| Cost-effectiveness of the modifications in the quality assurance system in radiotherapy in the example of in-vivo dosimetry. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19286407 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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PURPOSE: To present the methodology for the evaluation of cost-effectiveness of the quality assurance protocol modifications associated with increasing demands on accuracy and reliability in radiotherapy and to present results on cost-effectiveness of in-vivo dosimetry as the chosen example of a technical procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In-vivo dosimetry was used as an example of a quality assurance procedure, whose modifications have an impact on several procedures in the QA system and thus on the cost of radiotherapy. An analysis of 6864 patients, treated between 2001 and 2005 for tumours in the head and neck, breast, pelvis, or lung, was performed. The quality of radiotherapy was expressed as the accuracy of dose delivery and the cost was estimated from labour, equipment and materials. RESULTS: Modifications implemented in the quality assurance protocol have gradually improved the quality of irradiation. Mean deviations between measured and calculated doses, recorded for several groups of treatment sites, were reduced from -1.5% to 0.5%, 3.4% to 1.4%, 3.9% to 0.1% and -2.1% to 1.8% for head and neck, breast, pelvis and lung respectively. The standard deviations of the measured values decreased also consistently. Total monthly cost in radiotherapy (related to in-vivo dosimetry) increased from euro 4376 to euro 10,696 while the unitary cost of radiotherapy procedures remained at the same level. The predominant cost component of in-vivo dosimetry was labour, limited at first to physics staff and later extended to quality assurance personnel and technicians. CONCLUSION: The application of the presented methodology revealed cost-effectiveness relationships in tested technical procedures. |
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Authors:
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Julian Malicki; Marcin Litoborski; Marta Bogusz-Czerniewicz; Adam Swiezewski |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2009-03-16 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB) Volume: 25 ISSN: 1724-191X ISO Abbreviation: Phys Med Publication Date: 2009 Dec |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-11-17 Completed Date: 2010-02-01 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 9302888 Medline TA: Phys Med Country: Italy |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 201-6 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Medical Physics Department, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland. julian.malicki@wco.pl |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Breast Neoplasms
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economics,
radiotherapy Female Head and Neck Neoplasms / economics, radiotherapy Humans Lung Neoplasms / economics, radiotherapy Pelvic Neoplasms / economics, radiotherapy Quality Assurance, Health Care / economics*, methods* Radiometry / economics*, methods* Radiotherapy / economics*, methods* Radiotherapy Dosage Retrospective Studies |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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