Course Director

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

Teachers 

•    Stefan Delorme, Radiologist, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg (DE) 
•    Maria Antoinetta Gambacorta, Radiation Oncologist, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome (IT) 
•    Sarah Jefferies, Radiation Oncologist, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge (UK) 
•    Martina Kunze-Busch, Physicist, UMC St Radboud Nijmegen (NL) 
•    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.

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.

Progamme is avalable 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

Reduced fees

Members from emerging countries may register at a preferential rate of 175 Euro. Emerging country fee applies to individuals from low-income and lower-middle-income economies according to the World Bank listing here. Please send a mail to education@estro.org to request this rate.

World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk

Cancellation

Cancellation is NOT possible after payment.