A survey of clinical application of image-guided radiotherapy in North China

Abstract

Objective To conduct a survey to investigate the current status of clinical application of image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) in North China. Methods A census was performed by telephone and email from December 25, 2014 to April 25, 2015. Results In a total of 507 radiation oncology centers in North China, 64 had already purchased IGRT equipment, and 60 had already applied IGRT. A total of 3 407 staff members were involved in the application of IGRT, consisting of 1101 doctors (372 associate or full professors), 325 physicists (42 associate or full professors), 801 technicians (23 associate or full professors), 63 engineers (15 associate or full professors), and 1 117 nurses (55 associate or full professors). There were 163 devices, 91 of which were available for IGRT. The frequency and strategy in the application of IGRT varied among centers. The main components of quality assurance (QA) included spatial resolution, density resolution, uniformity, spatial distortion, consistency between imaging center and treatment center, and signal-to-noise ratio. The inspection was performed monthly. IGRT helped to reduce positioning error and improve treatment accuracy. However, it prolonged treatment duration and increased patient's exposure to radiation. The design and implementation of appropriate IGRT protocol and strategy need to be individualized. Conclusions The popularization of radiation treatment units in China is far below the world level. The current application of IGRT varies a lot among different centers. Standardized procedures need to be made to ensure the robust application and quality of IGRT. Key words: Image-guided radiation therapy; North China; Application Status