22-23 November 2025 I Tallinn, Estonia

Course report

Hello. I’m Carolina Rodrigues, a Portuguese radiation therapist who has been working in Belgium for almost three years. I have been a radiation therapist for four years, and what I love most about my profession is that I can make a difference in the daily lives of my patients.

I chose to attend this course because it was aimed exclusively at radiation therapists. Previously, I had participated in another ESTRO course, which was attended by doctors and physicists and had a more general approach.

One of the most interesting aspects of the course was that we were a small group from different countries, so we were able to exchange experiences and practices. I also appreciated that it was a practical course, giving us the opportunity to train in multiple techniques, such as thermoplastic masks and vacuum mattresses.

The course not only improved my knowledge in various subjects but also inspired me with new ideas to enhance my own and my department’s daily practice. While it will take time and effort to implement all of them, I am very excited to do so.

The course fully met my expectations. I learned new practices and discovered different ways to achieve the same outcome while treating patients with the highest possible quality of care. Additionally, I met new colleagues from other countries, with whom I have kept in touch for future information exchange.

Some of the key takeaways from the course were:

• different approaches to positioning and monitoring can achieve the same result;
• regardless of the technology available (surface guidance, MRI, 4D-imaging, etc.), good practices stem from knowledge and experience; and
• there is always room to improve our practice.

In my daily work, I plan to apply what I learned by adapting the patient’s position individually using the supports we have at our disposal. Multiple positions may be possible for the same case, depending on what is most comfortable for the patient. The approach will always be to adapt to the patient in front of me, rather than to strictly follow the file or case protocol.

I would strongly encourage anyone who has never attended an ESTRO course to join this one in the future. It is highly practical and extremely useful for daily work as a radiation therapist, especially for those involved in simulation. I was with a colleague who was attending the training for the second time, and I would gladly participate again myself. There is always more to learn, and the people you meet during the course can greatly enhance your experience.

 

 

 

Carolina Rodrigues

Radiation therapist

Institut Jules Bordet

Brussels, Belgium

c.tavaresrodrigues@hubruxelles.be