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Casar B, Mendez I, Gershkevitsh E, Wegener S, Jaffray D, Heaton R, Pesznyak C, Stelczer G, Bulski W, Chełminski K, Smirnov G, Antipina N, Beavis AW, Harding N, Jurković S, Hwang MS, Saiful Huq M. On dosimetric characteristics of detectors for relative dosimetry in small fields: a multicenter experimental study. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:035009. [PMID: 38091616 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad154c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Objective. In this multicentric collaborative study, we aimed to verify whether the selected radiation detectors satisfy the requirements of TRS-483 Code of Practice for relative small field dosimetry in megavoltage photon beams used in radiotherapy, by investigating four dosimetric characteristics. Furthermore, we intended to analyze and complement the recommendations given in TRS-483.Approach. Short-term stability, dose linearity, dose-rate dependence, and leakage were determined for 17 models of detectors considered suitable for small field dosimetry. Altogether, 47 detectors were used in this study across ten institutions. Photon beams with 6 and 10 MV, with and without flattening filters, generated by Elekta Versa HDTMor Varian TrueBeamTMlinear accelerators, were used.Main results. The tolerance level of 0.1% for stability was fulfilled by 70% of the data points. For the determination of dose linearity, two methods were considered. Results from the use of a stricter method show that the guideline of 0.1% for dose linearity is not attainable for most of the detectors used in the study. Following the second approach (squared Pearson's correlation coefficientr2), it was found that 100% of the data fulfill the criteriar2> 0.999 (0.1% guideline for tolerance). Less than 50% of all data points satisfied the published tolerance of 0.1% for dose-rate dependence. Almost all data points (98.2%) satisfied the 0.1% criterion for leakage.Significance. For short-term stability (repeatability), it was found that the 0.1% guideline could not be met. Therefore, a less rigorous criterion of 0.25% is proposed. For dose linearity, our recommendation is to adopt a simple and clear methodology and to define an achievable tolerance based on the experimental data. For dose-rate dependence, a realistic criterion of 1% is proposed instead of the present 0.1%. Agreement was found with published guidelines for background signal (leakage).
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Affiliation(s)
- Božidar Casar
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Ignasi Mendez
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Sonja Wegener
- University of Wuerzburg, Radiation Oncology, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Wojciech Bulski
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Andrew W Beavis
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas Harding
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Slaven Jurković
- Medical Physics Department, University Hospital Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Min-Sig Hwang
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
| | - M Saiful Huq
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Medical Physics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America
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Caruana CJ, Amos RA, Burgos D, Heukelom S, Jeremic MZ, Julkunen P, Karenauskaite V, Marcu L, Papanastasiou E, Pesznyak C. EFOMP policy statement 18: Medical physics education for the non-physics healthcare professions. Phys Med 2023; 111:102602. [PMID: 37244072 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.102602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although Medical Physics educators have historically contributed to the education of the non-physics healthcare professions, their role was not studied in a systematic manner. In 2009, EFOMP set up a group to research the issue. In their first paper, the group carried out an extensive literature review regarding physics teaching for the non-physics healthcare professions. Their second paper reported the results of a pan-European survey of physics curricula delivered to the healthcare professions and a Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) audit of the role. The group's third paper presented a strategic development model for the role, based on the SWOT data. A comprehensive curriculum development model was subsequently published, whilst plans were laid to develop the present policy statement. This policy statement presents mission and vision statements for Medical Physicists teaching non-physics users of medical devices and physical agents, best practices for teaching non-physics healthcare professionals, a stepwise process for curriculum development (content, method of delivery and assessment), and summary recommendations based on the aforementioned research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmel J Caruana
- Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Malta.
| | - Richard A Amos
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Diego Burgos
- Medical Physics Department, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio and Department of Radiology, Granada University, Granada, Spain
| | - Stan Heukelom
- Radiotherapy Department, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marija Z Jeremic
- University Clinical Center Kragujevac, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Petro Julkunen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland and Diagnostic Imaging Centre, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Loredana Marcu
- Faculty of Informatics and Science, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania; School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Emmanouil Papanastasiou
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Csilla Pesznyak
- National Institute of Oncology and Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
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Pesznyak C, Coeck M, Cizelj L, Schönfelder C, Koutsogiannins K, Visvikis D, Pavel G. ENEN# - BUILDING EUROPEAN NUCLEAR COMPETENCE THROUGH CONTINUOUS ADVANCED AND STRUCTURED EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACTIONS. Phys Med 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/s1120-1797(22)02335-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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Pesznyak C, Bazargan-Sabet B, Abdelouas A, Tuomisto F, Coeck M, Cizelj L, Pavel G. ENEN+ project: attract, retain and develop new nuclear talents beyond academic curricula. Phys Med 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/s1120-1797(22)00572-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Caruana CJ, Karenauskaite V, Mornstein V, Vano E, Pace E, Lammertsma AA, Maas AJJ, Bert C, Byrne B, Colgan N, Essers M, Isidoro J, Koniarova I, Makridou A, Pesznyak C, Rønde HS, Winiecki J. A generic curriculum development model for the biomedical physics component of the educational and training programmes of the non-physics healthcare professions. Phys Med 2021; 85:32-41. [PMID: 33964550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2021.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of the study was the construction of a generic curriculum development model for the use of biomedical physics (BMP) educators teaching the non-physics healthcare professions (HCP) in Europe. A comprehensive, qualitative cross-sectional Europe-wide survey of the curricula delivered by BMP in Faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) was carried out. Curricular content was collected from faculty web-sites, curricular documents and textbooks. The survey data was supplemented with semi-structured interviews and direct observation during onsite visits. The number of faculties studied was 118 from 67 universities spread all over Europe, whilst the number of onsite visits/interviews was 15 (geographically distributed as follows: Eastern Europe 6, North Western Europe 5, and South Western Europe 4). EU legislation, recommendations by European national medical councils, educational benchmark statements by higher education quality assurance agencies, research journals concerning HCP education and other documents relevant to standards in clinical practice and undergraduate education were also analyzed. Best practices and BMP learning outcomes were elicited from the curricular materials, interviews and documentation and these were subsequently used to construct the curriculum development model. A structured, comprehensive BMP learning outcomes inventory was designed in the format required by the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The structures of the inventory and curriculum development model make them ideally suited for use by BMP involved in European curriculum development initiatives for the HCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Caruana
- Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
| | | | - V Mornstein
- Department of Biophysics, Medical Faculty, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - E Vano
- Medical Physics, Radiology Department, School of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - E Pace
- Medical Physics, Medical Imaging Department, Mater Dei University Hospital, Msida, Malta
| | - A A Lammertsma
- Chair of EFOMP Education & Training Committee & Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - A J J Maas
- Chair of EFOMP Professional Matters Committee & Member MREC Brabant, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - C Bert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - B Byrne
- Medical Physics, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - N Colgan
- School of Physics, National University of Ireland & Medical Physics, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland
| | - M Essers
- Medical Physics and Instrumentation, Institute Verbeeten, Netherlands
| | - J Isidoro
- Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, Centro Hospitalar e Universitario de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - I Koniarova
- National Radiation Protection Institute, Department of Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - A Makridou
- Medical Physics, Thessaloniki Cancer Hospital "Theagenio", Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - C Pesznyak
- Radiotherapy Centre, National Institute of Oncology & Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - H S Rønde
- Medical Physics, Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, Aarhus Universitetshospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - J Winiecki
- Medical Physics Department, prof. Franciszek Lukaszczyk Memorial Oncology Centre & Collegium Medicum Nicholas Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland
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Casar B, Lopes MDC, Drljević A, Gershkevitsh E, Pesznyak C. Medical physics in Europe following recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Radiol Oncol 2016; 50:64-72. [PMID: 27069451 PMCID: PMC4825339 DOI: 10.1515/raon-2016-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical physics is a health profession where principles of applied physics are mostly directed towards the application of ionizing radiation in medicine. The key role of the medical physics expert in safe and effective use of ionizing radiation in medicine was widely recognized in recent European reference documents like the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (2014), and European Commission Radiation Protection No. 174, European Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert (2014). Also the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been outspoken in supporting and fostering the status of medical physics in radiation medicine through multiple initiatives as technical and cooperation projects and important documents like IAEA Human Health Series No. 25, Roles and Responsibilities, and Education and Training Requirements for Clinically Qualified Medical Physicists (2013) and the International Basic Safety Standards, General Safety Requirements Part 3 (2014). The significance of these documents and the recognition of the present insufficient fulfilment of the requirements and recommendations in many European countries have led the IAEA to organize in 2015 the Regional Meeting on Medical Physics in Europe, where major issues in medical physics in Europe were discussed. Most important outcomes of the meeting were the recommendations addressed to European member states and the survey on medical physics status in Europe conducted by the IAEA and European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics. CONCLUSIONS Published recommendations of IAEA Regional Meeting on Medical Physics in Europe shall be followed and enforced in all European states. Appropriate qualification framework including education, clinical specialization, certification and registration of medical physicists shall be established and international recommendation regarding staffing levels in the field of medical physics shall be fulfilled in particular. European states have clear legal and moral responsibility to effectively transpose Basic Safety Standards into national legislation in order to ensure high quality and safety in patient healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Advan Drljević
- University Clinical Centre Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Christofides S, Isidoro J, Pesznyak C, Cremers F, Figueira R, van Swol C, Evans S, Torresin A. The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics Policy Statement No. 10.1: Recommended Guidelines on National Schemes for Continuing Professional Development of Medical Physicists. Phys Med 2016; 32:7-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.01.480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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Gershkevitsh E, Pesznyak C, Petrovic B, Grezdo J, Chelminski K, do Carmo Lopes M, Izewska J, Van Dyk J. Dosimetric inter-institutional comparison in European radiotherapy centres: Results of IAEA supported treatment planning system audit. Acta Oncol 2014; 53:628-36. [PMID: 24164104 DOI: 10.3109/0284186x.2013.840742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE One of the newer audit modalities operated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) involves audits of treatment planning systems (TPS) in radiotherapy. The main focus of the audit is the dosimetry verification of the delivery of a radiation treatment plan for three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy using high energy photon beams. The audit has been carried out in eight European countries - Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland and Portugal. The corresponding results are presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS The TPS audit reviews the dosimetry, treatment planning and radiotherapy delivery processes using the 'end-to-end' approach, i.e. following the pathway similar to that of the patient, through imaging, treatment planning and dose delivery. The audit is implemented at the national level with IAEA assistance. The national counterparts conduct the TPS audit at local radiotherapy centres through on-site visits. TPS calculated doses are compared with ion chamber measurements performed in an anthropomorphic phantom for eight test cases per algorithm/beam. A set of pre-defined agreement criteria is used to analyse the performance of TPSs. RESULTS TPS audit was carried out in 60 radiotherapy centres. In total, 190 data sets (combination of algorithm and beam quality) have been collected and reviewed. Dosimetry problems requiring interventions were discovered in about 10% of datasets. In addition, suboptimal beam modelling in TPSs was discovered in a number of cases. CONCLUSIONS The TPS audit project using the IAEA methodology has verified the treatment planning system calculations for 3D conformal radiotherapy in a group of radiotherapy centres in Europe. It contributed to achieving better understanding of the performance of TPSs and helped to resolve issues related to imaging, dosimetry and treatment planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduard Gershkevitsh
- North Estonia Medical Centre, Department of Radiotherapy , Tallinn , Estonia
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Pesznyak C, Pócza T, Bencsik B, Major T, Ágoston P, Szabó Z, Jorgo K, Polgár C. EP-1557: Comparison of normal tissue dosimetry for 3D-CRT and IMRT techniques in prostate irradiation. Radiother Oncol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(15)31675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Pesznyak C, Sinkó D, Polgár I, Pócza T, Klinkó T, Szalai T, Weisz C, Zaránd P. 1476 poster EFFECT OF THE TABLE TOP AND IMMOBILIZER ON THE TARGET DOSE IN RADIATION THERAPY. Radiother Oncol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8140(11)71598-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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