Radiology Commons^™

Improving Handover Process For Stroke Patients Transferring From Emergency Department To Interventional Radiology: A Quality Improvement Project, Megan Buchman

Doctoral Projects

Background: A standardized handover process is needed for stroke patients transferring from the Emergency Department to Interventional Radiology.

Local Problem: Emergency Department and Interventional Radiology had different handover processes.

Methods: A quality improvement project was conducted in a large Magnet® designated midwestern health system. Participants included emergency department and interventional radiology nurses and stroke patients. Pre/post-quality and post implementation measures were obtained.

Interventions: The interventions included utilizing a standardized handover tool between departments, calling report prior to patient transfer, and turning in handover tool following stroke case to ensure compliance. Two cycles of the Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle were completed.

Results: No …

Dosimetric Comparison Of Hypofractionated Prostate Radiation With Simultaneous Integrated Boost And Conventional Fractionation With Sequential Boost, Kristina Sammon

Culminating Experience Projects

Introduction: Hypofractionated treatment delivery regimens are associated with better overall long-term disease control for prostate cancer. For patients with high-risk disease, there may be an indication for treatment of the surrounding pelvic lymph nodes for better over-all disease control. In order to achieve a hypofractionated regimen with treatment to the surrounding pelvic lymph nodes a simultaneous integrated boost technique is employed. There are concerns regarding achievability of target dose coverage and limitation of dose to the surrounding organs at risk with this fractionation.

Methods: This study is a retrospective dosimetric analysis of 7 randomly selected patients with high-risk prostate cancer. …

A Comparison Between Rectal Dose In Prostate Radiotherapy Patients Treated With Spaceoar Hydrogel Present Versus Patients Treated Without Spaceoar Hydrogel., David Desano

Culminating Experience Projects

Introduction: External beam radiation therapy is a common treatment option for prostate cancer patients with localized disease. Radiation-induced side effects associated with the rectum can impact a patient’s ability to complete treatment or affect the quality of life years after radiation treatment. Spaceoar hydrogel has been developed to reduce radiation dose to nearby pelvis structures, and therefore decreasing potential side effects.

Methods: A total of 20 patients who received definitive radiation therapy to the prostate and seminal vesicles were selected and placed into 2 groups (10 spaceoar, 10 non-spaceoar). The individuals’ age ranged from 60 to 79 years old with …

Dosimetric Effect When Treating Multiple Lesion Srs Using Vmat With And Without Jaw Tracking, Mindy Bui

Culminating Experience Projects

The main purpose of this study was to determine if jaw tracking or non-jaw tracking is the superior technique for patients with multiple brain metastasis that are treated with Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT) Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). Doses to the organs at risk (OAR) and the target volumes were analyzed using the dose volume histogram (DVH) and dose statistics for each plan. The goal of this study included analyzing the dosimetric effect on the organs at risk and the normal tissue when using jaw tracking versus non jaw tracking. The pros and cons for each technique were identified as well …

The Air Gap Effect Between A Bolus And The Skin Surface For Chest Wall Irradiation, Marisa Clark

Culminating Experience Projects

Planning technique and bolus choice are important aspects in planning chest wall irradiation (CWI). Many previous studies have tested various combinations of photon energies, electron energies, bolus types and sizes, air gaps sizes, and treatment methods. This study aims to assess the effect of smaller, clinically relevant air gap sizes on specific chest wall treatments using a variety of common bolus types. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no data was able to be collected and was instead fabricated by the researcher. Four different treatment plans were created on a phantom patient using various energies of photons (6MV and 10MV) and …

Analysis Of Ptv Margins For Vmat Treatment Of Rectal Cancers Utilizing Prone Bellyboard Device., Ben Armbuster

Culminating Experience Projects

Utilization of a bellyboard device reduces small bowel dose for patients receiving radiation therapy for rectal cancer. The reduction of small bowel dose with the bellyboard is even more significant in intensity modulated radiation therapy rectal treatments, as opposed to conventional 3D treatments. However, there is evidence of increased setup variation with prone bellyboard positioning, especially in pitch and roll. The purpose of this study is to determine the margin needed between the clinical target volume and the planning target volume to adequately account for these setup variations when planning volumetric modulated arc therapy rectal cases utilizing the bellyboard device. …

A Multiple Comparison Study That Test The Validity Of Varian’S Rapidplan For Prostate Cancer Cases Based On Models Built From Outside Institution., La'rone Reid

Culminating Experience Projects

In radiation oncology treatment planning techniques and outcomes can differ from one institution to the next. With knowledge-based planning (KBP) the experience of larger institutions could help smaller institutions who may not have the opportunity to encounter certain types of cancer cases. However, this scenario is only true if the KBP software is consistent with its algorithmic output. Varian's KBP software called Rapid Plan (RP) will be analyzed for algorithmic consistency. This study investigates the validity and consistency of RP models from two different radiation oncology institutions, and compare data to determine RP quality, and consistency when planning prostate cancer …