Content

Theoretical content

• Treatment delivery technologies
• Dose calculation
• Detector technology spectific to radiotherapy (including arrays, film, EPID, …)
• Clinical background of radiotherapy: definition of GTV, CTV, and PTV
• Management of uncertainties in treatment planning (safety margins, probabilistic planning, and robust optimization)
• Motion management in radiotherapy
• Modern radiotherapy treatment planning techniques (AI-guided treatment planning; adaptive radiotherapy)

Practical content

• Dose calculation lab (the students will have to write down their own code in Python for a pencil beam dose convolution algorithm; and then discuss their strengths and weaknesses; reference Monte Carlo data will be provided)
• PTV safety margin computation lab

Course material

The course associates regular theoretical lectures and practical sessions.  

All theoretical lectures are either pre-recorded or recorded (if pre-record is not available). Therefore, in-class teaching can be adapted depending on the requests of the students present in class. When a pre-record is available, we favor a dynamic teaching with large developments on the black board on specific parts of the course. The students are encouraged to vision the pre-recorded courses before the in-class session so that they can ask specific questions and developments.

Physical presence is mandatory for the practical sessions. The schedule will be given during the first course. No streaming nor recording are foreseen for the practical sessions (one session for dose calculation lab; one session for margin lab).

The introduction to the course (course schedule; presentation of summary and teaching material; evaluation methodology; practical considerations) will be streamed and recorded.

After the introduction, no streaming is foreseen for the courses when a pre-record is available. This is the default format (no streaming, but a pre-recorded course). In the case a  pre-record is not available, the course will follow a classic format with a power point presentation. In the latter case (no pre-record), and only in that case, the courses will be streamed as well. It will be made clear to all students when a streaming option will be made available. But the students should assume there is no streaming option. There will be many possibilities for the students having difficutlies to come to the course to ask their questions. Specific (streamed) sessions could be envisaged for answering questions.  

The contents that will be subject to evaluation are the ones and only the ones available in recorded material (slides and explanations).

Teaching material

Mandatory

• Recorded theoretical lectures
• Course slides

Support (optional)

• Papers
• “Fundamentals of Ionizing Radiation Dosimetry”, by Andreo, Burns, Nahum, Seuntjens, and Attix (Wiley, 2017)
• "Handbook of radiotherapy physics" (Mayles, Nahum, Rosenwald)

Format: more information

Computer session - Individual assignment - Practice session

There will be two "lab" assignments for the students

• Implementation of a pencil beam dose calculation algorithm:

  • The students will have to solve a dose calculation problem, with a short Python program.

  • The goal is to show the potential and limitations of pencil beam dose convolution. Monte Carlo data is provided for comparison.

  • The code and the report need to be given to the teacher. They will be both graded. Conciseness is encouraged for the report

• Computation of PTV safety margins

  • The students will be given exercises and also simulation material in order to gain a practical understanding of PTV safety margin recipes

  • A report will be required. Again, conciseness is encouraged.