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IMRT/VMAT and Other Highly Conformal Techniques in Practice

Find out how to implement or improve the use of IMRT/VMAT and other highly conformal techniques in the clinic, while taking account of well-known clinical and technical issues, as well as the latest developments in this radiotherapy field.

The course is aimed at radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapists/dosimetrists involved in the implementation and clinical use of advanced techniques in their departments. Basic knowledge of radiation oncology and radiation physics is a prerequisite, experience in 3D conformal treatment planning will be highly beneficial. This course welcomes ‘graduates’ from the ESTRO course on Physics for Modern Radiotherapy and those who have had an equivalent training in radiotherapy. Simultaneous participation of a medical physicist and/or a clinician and/or a radiation therapist/dosimetrist from the same institute is encouraged.

FACULTY

Course director 
Mischa Hoogeman, Medical Physicist, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NL)

Co-chair 
Carmen Rubio, Radiation Oncologist, Hospital Universitario HM Sanchinarro, Madrid (ES) 

Teachers 

•    Sofie Ceberg, Medical Physicist, Skåne University Hospital, Lund (SE) 

•    Lone Hoffmann, Medical Physicist, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus (DK)

•    Eva Onjukka, Medical Physicist, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm (SE) 

•    Valentina Vanoni, Radiation Oncologist, Ospedale Santa Chiara di Trento, Trento (IT)

•    Maja Vestmø Maraldo, Radiation Oncologist, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen (DK)

 

Local organiser 
Borislava Petrovic, Medical Physicist, University of Novi Sad, Oncology Institute of Vojvodina

To present and discuss:

  • The scientific basis of IMRT/VMAT and other highly conformal radiation techniques
  • The clinical aspects of IMRT/VMAT, including clinical outcomes, site-specific issues, and normal tissue tolerance
  • The technical aspects of treatment preparation and treatment delivery
  • Dose calculation and the quality assurance process
  • Inverse planning optimisation and its practical implementation
  • IGRT and adaptive radiotherapy in relation to IMRT/VMAT
  • The latest developments in IMRT/VMAT

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants should be able to: 

  • Describe, at least in qualitative terms, the inverse treatment planning process and potential issues with all elements involved
  • List specific contouring requirements for IMRT/VMAT and, in particular for a clinician, assess the extent to which these requirements are fulfilled in their clinical practice
  • Judge/revise the appropriateness of the dose-volume-constraints used in their clinical practice with respect to the current state-of-the-art
  • Analyse/judge treatment plans with regard to applicability, safety and efficacy
  • Evaluate their dosimetry and quality assurance practice with respect to the current standard of practice (specifically for physicists)
  • Reassess their procedure in producing highly conformal treatment plans (specifically for a dosimetrist)
  • Summarise the overall clinical outcomes and remaining open issues with highly conformal techniques across disease types.

Course Content

This course is a five-day course which will start on Sunday morning with introductory lectures by the faculty  followed by on-site demonstrations showing the practical implementation of IMRT/VMAT of the hosting institute. On the second day a well-balanced mix of technical and clinical lectures will bring all participants up to speed regarding IMRT/VMAT. During the third and the fourth day lectures will be alternated with break-out sessions in which treatment plans, which are prepared by the participants at their institution, will be discussed in small groups. Vendor demonstration sessions are also part of the program. Each day will be closed by summarising and discussing the most important conclusions in an interactive way.

  • Rationale of IMRT/VMAT
  • Discussion of IMRT/VMAT-specific clinical issues for Head and Neck, Breast, Lung, Gastrointestinal, Prostate, Lymphoma and Gynaecological cancer
  • Delivery modalities for IMRT/VMAT and other highly conformal techniques
  • Dosimetry and commissioning 
  • Quality assurance 
  • Imaging and contouring 
  • Treatment plan optimization and automation
  • Normal tissue tolerance and dose-volume constraints for treatment sites
  • Predictive modelling of adverse effects
  • Impact of motion and geometrical uncertainties on IMRT 
  • IGRT and adaptive IMRT/VMAT
  • Clinical case discussions.

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course participants should: 

As a clinician: 

  • Be familiar with clinical indications for conformal radiotherapy 
  • Have a general understanding of the treatment planning process.

As a physicist: 

  • Be familiar with quality assurance measurements for conventional radiotherapy 
  • Have a general knowledge of treatment planning for 3DCRT.

As a radiation therapists and dosimetrists:

  • Be familiar with technical aspects of preparation and treatment delivery for conventional radiotherapy 
  • Have practical experience with treatment planning for 3DCRT.

Teaching Methods

  • 17 hours of lectures 
  • 3 hours of practical demonstrations in a clinical department 
  • 2 hours of software demonstration 
  • 3 hours of case discussions

Methods of Assessment

  • Interactive MCQs 
  • Clinical case discussions

 

Programme

The preliminary programme can be consulted here

Key Words

IMRT, VMAT, IGRT, target definition, tolerance doses, inverse treatment planning, dose calculation, recent IMRT developments

Venue

Sunday 30 May

Oncology Institute of Vojvodina

Put doktora Goldmana 4
21204 Sremska Kamenica
Serbia

Website: www.onk.ns.ac.rs

This institute is located at a 15 min ride from Novi Sad city. 

 

From Monday 31 May to Thursday 3 June

Sheraton Novi Sad

Polgar Andraša 1

Novi Sad, Serbia 21000

Marriott.com/BEGSI

From Belgrade airport to Novi Sad it will take half an hour drive (via highway).

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. Please note that in order to benefit from the member price, you must renew your membership for 2021 before registering to the course.To benefit from these member rates, please visit the membership page to become a member or renew your membership BEFORE proceeding with your order.

Fees

 

Early rate

Late rate

In-training members*

  500 EUR

 675 EUR

Members

  650 EUR 

 775 EUR

Non Members

  800 EUR

 900 EUR

* Members with specialty RadiationTherapist (RTT) may register at the In Training fee

Early rates are applied up to three months before the starting date of the course.

Late rates are applied three months before the starting date of the course.

The fee includes the course material, coffees, lunches, and the social event.

Advance registration & payment are required.

Since the number of participants is limited, late registrants are advised to contact the ESTRO office before payment, to inquire about availability of places. Access to homework and/or course material will become available upon receipt of full payment.

Insurance and cancellation

The organiser does not accept liability for individual medical, travel or personal insurance. Participants are strongly advised to take out their own personal insurance policies.   

In case an unforeseen event would force ESTRO to cancel the meeting, the Society will reimburse the participants fully the registration fees. ESTRO will not be responsible for the refund of travel and accommodation costs.

In case of cancellation, full refund of the registration fee minus 15% for administrative costs may be obtained up to three months before the course and 50% of the fee up to one month before the course. No refund will be made if the cancellation request is postmarked less than one month before the start of the course.

Reduced fees

ESTRO members from economically challenged countries may register at a preferential rate of 350 Euro if three conditions are met:

  1. Only ESTRO members for 2021 are eligible (please make sure your 2021 membership is in order before you apply for the reduced fees)
  2. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
  3. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  

Please note:

  • We can only guarantee a certain number of reduced fees per course
  • Application deadlines are the same as early registration fees (3 months before the course date).

 

Early deadline: 02 March 2021