre-treatment brachytherapy plan verification by a physicist assisted by custom plan verification software (SAV) with those performed manually (MV).

Materials and methods All HDR brachytherapy plans used for treatment in 2013, verified using either SAV or MV, were retrospectively reviewed. Error rate (number of errors/number of plans) was measured and verification time calculated. All HDR brachytherapy safety events recorded between 2010 and 2013 were identified. The rate of patient-related safety events (number of events/number of fractions treated) and the impact of SAV on the underlying errors were assessed.

Results Three/106 errors (2.8%) were found in the SAV group and 24/273 (8.8%) in the MV group (p = 0.046). The mean ±1 standard deviation plan verification time was 8.4 ± 4.0 min for SAV and 11.6 ± 5.3 for MV (p = 0.006). Seven safety events out of 4729 fractions delivered (0.15%) were identified. Four events (57%) were associated with plan verification and could have been detected by SAV.

Conclusions We found a safety event rate in HDR brachytherapy of 0.15%. SAV significantly reduced the number of undetected errors in HDR treatment plans compared to MV, and reduced the time required for plan verification.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	420-424
Number of pages	5
Journal	Radiotherapy and Oncology
Volume	113
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015
State	Published - Dec 1 2014
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Brachytherapy
Errors
Plan verification

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Hematology
Oncology
Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Access to Document

10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

Cite this

Damato, A. L., Devlin, P. M., Bhagwat, M. S., Buzurovic, I., Friesen, S., Hansen, J. L., Lee, L. J., Molodowitch, C., Nguyen, P. L., O'Farrell, D. A., Viswanathan, A. N., Williams, C. L., Killoran, J. H., & Cormack, R. A. (2014). Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 113(3), 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

Damato, AL, Devlin, PM, Bhagwat, MS, Buzurovic, I, Friesen, S, Hansen, JL, Lee, LJ, Molodowitch, C, Nguyen, PL, O'Farrell, DA, Viswanathan, AN, Williams, CL, Killoran, JH & Cormack, RA 2014, 'Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency', Radiotherapy and Oncology, vol. 113, no. 3, pp. 420-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

@article{14791d71ec4746dc80e8c704bb245164,

title = "Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency",

abstract = "Background and purpose To compare the pre-treatment brachytherapy plan verification by a physicist assisted by custom plan verification software (SAV) with those performed manually (MV).Materials and methods All HDR brachytherapy plans used for treatment in 2013, verified using either SAV or MV, were retrospectively reviewed. Error rate (number of errors/number of plans) was measured and verification time calculated. All HDR brachytherapy safety events recorded between 2010 and 2013 were identified. The rate of patient-related safety events (number of events/number of fractions treated) and the impact of SAV on the underlying errors were assessed.Results Three/106 errors (2.8%) were found in the SAV group and 24/273 (8.8%) in the MV group (p = 0.046). The mean ±1 standard deviation plan verification time was 8.4 ± 4.0 min for SAV and 11.6 ± 5.3 for MV (p = 0.006). Seven safety events out of 4729 fractions delivered (0.15%) were identified. Four events (57%) were associated with plan verification and could have been detected by SAV.Conclusions We found a safety event rate in HDR brachytherapy of 0.15%. SAV significantly reduced the number of undetected errors in HDR treatment plans compared to MV, and reduced the time required for plan verification.",

keywords = "Brachytherapy, Errors, Plan verification",

author = "Damato, {Antonio L.} and Devlin, {Phillip M.} and Bhagwat, {Mandar S.} and Ivan Buzurovic and Scott Friesen and Hansen, {Jorgen L.} and Lee, {Larissa J.} and Christina Molodowitch and Nguyen, {Paul L.} and O'Farrell, {Desmond A.} and Viswanathan, {Akila N.} and Williams, {Christopher L.} and Killoran, {Joseph H.} and Cormack, {Robert A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.",

year = "2014",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "113",

pages = "420--424",

journal = "Radiotherapy and Oncology",

issn = "0167-8140",

publisher = "Elsevier Ireland Ltd",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Independent brachytherapy plan verification software

T2 - Improving efficacy and efficiency

AU - Damato, Antonio L.

AU - Devlin, Phillip M.

AU - Bhagwat, Mandar S.

AU - Buzurovic, Ivan

AU - Friesen, Scott

AU - Hansen, Jorgen L.

AU - Lee, Larissa J.

AU - Molodowitch, Christina

AU - Nguyen, Paul L.

AU - O'Farrell, Desmond A.

AU - Viswanathan, Akila N.

AU - Williams, Christopher L.

AU - Killoran, Joseph H.

AU - Cormack, Robert A.

PY - 2014/12/1

Y1 - 2014/12/1

N2 - Background and purpose To compare the pre-treatment brachytherapy plan verification by a physicist assisted by custom plan verification software (SAV) with those performed manually (MV).Materials and methods All HDR brachytherapy plans used for treatment in 2013, verified using either SAV or MV, were retrospectively reviewed. Error rate (number of errors/number of plans) was measured and verification time calculated. All HDR brachytherapy safety events recorded between 2010 and 2013 were identified. The rate of patient-related safety events (number of events/number of fractions treated) and the impact of SAV on the underlying errors were assessed.Results Three/106 errors (2.8%) were found in the SAV group and 24/273 (8.8%) in the MV group (p = 0.046). The mean ±1 standard deviation plan verification time was 8.4 ± 4.0 min for SAV and 11.6 ± 5.3 for MV (p = 0.006). Seven safety events out of 4729 fractions delivered (0.15%) were identified. Four events (57%) were associated with plan verification and could have been detected by SAV.Conclusions We found a safety event rate in HDR brachytherapy of 0.15%. SAV significantly reduced the number of undetected errors in HDR treatment plans compared to MV, and reduced the time required for plan verification.

AB - Background and purpose To compare the pre-treatment brachytherapy plan verification by a physicist assisted by custom plan verification software (SAV) with those performed manually (MV).Materials and methods All HDR brachytherapy plans used for treatment in 2013, verified using either SAV or MV, were retrospectively reviewed. Error rate (number of errors/number of plans) was measured and verification time calculated. All HDR brachytherapy safety events recorded between 2010 and 2013 were identified. The rate of patient-related safety events (number of events/number of fractions treated) and the impact of SAV on the underlying errors were assessed.Results Three/106 errors (2.8%) were found in the SAV group and 24/273 (8.8%) in the MV group (p = 0.046). The mean ±1 standard deviation plan verification time was 8.4 ± 4.0 min for SAV and 11.6 ± 5.3 for MV (p = 0.006). Seven safety events out of 4729 fractions delivered (0.15%) were identified. Four events (57%) were associated with plan verification and could have been detected by SAV.Conclusions We found a safety event rate in HDR brachytherapy of 0.15%. SAV significantly reduced the number of undetected errors in HDR treatment plans compared to MV, and reduced the time required for plan verification.

KW - Brachytherapy

KW - Errors

KW - Plan verification

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84915764251&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84915764251&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

DO - 10.1016/j.radonc.2014.09.015

M3 - Article

C2 - 25458129

AN - SCOPUS:84915764251

SN - 0167-8140

VL - 113

SP - 420

EP - 424

JO - Radiotherapy and Oncology

JF - Radiotherapy and Oncology

IS - 3

ER -

Independent brachytherapy plan verification software: Improving efficacy and efficiency

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this