There is an increasing number of requests from Member States for assistance in the introduction of stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery for intra-and extra-cranial targets. This workshop will assist clinical medical physicists to understand the complexities of this mode of radiotherapy.

Modern radiotherapy has substantially increased the use of various forms of stereotactic radiotherapy such as Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT), Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). For these techniques a high radiation dose is delivered in a reduced number of fractions.  These treatments are not only performed with specialized, dedicated machines, but also with conventional, non-dedicated linear accelerators equipped with high resolution multi-leaf collimators.

In radiotherapy, accurate dose delivered to the patient is essential. For conventional radiotherapy this has been achieved by internationally adopted codes of practice and standardized radiotherapy techniques. However, many of these techniques are not applicable for stereotactic radiotherapy. This course will instruct the participant on how to ensure the quality of stereotactic radiotherapy to provide patients with safe and effective treatments.  

Topics:

Prerequisites:
This workshop is for clinically qualified medical physicists (CQMPs as per IAEA publication HHS25) from United Nations, UNESCO or IAEA Member States who  hold a postgraduate-level university degree, preferably in medical physics. The candidate should also have at least 3 years working experience in a hospital and must participate in stereotactic radiotherapy in the clinic. Participants should have an understanding of IAEA TRS-398, ‘Absorbed dose determination in external beam radiotherapy’ and IAEA TRS483, “Dosimetry of small static fields used in external beam radiotherapy”.

The process of selection of participants might include a mandatory written examination.

The workshop will be beneficial to clinical medical physicists working in radiotherapy and employing treatment modalities using small fields such as SRT, SBRT and Stereotactic Radiosurgery SRS.

Grants:
A limited number of grants are available to support the attendance of selected participants, with priority given to participants from developing countries. There is no registration fee.