Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

The modern treatment planner is increasingly making use of advanced technology such as IMRT to aid with highly complex 3D planning. This unit builds on the planning experience gained in ¿Treatment Planning 3¿ to concentrate on application of complex techniques and technology to 3D planning practice. Students will be made aware of the techniques and challenges posed by the technology. In order to further prepare them for clinical planning, students will have the opportunity to plan highly complex tumour sites. This will extend existing pre-treatment skills prior to the Clinical Placement unit. Previous work on plan evaluation will be developed thus students will be encouraged to integrate feedback from plan evaluations in previous Units and support their work with consistent critical appraisal of the evidence base.

Aims

This unit aims to provide in-depth knowledge and understanding of highly complex planning techniques as well as the opportunity to produce and critically evaluate such plans.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to;

1. Utilise advanced planning techniques to design, optimise and evaluate 3D dose distributions for highly challenging data sets.

2. Evaluate complex planning techniques and planning tools

3. Discuss the principles and application of conventional CT and virtual simulation systems.

4. Appraise the principles and importance of quality assurance associated with complex planning technologies.

5. Use appropriate methods of enquiry to gather and analyse literature to support a logical argument in an academic piece of writing.

Content

· Conventional simulation, 3D CT data acquisition, CT data translation and virtual simulation.
· Complex 3D planning techniques including: Compensators, electrons, non-coplanar fields.
· Specific sites: Advanced breast, Melanoma shoulder, Larynx, Parotid, Advanced Head and Neck
· CT technology and equipment
· Reconstruction algorithms, CT numbers, image display, performance evaluation, and artefacts.
· Literature critiquing

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

A range of learning and teaching strategies will be employed in this unit. The lectures will introduce you to key concepts relating to the principles and practice of complex 3D computer planning. These will be complemented with regular practical sessions to consolidate your understanding. The practicals will use the 3D treatment planning system to provide you with the opportunity to develop genuine and relevant practical planning skills. Problem-based learning will challenge you to apply your knowledge and understanding to realistic clinical situations utilising complex planning techniques.

At this stage of the Course you should be fairly autonomous in your learning. For this unit, you will still be provided with the essential information and opportunity to practice but you will need to supplement this considerably with further reading, self-directed study and further planning practice. You will be required to reflect on your progress and performance in the unit at regular intervals. Additionally you should identify areas for development and address these with the aid of unit teaching staff where appropriate.

This unit requires you to engage with the Blackboard learning environment regularly. Specific learning materials including suggested reading, links to relevant internet sites and other electronic resources will be located on Blackboard. You will be required to use Blackboard to submit your written assessments. A key aspect of the Course is fostering a thriving learning community and for this unit, you will need to participate in regular online debate with your peers and tutors via the Blackboard discussion board.

The final approach to teaching and learning relates to assessment for learning. The assessments for this unit are designed to ensure maximum understanding of the content as well as development of critical appraisal skills and it is important that you recognise the role of assessment in your learning. You should view the assessments as part of your learning and ensure that you utilise the feedback to progress your learning and personal development.

Assessment

Students must achieve a satisfactory level of performance in both theoretical and practical components of this unit to achieve a passing grade.Feedback is provided throughout the semester, where work is reviewed and assessed. Feedback will aim to provide students with suggestions for further development of academic skills as well as suggestions for further study where appropriate. Timescales for feedback will be communicated to students prior to assessment submission but will aim to be returned within 3 weeks where possible. Provisional marks and feedback for this unit will be made available via Blackboard and accessible from the ¿My Grades¿ tool.

Assessment name: Article Review
Description: A relevant and current paper will be provided for students to subject to critical appraisal.
Relates to objectives: 5.
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: During Semester

Assessment name: Plan Production and Checking
Description: Students will be provided with a challenging tumour site CT data set and required to produce a clinically acceptable plan. The assessment submission will include a critical evaluation and analysis of another students' anonymised plan with reference to accepted plan checking protocols and a range of literature.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 4.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Throughout Semester

Assessment name: Final Examination
Description: End of semester written examination.
Relates to objectives: 2, 3 and 4.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: School Based Exam

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required Texts
1. Khan F (2010). The Physics of Radiation Therapy. 4th Ed. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

2. Khan F (2011). Treatment Planning in Radiation Oncology. 3rd Ed. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.

References
1. Barrett A, Dobbs J, Morris S, Roques T (2009). Practical Radiotherapy Planning. 4th Ed. Hodder Arnold.

2. International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (2010). Prescribing, Recording and Reporting Photon-Beam Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (ICRU Report 83).

3. International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (1993). Prescribing, Recording and Reporting Photon Beam Therapy (ICRU Report 50).

4. International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (1999). Prescribing, Recording and Reporting Photon Beam Therapy. Supplement to ICRU Report 50. (ICRU Report 62).

5. Metcalf P, Kron T, Hoban P (2007). The Physics of Radiotherapy X-rays and Electrons. Medical Physics Publishing.

A range of literature from journals including:
1. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics;
2 Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice;
3. Medical Dosimetry;
4. Radiotherapy and Oncology.
Additional resources are located on the Blackboard site for this unit.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of -the-ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-Nov-2012