RDTP 210B - Treatment Planning I

Credits: 3

Description
Content is designed to establish factors that influence and govern clinical planning of patient treatment. The student will learn isodose descriptions, patient contouring, basic dosimetric calculations (single field and parallel opposed fields, PDD, TAR, TMR), and clinical applications of treatment beams. Class demonstrations /laboratories and projects are incorporated to complement specific content areas and are focused on clinical applications.

Student Learning Outcomes

Explain the general influencing factors that distinguish various isodose curves.
Determine internal and external factors that influence a beam’s distribution and apply isodose correction methods.
Identify methods of determining a patient’s external contour, definition of internal structures and volumes of interest used in treatment planning.
Use appropriate factors for manual treatment planning.
Describe the interrelationships of the various factors used in treatment calculations.
Perform dose calculations for external photon and electron beam treatments, basic single field and parallel opposed treatment portals.
Calculate the absorbed dose to off-axis points of interest.
Compare absorbed dose within a treatment volume with beam variations.
Calculate equivalent squares using various methods that consider the limitations of each.
Compare methods for determining dose distribution at points outside the treatment field.
Construct manual isodose curves both manually and computer generated.
Differentiate between the treatment planning terms: maximum, minimum, mean, modal and median dose.
Compare electron beam depth dose characteristics for various energies.
Describe the various imaging modalities in tumor localization and planning.
Compare single dose delivery to fractionated dose delivery schedules.

Prerequisite: None