ASTRO White Paper on Safety Considerations for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Published:  July 2011

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This white paper offers recommendations to support a culture of safety for IMRT. It critically evaluates guidance and literature on the safe delivery of IMRT, with a primary focus on recommendations to prevent human error and methods to reduce or eliminate mistakes or machine malfunctions that can lead to catastrophic failures. It places the potential dangers of IMRT into two categories: 1) environmental risks related to lack of sufficient quality assurance, misuse of procedures and equipment, inadequate staff education and other similar factors, and 2) technical hazards such as deficient validation of treatment delivery parameters or improper use of one or more parts of the planning and delivery process.

• American Association of Physicists in Medicine
• American Association of Medical Dosimetrists
• American Society of Radiologic Technologist

Resources:

ASTRO’s IMRT Model Policy