Abstract
Introduction
IGRT in cervical cancer treatment delivery is complex due to significant target and organs at risk (OAR) motion. Implementing image assessment of soft-tissue target and OAR position to improve accuracy is recommended. We report the development and refinement of a training and competency programme (TCP), leading to on-line Radiation Therapist (RTT) led soft-tissue assessment, evaluated by a prospective audit.
Methods and materials
The TCP comprised didactic lectures and practical sessions, supported by a comprehensive workbook. The content was decided by a team comprised of Clinical Oncologists, RTTs, and Physicists. On completion of training, RTT soft-tissue review proficiency (after bony anatomy registration) was assessed against a clinician gold-standard from a database of 20 cervical cancer CBCT images. Reviews were graded pass or fail based on PTV coverage assessment and decision taken in concordance with the gold-standard. Parity was set at ≥80% agreement.
The initial TCP (stage one) focussed on offline verification and decision making. Sixteen RTTs completed this stage, four achieved ≥80%. This was not sufficient to support clinical implementation.
The TCP was redesigned, more stringent review guidelines and greater anatomy teaching was added. TCP stage two focussed on online verification and decision making supported by a decision flowchart. Twenty-one RTTs completed this TCP, all achieved ≥80%. This supported clinical implementation of RTT-led soft-tissue review under prospective audit conditions.
The prospective audit was conducted between March 2017 and August 2017. Daily online review was performed by two trained RTTs. Online review and decision making proficiency was evaluated by a clinician.
Results
Thirteen patients were included in the audit. Daily online RTT-led IGRT was achieved for all 343 fractions. Two-hundred CBCT images were reviewed offline by the clinician; the mean number of reviews per patient was 15. 192/200 (96%) RTT image reviews were in agreement with clinician review, presenting excellent concordance.
Discussion and conclusion
Multidisciplinary involvement in training development, redesign of the TCP and inclusion of summative competency assessment were important factors to support RTT skill development. Consequently, RTT-led cervical cancer soft-tissue IGRT was clinically implemented in the hospital.
Introduction
Effective radiotherapy for cervix cancer relies on delivery of a tumouricidal radiation dose to a clinical target volume (CTV) while limiting dose received by healthy tissue [
[1]- McNair H.A.
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A comparison of the use of bony anatomy and internal markers for offline verification and an evaluation of the potential benefit of online and offline verification protocols for prostate radiotherapy.
]. Significant position and shape variations occur in cervical cancer CTV anatomy, which includes the uterus, cervix, parametrium and upper-vagina, during radiotherapy largely due to changes in bladder [
2An assessment of interfractional uterine and cervical motion: Implications for radiotherapy target volume definition in gynaecological cancer.
,
3- Bondar L.
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Toward an individualized target motion management for IMRT of cervical cancer based on model-predicted cervix–uterus shape and position.
]; rectal [
2An assessment of interfractional uterine and cervical motion: Implications for radiotherapy target volume definition in gynaecological cancer.
,
4Collen C, Engels B, Duchateau M, Tournel K, De Ridder M, Bral S, et al. Volumetric imaging by megavoltage computed tomography for assessment of internal organ motion during radiotherapy for cervical cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2010 8/1;77(5):1590–1595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.10.021.
]; and tumour volume [
4Collen C, Engels B, Duchateau M, Tournel K, De Ridder M, Bral S, et al. Volumetric imaging by megavoltage computed tomography for assessment of internal organ motion during radiotherapy for cervical cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2010 8/1;77(5):1590–1595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.10.021.
,
5- Lim K.
- Kelly V.
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- Xie J.
- Cho Y.
- Moseley J.
- et al.
Pelvic radiotherapy for cancer of the cervix: is what you plan actually what you deliver?.
]. Insufficient CTV coverage occurs even with large CTV to planning target volume (PTV) margins, resulting in target under-dosing [
[6]- Tyagi N.
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Online cone beam computed tomography to assess interfractional motion in patients with intact cervical cancer.
] or over-dosing of normal tissue [
[7]- Mundt A.
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Gynecologic Cancer.
].
Image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) improves the ability to attain the desired CTV coverage whilst avoiding normal tissue [
[8]Advances in image-guided radiation therapy.
], potentially reducing patients’ side-effects and improving outcomes. Image assessment of soft-tissue target and organ at risk (OAR) position to improve accuracy is recommended [
[9]National Radiotherapy Implementation Group. Image Guided Radiotherapy: Guidance for implementation and use; 2012.
]. Implementation is complex as the cervix and uterus vary in spatial position relative to bony anatomy and each-other, causing CTV deformation [
2An assessment of interfractional uterine and cervical motion: Implications for radiotherapy target volume definition in gynaecological cancer.
,
5- Lim K.
- Kelly V.
- Stewart J.
- Xie J.
- Cho Y.
- Moseley J.
- et al.
Pelvic radiotherapy for cancer of the cervix: is what you plan actually what you deliver?.
], while included pelvic-nodes are fixed relative to bony anatomy [
2An assessment of interfractional uterine and cervical motion: Implications for radiotherapy target volume definition in gynaecological cancer.
,
5- Lim K.
- Kelly V.
- Stewart J.
- Xie J.
- Cho Y.
- Moseley J.
- et al.
Pelvic radiotherapy for cancer of the cervix: is what you plan actually what you deliver?.
]. Solely employing soft-tissue registration and translational isocentre corrections is not optimal to ensure correct target coverage [
2An assessment of interfractional uterine and cervical motion: Implications for radiotherapy target volume definition in gynaecological cancer.
,
10Lim K, Stewart J, Kelly V, Xie J, Brock KK, Moseley J, et al. Dosimetrically triggered adaptive intensity modulated radiation therapy for cervical cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2014 9/1;90(1):147–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.05.039.
]. Images should be registered to stable pelvic bony anatomy with online assessment of CTV coverage by the PTV contour performed daily and set-up interventions made if CTV coverage is not achieved. The effect of bladder volume, rectal volume and pelvic pitch on set-up also requires daily consideration. To facilitate online review centres are encouraged to educate Therapeutic Radiographers/Radiation Therapists, hereafter referred to as RTTs, to evaluate the relevant structures on cervical cancer volumetric verification images [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
].
When first considering implementation of RTT-led cervical cancer IGRT, a baseline study of RTTs’ cervical cancer IGRT knowledge and skills established a lack of confidence across many areas. Twelve RTTs with varying levels of clinical experience (1–18 years) completed a self-assessment questionnaire on their knowledge, understanding and technical skill related to cervical cancer soft-tissue IGRT (
Appendix A). They rated their ability as some, competent or expert in relation to each of the nine statements. Unpublished results found that the majority of individuals rated their ability for each statement as less than expert (56 some, 46 competent and 6 expert). These results highlighted a need for additional training and guidance in this area before implementation.
At this time only two-dimensional departmental IGRT guidance was available and although nationally recommended no standard soft-tissue IGRT solution was proposed [
[9]National Radiotherapy Implementation Group. Image Guided Radiotherapy: Guidance for implementation and use; 2012.
]. Radiotherapy centres were expected to develop their own protocols [
[9]National Radiotherapy Implementation Group. Image Guided Radiotherapy: Guidance for implementation and use; 2012.
], accordingly we decided to develop and run a dedicated training and competency programme (TCP), with the aim of implementing RTT-led soft-tissue assessment on cone-beam computer tomography (CBCT). The methodology presented follows the TCP path through development; redesign and clinical implementation which was evaluated by a prospective audit. As the project includes several stages, to improve readability we have presented the work in chronological order.
Discussion
We have successfully implemented RTT-led cervical cancer soft-tissue review by designing and reiterating a training model specific to cervical cancer IGRT. RTT-led cervical cancer soft-tissue review is now routine practice with CCO review reserved for complicated cases where RTTs seek guidance. Aside from the immediate purpose of improving accuracy of treatment delivery, RTT-led IGRT for cervix cancer has demonstrated other benefits. Less reliance on clinician availability results in improved workflow efficiency [
[14]Royal College of Radiologists. Guide to job planning in clinical oncology; 2012.
] and patient satisfaction. Additionally advanced RTT skills enable autonomy and increase engagement with patient involvement through real time feedback with regards to bladder preparation.
One other paper was found to present RTT education specific to cervical cancer IGRT [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
]. The alternative training model describes two and a half hours of online self-education and seven hours of “hands on training” [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
]. Specific themes covered within the taught component; disease and treatment of cervical cancer, female pelvic anatomy and inter-fractional challenges during EBRT, are comparable to those covered in the presented TCP advocating their pertinence. However, no competency component is directly discussed, making firm comparisons with our training difficult. They do reference prior experience presented by Boejen et al [
[15]- Boejen A.
- Vestergaard A.
- Hoffmann L.
- Ellegaard M.B.
- Rasmussen A.M.
- Møller D.
- et al.
A learning programme qualifying radiation therapists to manage daily online adaptive radiotherapy.
], stating their learning programme was similar to this work.
Boejen et al [
[15]- Boejen A.
- Vestergaard A.
- Hoffmann L.
- Ellegaard M.B.
- Rasmussen A.M.
- Møller D.
- et al.
A learning programme qualifying radiation therapists to manage daily online adaptive radiotherapy.
] presents training and competency assessment in an established virtual reality learning centre [
[15]- Boejen A.
- Vestergaard A.
- Hoffmann L.
- Ellegaard M.B.
- Rasmussen A.M.
- Møller D.
- et al.
A learning programme qualifying radiation therapists to manage daily online adaptive radiotherapy.
]. The advantage of virtual reality training is having a protected environment where new skills can be tested out on clinical cases without risk to the patient or interference to clinical workflow [
[16]Virtual reality in radiation therapy training.
], the restriction being cost and space implications. RTTs’ competency in adaptive bladder plan selection was assessed in teams of two, each team reviewing 16 CBCT images [
[15]- Boejen A.
- Vestergaard A.
- Hoffmann L.
- Ellegaard M.B.
- Rasmussen A.M.
- Møller D.
- et al.
A learning programme qualifying radiation therapists to manage daily online adaptive radiotherapy.
]. A risk of assessing initial competency in pairs is that one RTT may dominate and less confident RTTs may not be identified. An advantage of this competency assessment was that it took place within the training session, expediting quicker transition from training to clinical implementation.
From delivery of our TCP stage two to clinical implementation within the prospective audit, a delay of eight weeks was incurred. Although RTTs were scheduled within work hours to attend training lectures finding time away from the treatment unit to complete the competency assessment was arranged within individuals working teams. Allowing a four week completion period proved achievable for most however the deadline was extended to six weeks to account for individuals’ unexpected periods of absence. Had competency assessment time also been assigned, the process may have been expedited. Assessment grading and feedback occurred within scheduled weekly review meetings and incurred a further delay of two weeks. The delay risked RTTs forgetting aspects of training or deskilling over time [
[12]- McNair H.
- Hafeez S.
- Taylor H.
- Lalondrelle S.
- McDonald F.
- Hansen V.
- et al.
Radiographer-led plan selection for bladder cancer radiotherapy: initiating a training programme and maintaining competency.
], this was managed by consolidation of training within the workbook, shown to increase clinical decision making [
[17]The educational theory underpinning a clinical workbook for VERT.
]. The benefit of the delay was certainty and minimised resource waste; had competency not been achieved, as in stage one, modifications could have been implemented before going live.
The training model presented by Jensen et al [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
] elicited similar results to ours. 89.7% of RTT reviews assessed target coverage correctly [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
] compared with 96%. The percentage of CBCT reviews where the target was assessed as being inside the PTV although it was marginally outside was 0.7% versus 3%. Results presented by Jensen et al [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
] reviewed 563 CBCT images, almost 10% of which could not be evaluated by RTTs due to poor image quality; the prospective audit presented here reviewed fewer images (200) but all were evaluable. Neither directly or systematically analyse CBCT image quality, it would be sensible to introduce a CBCT quality assessment scale if developing further IGRT training to ensure training database images represent all degrees of image quality encountered by RTTs in clinical practice.
A potential limitation of this study is that only a sample of RTT assessments were reviewed by the CCO offline, in contrast to the work by Jensen et al [
[11]- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
] where all RTT assessments were evaluated. The CCO’s busy workload demanded an efficient review process. It was felt that randomly sampling 15 images per patient, taken over the treatment duration, facilitated timesaving while maintaining sufficient representation of each patient.
The need for summative competency assessment to prove safe and compliant practice [
[18]Competency assessment tools: an exploration of the pedagogical issues facing competency assessment for nurses in the clinical environment.
] was demonstrated by considerable inter-RTT variability and over-estimation of self-competence in TCP stage one. The utilisation of a gold-standard imaging database proved a successful tool to determine competence in TCP stage two, as supported within similar bladder and lung cancer IGRT studies [
11- Jensen N.B.
- Assenholt M.S.
- Fokdal L.U.
- Vestergaard A.
- Schouboe A.
- Kjaersgaard E.B.
- et al.
Cone beam computed tomography-based monitoring and management of target and organ motion during external beam radiotherapy in cervical cancer.
,
19- Hudson J.
- Doolan C.
- McDonald F.
- Locke I.
- Ahmed M.
- Gunapala G.
- et al.
Are therapeutic radiographers able to achieve clinically acceptable verification for stereotactic lung radiotherapy treatment (SBRT)?.
] and recommended by national guidance [
[9]National Radiotherapy Implementation Group. Image Guided Radiotherapy: Guidance for implementation and use; 2012.
]. Inter-RTT concordance variability was evidently reduced from TCP stage one to two; 60–90% versus 80–100%. TCP stage two introduced a prescriptive image review flowchart, reduced RTT variability supports that this tool aided more consistent image review and decision making. Radiographers work in an environment that demands adherence to process and protocols and they are generally stronger at perceiving information in a concrete manner and processing this actively [
[20]Learning styles of radiographers.
]. As such, flowcharts likely suit RTTs’ learning style and professional conditioning. This study’s finding reflect previous USA-based research identifying Radiography students as task-orientated and purposeful learners where task-orientation was characterised by structure and results, whilst purposeful learning involved persistent integration of theory and practice[
[21]Radiography students’ clinical learning styles.
]. However, the previous research comprised pre-registration learners whereas our study involved work-based learning in post-registration RTTs.
Considerably greater concordance with the gold-standard was appreciated when two RTTs reviewed the images online compared to individual review within TCP stage two; 96% versus 86%. This trend was also appreciated by McNair et al [
[12]- McNair H.
- Hafeez S.
- Taylor H.
- Lalondrelle S.
- McDonald F.
- Hansen V.
- et al.
Radiographer-led plan selection for bladder cancer radiotherapy: initiating a training programme and maintaining competency.
] who reported inflation in RTT concordance with gold-standard from 76% to 91% with two trained observers. This is not surprising and supports safe practice guidance that radiotherapy is delivered by two competent RTTs [
[22]Donaldson SR. Towards safer radiotherapy. British Institute of Radiology, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, National Patient Safety Agency, Society and College of Radiographers, The Royal College of Radiologists, London; 2007.
]. To further support RTT learning from practice, on completion of the prospective audit, results including reflections on incorrect assessments were displayed in a PowerPoint presentation and circulated to all participants. Whilst a lone observer does not reflect clinical practice, assessing individuals’ competency has proved an effective education tool. It appears reasonable, based on both these studies, to have a lower threshold of acceptability for a single observer compared to two [
[12]- McNair H.
- Hafeez S.
- Taylor H.
- Lalondrelle S.
- McDonald F.
- Hansen V.
- et al.
Radiographer-led plan selection for bladder cancer radiotherapy: initiating a training programme and maintaining competency.
].
No statistically significant link between RTT grade and concordance was established, reinforcing this advanced training should be open to all grades. This is supported by Jereczek-Fossa et al [
[23]- Jereczek-Fossa B.
- Pobbiati C.
- Santoro L.
- Fodor C.
- Fanti P.
- Vigorito S.
- et al.
Prostate positioning using cone-beam computer tomography based on manual soft-tissue registration.
] who determined satisfactory agreement between senior and junior RTTs, in prostate-verification [
[23]- Jereczek-Fossa B.
- Pobbiati C.
- Santoro L.
- Fodor C.
- Fanti P.
- Vigorito S.
- et al.
Prostate positioning using cone-beam computer tomography based on manual soft-tissue registration.
]. The RTT demographics examined within this research cannot however rule out the influence of RTTs’ clinical-experiences on concordance. Greater examination of RTT demographics, including CBCT experience; pre-treatment experience; and years of experience may have elicited reasons behind score variably; this may enable more tailored education.
As TCP stage two proved a successful training tool facilitating excellent RTT concordance with the gold-standard online, it has since been used to develop the skills and competency of 55 further RTTs across the hospitals two radiotherapy departments. The continuous development of staff is essential to sustain daily online cervical cancer soft-tissue review through; staff turnaround, annual leave, sickness and department rotations. The availability of recorded sessions has enhanced the convenience of TCP delivery as individual RTTs can be trained as required rather than waiting for larger group sessions which require; space, trainee time and extended RTT time away from clinical practice.
Presently the MDIT are further developing this training programme to introduce cervical cancer adaptive plan-of-the-day (POD) radiotherapy. The current training programme provides RTTs with the target motion knowledge underpinning the rationale for POD [
[24]Heijkoop ST, Langerak TR, Quint S, Bondar L, Mens JW, Heijmen BJ, Hoogeman MS. Clinical implementation of an online adaptive plan-of-the-day protocol for nonrigid motion management in locally advanced cervical cancer IMRT. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2014;90(3):673–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.06.046.
]; having achieved this standard already should expedite the training requirements for POD. Buy-in from the MDIT has, at every stage and continues to be, imperative. The heterogeneity of skills and knowledge offered by this team brought different perspectives to each task, improving effectiveness and patient safety and fuelling creative solutions [
25- Borrill C.S.
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26- Prades J.
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,
27“Do no harm”: Fortifying MDT collaboration in changing technological times.
]. It also ensured TCP content validity.
In addition to the MDIT, working within the directives of clinical audit also helped secure clinical success for this project. As with similar projects [
[12]- McNair H.
- Hafeez S.
- Taylor H.
- Lalondrelle S.
- McDonald F.
- Hansen V.
- et al.
Radiographer-led plan selection for bladder cancer radiotherapy: initiating a training programme and maintaining competency.
], the first iteration of the training programme was not fully successful but the cyclical nature of clinical audit enabled initial failings of TCP stage one to be established, evaluated and reflected on. This provided invaluable information to the MDIT, allowing them to make more effective decisions [
[28]How evaluation and audit is implemented in educational organizations? A systematic review.
] during TCP redesign and clinical implementation.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 31,
2019
Received in revised form:
October 18,
2019
Received:
July 30,
2019
Copyright
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology.