Treatment Tactics
When selecting a motion management strategy, start by measuring this key metric that determines if active intervention is needed.
Extent of Motion
This customized immobilization device uses a pump to remove air and create a rigid mold of the patient's treatment position.
Vac Bag
Unlike conventional CT's curved table, this type of table top is required for CT simulation to match treatment conditions.
Flat Table Top
This optical surface scanning system can provide real-time feedback about patient position and breathing motion without additional imaging dose.
C-RAD
For respiratory gating QA, this simple device with moving parts can verify the accuracy of motion tracking systems.
Dynamic Phantom
The first step in motion assessment requires measuring this baseline characteristic during the initial patient consult.
Breathing Pattern
This type of positioning aid comes in multiple angles to optimize upper body alignment and comfort.
Wingboard
Dark bands in 4DCT images near the diaphragm indicate this CT artifact, often caused when the scan speed doesn't match breathing rate.
Motion Artifacts
The decision to break protocol requires documentation and approval from these two professionals who must weigh clinical necessity against treatment accuracy.
Physician and physicist
Daily respiratory management QA must verify both the phase and this characteristic of the gating signal.
Amplitude
Department resources, machine availability, and this staffing consideration help determine feasibility of complex motion management.
Staff Training
Before initiating respiratory monitoring, therapists must verify these three critical setup components: indexing, leveling, and this.
In 4DCT, this method of data sorting occurs after image acquisition is complete, using the patient's breathing trace.
Retrospective Binning
Before calling for backup, therapists should first try this modification to improve a poor breathing trace.
Adjust Marker Position
Before implementing gating, clinics must establish these patient-specific minimum and maximum values.
Gating Thresholds
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For left-sided breast treatments, this anatomical consideration often drives the decision between breath hold and free breathing.
Heart Dose
This proactive process requires therapists to observe at least 3 respiratory cycles before and during treatment to ensure consistent motion patterns.
Respiratory Baseline Verification
When binning 4DCT data, using this method instead of phase-based can better account for breathing irregularities.
Amplitude Binning
When a patient can't maintain proper breathing despite coaching, protocol says to switch to this type of reference scan and adapt the margins.
Free Breathing Scan
Monthly QA must verify that this relationship between external surrogate motion and internal target position remains consistent.
Internal-external Motion Correlation
Real-time monitoring must verify both external surrogate position and this internal characteristic that ensures surrogate correlation remains valid.
Internal-external Motion Correlation
Documentation shows patient compliance improves 40% when this breathing management technique is practiced before simulation and reviewed daily.
Coaching
The relationship between CT number stability, scan time, and breathing cycle length must be considered when selecting this critical 4DCT parameter.
Pitch/Scan Speed
Daily QA fails when this relationship changes by >20% from simulation, requiring physicist review and possible replanning.
Motion Correlation
This comprehensive annual test requires coordination between CT sim, treatment planning, and delivery to verify the entire respiratory management chain.
End to End Test