DOS 525: Brachytherapy
Course description
This course covers the use of brachytherapy practices in radiation oncology. Topics covered included characteristics of sources, source activity, and delivered dose. Methods of treatment and the instruments used in the various brachytherapy treatment planning techniques were covered and their advantages in clinical settings.
Assessment
Students were guided by lectures, reading materials, and discussion prompts. There were practice problem sets students could use to learn how to calculate source activity and dose delivery. Then learning was assessed through graded problem sets and quizzes on the lectures.
Course Discussions
Each week a discussion topic was presented prompting a thought-provoking response from students backed by peer-reviewed evidence. These responses were posted to a discussion board were students could comment and learn from each other’s posts. Below are my discussion responses.
Week 1: Radioactive Emission
Week 2: 10 CFR Part 19 Summary (a group effort)
Week 3: Freiburg Flap
Week 4: Manchester Dose Calculation System for HDR
Week 5: The Mick Applicator for Prostate Brachytherapy
Self-Reflection
After each course students are asked to take a moment and self-reflect on what they gained during the course and how it affected their education and growth.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were very vast. Even with several years of radiation therapy experience, my brachytherapy knowledge was very limited prior to this course. The physics department always took care of the brachytherapy treatments in the institutions I have worked in. This class has helped to better round out my knowledge of brachytherapy and its benefits.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me in understanding brachytherapy dose distributions when planning initial plans that are to be followed by a brachytherapy boost. Also, if I ever end up at an institution where the dosimetrist is responsible for the majority of brachytherapy practices, I have a good foundation of knowledge to build off of.
I struggle with the ICRU isodose surface of 60 Gy being labeled as a reference volume in the ICRU system of dose and dose reporting.
I feel pretty good about brachytherapy as a whole. I feel that I have a very good understanding of the planning process and the risks and benefits of brachytherapy. I enjoyed my brachytherapy rotation much more than I could have imagined.
Other reflective thoughts. I found brachytherapy very intriguing due to its differences in planning from that of external beam. I found all of the components and calculations needed to properly calculate the activity and dose of a source interesting. That so many things can affect one thing so much.
Course description
This course covers the use of brachytherapy practices in radiation oncology. Topics covered included characteristics of sources, source activity, and delivered dose. Methods of treatment and the instruments used in the various brachytherapy treatment planning techniques were covered and their advantages in clinical settings.
Assessment
Students were guided by lectures, reading materials, and discussion prompts. There were practice problem sets students could use to learn how to calculate source activity and dose delivery. Then learning was assessed through graded problem sets and quizzes on the lectures.
Course Discussions
Each week a discussion topic was presented prompting a thought-provoking response from students backed by peer-reviewed evidence. These responses were posted to a discussion board were students could comment and learn from each other’s posts. Below are my discussion responses.
Week 1: Radioactive Emission
Week 2: 10 CFR Part 19 Summary (a group effort)
Week 3: Freiburg Flap
Week 4: Manchester Dose Calculation System for HDR
Week 5: The Mick Applicator for Prostate Brachytherapy
Self-Reflection
After each course students are asked to take a moment and self-reflect on what they gained during the course and how it affected their education and growth.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were very vast. Even with several years of radiation therapy experience, my brachytherapy knowledge was very limited prior to this course. The physics department always took care of the brachytherapy treatments in the institutions I have worked in. This class has helped to better round out my knowledge of brachytherapy and its benefits.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me in understanding brachytherapy dose distributions when planning initial plans that are to be followed by a brachytherapy boost. Also, if I ever end up at an institution where the dosimetrist is responsible for the majority of brachytherapy practices, I have a good foundation of knowledge to build off of.
I struggle with the ICRU isodose surface of 60 Gy being labeled as a reference volume in the ICRU system of dose and dose reporting.
I feel pretty good about brachytherapy as a whole. I feel that I have a very good understanding of the planning process and the risks and benefits of brachytherapy. I enjoyed my brachytherapy rotation much more than I could have imagined.
Other reflective thoughts. I found brachytherapy very intriguing due to its differences in planning from that of external beam. I found all of the components and calculations needed to properly calculate the activity and dose of a source interesting. That so many things can affect one thing so much.