Course Directors

Esther Troost, Radiation Oncologist , TU Dresden, Dresden (DE)

Ben Vanneste, Radiation Oncologist, MAASTRO Clinic (NL)

Teachers 

•    Maria Antoinetta Gambacorta, Radiation Oncologist, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome (IT) 
•    Indira Madani, Radiation Oncologist, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich (CH) 
•    Verena Plodeck, Radiologist, TU Dresden, Dresden (DE) 
•    Peter Remeijer, Physicist, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (NL) 
•    Pierfrancesco Franco, Radiation Oncologist, University of Turin (IT) 
•    Ben Vanneste, Radiation Oncologist, MAASTRO Clinic (NL)

This course aims to:

• Make understandable the principles and limitations of different imaging modalities utilised for target volume definition (TVD) such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) 
• Present the need for TVD and planning nomenclatures for primary tumour, nodal regions and organs-at-risk 
• Provide appreciation for the limitations of current imaging modalities for TVD and review “state-of-the-art” imaging modalities for TVD 
• Explore the use of functional and molecular imaging in TVD for biological targets and their use in radiotherapy 
• Review the diagnostic imaging and therapy interface for image registration, deformation and verification as well as margin determination.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Have a comprehensive understanding of all parts of the planning process and also plan evaluation for intensity modulated radiotherapy (both stepand-shoot IMRT and VMAT)
• Increase accuracy as well as effectiveness in the planning process
• Understand the basis for comparing different plans for the same case
• Understand the problem of competing priorities in planning
• Appreciate the concept of plan optimisation.

Course Content

• Broadening the therapeutic band width
• Dose calculation algorithms and their differences in clinical impact
• Applying ICRU in treatment planning
• Non-IMRT planning – from simple to complex
• Relationships between 3D dose distributions and clinical toxicities, chest, head and neck, pelvis
• Rationale behind IMRT Practical guidelines for both step-and-shoot
• IMRT and VMAT planning
• Physical and biological optimisation
• Pareto fronts in clinical practice
• Geometric uncertainties and how to deal with them
• Molecular imaging in treatment planning
• Adaptive planning strategies
• Library planning, dose painting planning, robust and probabilistic planning.

TP Systems

Monaco, Pinnacle3, RayStation, Eclipse and TomoTherapy 

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course participants should:

• Have at least two years experience of radiotherapy planning
• Understand the ICRU definitions of GTV, CTV and PTV
• Understand the relationship between target dose and organs at risk.

Teaching Methods

• 19 hours of lectures
• 9 hours of practical workshops
• 4 hours of case discussions.

Methods of Assessment

• MCQ  
• Evaluation form.

Affiliations 

Here is a draft version of the course programme.  ESTRO keeps the right to change the programme at any time. Possible changes might be the date and time for the precourse webinar and the faculty composition

Vienna House Diplomat Prague

Evropska 15

16041 Prague

Czech Republic

https://www.viennahouse.com/en/diplomat-prague/the-hotel/overview.html

Vienna House Diplomat Prague is offering course participants accommodation from €125 a night at the hotel.  The hotel is where the course will be held.

The reservation is done between the participant and Vienna House Diplomat.  ESTRO is not involved in the reservation booking.

Reservation link: ESTRO 2023.  To change the dates, click on the Check In date at the top and choose the correct dates for you.

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2023 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.

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

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, all specialties from the following countries can benefit from this preferential rate: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, 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 three conditions below are met:

1. Only ESTRO members for 2023 are eligible (please make sure your 2023 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW  button)
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).