(Tuesday, 7/14/2020) 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM [Eastern Time (GMT-4)]
Room: Track 3
Purpose: beam radiotherapy systems using patient rotation allow a reduction in size, cost and shielding requirements compared with conventional systems. Fixed beam radiotherapy has been proposed for emerging treatment techniques such as in particle therapy, MRI-linacs and for low-cost radiotherapy. A key barrier to clinical acceptance of patient rotation is concern over patient tolerance and a lack of evidence to support its feasibility. This study is the first to quantify the patient experience of horizontal rotation on a purpose-built patient rotation system (PRS) for radiotherapy. This study tests the hypothesis that patient rotation will be tolerated.
Methods: cancer patients receiving radiation therapy were recruited to this study. Patients underwent 2 sessions where they were immobilised with straps and computer-controlled airbags in the PRS and rotated about the horizontal axis for three full revolutions at rotation speeds of 6, 25 and 45 deg/s, respectively. The PRS was paused for 30 s every 45 deg to simulate multiple beam treatment delivery. Patient tolerance to horizontal rotation was assessed using validated psychometric questionnaires administered before and after rotation to determine their levels of anxiety, motion sickness and claustrophobia. The hypothesis was tested using the Wilcoxon unsigned rank test.
Results: significant difference was observed in anxiety and motion sickness before and after the rotation sessions (P = 0.72 and P = 1, respectively) with a mean score difference of (-1.39+-13.03)% and (0+-2.55)%, respectively. Score results indicated low levels of anxiety and motion sickness overall and these were found to be poorly correlated with claustrophobia (P > 0.05 for Spearman’s rank and Pearson’s correlation coefficient).
Conclusion: patient rotation with the prototype PRS was well tolerated. This study supports the hypothesis that horizontal patient rotation is feasible and a potential alternative to rotating gantry systems.
Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: This project is supported by a NHMRC Development Grant. PJK is an inventor of intellectual property assigned to Leo Cancer Care.
Keywords
Patient Reported Outcomes, Patient Rotation, Fixed Beam Radiotherapy
Taxonomy
Not Applicable / None Entered.
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