Prospective monitoring of standardized radiotherapy compliance

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

8-17-2022

Publication Title

Med Phys

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the usage of standardized radiotherapy protocol compliance software and its ability to assess adherence to institutional protocols in prospective use. Methods: An automated protocol compliance software tool based on the AAPM Task Group 275 and 263 recommendations has been previously developed, validated, and published [1] for a prostate cancer patient cohort and is used prospectively. This work demonstrates compliance adherence prospectively compared to a published cohort. Results: Since February 2020, 112 plans underwent prospective use with the automated protocol compliance software, with a mean pass rate (standard deviation) of 92.3% (6.5%) and mean fail rate (standard deviation) of 6.7% (6.0%), compared to 92.3% (6.1%) and 6.0% (5.8%) in a previous cohort (n = 58). Patient Assessment, Simulation, and Treatment Planning accounted for 8.7%, 0.4%, and 91.0% of failures, respectively, compared to the previous cohort at 2.6%, 0.0%, 97.4%. Contouring checks predominated Treatment Planning failures for both cohorts at 33.3% and 39.3%. Iterative use of this tool demonstrated a mean pass rate improvement of 0.8% (61 plans underwent multiple iterations, with mean pass rates of 94.3% (4.5%) and 95.1% (4.1%) for first and final iterations). Conclusion: The prospective use of the protocol compliance framework shows sustained ability to maintain protocol compliance adherence. The persistence of high failure rates in contouring can be primarily attributed to non-compliance with TG 263 nomenclature. Continued education and tighter feedback loops with clinicians can improve further compliance.

Volume

49

Issue

8

First Page

5648

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