NEW FORMAT: IMRT and VMAT: Best practices and new trends

Explore best practices and emerging trends in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). This hybrid course is tailored for both novice and advanced clinicians, medical physicists, and radiation therapists. It aims to bring novice users up to current standards in their practices and let advanced users continuously improve by teaching them the latest trends in the field.

Our blended learning approach integrates live (streamed) interactive lectures, case review workshops, and pre-recorded lectures. The program focuses on important clinical indications, including lung, head and neck, gastrointestinal tumors, prostate, gynecological tumors, breast, brain and lymphoma. The curriculum is thematically structured and covers key technological aspects, including treatment planning, image guidance and adaptation, and treatment delivery.

Course directors

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

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)

Arjen van der Schaaf, Medical Physicist, University of Groningen, Groningen (NL)

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

Maja Vestmø Maraldo, Clinical Oncologist, Risghospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen (DK)

Local organisers

Alina Dumitrache, Expert in Medical Physics, Central Military Emergency University Hospital " Dr. Carol Davila" Bucharest (RO)

Mihai Dumitrache, Expert in Medical Physics, Central Military Emergency University Hospital " Dr. Carol Davila" Bucharest (RO)

To present and discuss:

• The scientific basis of IMRT/VMAT and highly conformal radiation techniques
• The technical aspects of treatment preparation and treatment delivery
• Dose calculation and the quality assurance process
• Inverse planning optimisation and its practical implementation
• The latest developments in IMRT/VMAT irradiation modalities
• The clinical aspects of IMRT/VMAT, including clinical outcomes, site-specific issues, normal tissue tolerance and emerging indications.
• The relationship between IMRT/VMAT and other advanced radiotherapy techniques (e.g., IGRT, SBRT and adaptive radiotherapy).
• Re-irradiation challenges: image registration, dose accumulation, constraints.
• Most impactful papers on Highly Conformal Techniques

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 practice with respect to the current standard of practice (specifically for physicists)
• Reassess their procedure in producing highly conformal treatment plans (specifically for a dosimetrists)
• Summarise the overall clinical outcomes and remaining open issues with highly conformal techniques across disease types.

Course content

• Rationale of IMRT/VMAT 
• Delivery modalities 
• Dosimetry and commissioning 
• Quality assurance 
• Imaging and contouring 
• Treatment plan optimisation
• Automated treatment planning 
• Normal tissue tolerance, dose-volume constraints 
• Impact of motion and geometrical uncertainties on IMRT/VMAT 
• Clinical case discussions 
• IGRT, SBRT and adaptive radiotherapy
• Discussion of IMRT/VMAT-specific clinical issues for Head and Neck, Breast, Lung, Gastrointestinal, Prostate, Brain, Lymphoma and Gynecological cancer
• Re-irradiation challenges

Practical demonstrations will take place on-site in close collaboration with the local staff. Three clinical cases, prepared by the participants, will be discussed in small groups with the teaching staff.

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 therapy 
• Have a general knowledge of CT-based treatment planning.

The participants will be asked to prepare a ‘homework’ based on three clinical cases sent by ESTRO. The results will be discussed in small groups during the course.

Teaching methods

• 12 hours of lectures (17 onsite and 11 pre-recorded lectures)
• 4 hours of Q&A
• 4 hours of reviewing what have be learnt
• 2 hours of practical demonstrations in a clinical department
• 2 hours of clinical case discussions

Methods of assessment

• MCQ
• Clinical case discussion
• Evaluation form
• Practical demonstrations

Ramada Plaza Bucharest

3 - 5 Poligrafiei Ave Bucharest,

1st District 013704,

Bucharest, Romania

A draft programme is available here

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2024 BEFORE registering to the course. To become an ESTRO member, benefit from the member registration rate and discover the many other member advantages, please visit the membership page.

Fees

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

The early online rate is applied until two months before the start of the course.

Late online rates are applied as of two months before the start of the course

Advance registration & payment are required.              

Registration will close on the date published on the front page of the course.
 

Cancellation

For any cancellation done by the course or workshop participant, ESTRO School Events Cancellation Policy will be followed and all stated penalty fees will be applied.

In an unlikely event that ESTRO would need to cancel the event, ESTRO will reimburse the participants in full for the registration fee.

Reduced fees

Members from emerging countries may register at a preferential rate of 350 Euro. Emerging country fee applies to individuals from low-income and lower-middle-income economies according to the World Bank listing here.

Additionally, for this teaching course, all specialties from the following countries can benefit from this preferential rate: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.  In addition, medical physicists from Cyprus can email education@estro.org to apply for this fee.

The preferential rate of 350 Euro is granted automatically when you click on the  BOOK NOW  button and the conditions below are met:

1. Only ESTRO members for 2024 are eligible (please make sure your 2024 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW button)
2. The application is submitted 3 months before the course start date.
3. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
4. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  
5. The are limited spaces available for each course in the price category. Places are granted on “first come first serve” basis.

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2024 BEFORE registering to the course. To become an ESTRO member, benefit from the member registration rate and discover the many other member advantages, please visit the membership page.

Fees

* 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.

Access to homework and/or course material will become available upon receipt of full payment.

Insurance and cancellation

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

For any cancellation made by the course or workshop participant, ESTRO School Events Cancellation Policy will be followed and all stated penalty fees will be applied. 

In the unlikely event that ESTRO would need to cancel the event, ESTRO will reimburse the participants in full for the registration fee. ESTRO will not refund any travel and accommodation expenses.

Reduced fees

Members from emerging countries may register at a preferential rate of 350 Euro. Emerging country fee applies to individuals from low-income and lower-middle-income economies according to the World Bank listing here.

Additionally, for this teaching course, all specialties from the following countries can benefit from this preferential rate: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.  In addition, medical physicists from Cyprus can email education@estro.org to apply for this fee.

The preferential rate of 350 Euro is granted automatically when you click on the  BOOK NOW  button and the conditions below are met:

1. Only ESTRO members for 2024 are eligible (please make sure your 2024 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW button)
2. The application is submitted 3 months before the course start date.
3. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
4. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  
5. The are limited spaces available for each course in the price category. Places are granted on “first come first serve” basis.