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Saving time in the radiotherapy procedures for COVID-19 pneumonia treatment. A single-institution experience
- Source :
- Clinical & Translational Oncology
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background The use of low dose radiotherapy (LD-RT) for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia is supported by biological rationale for its immunomodulatory effect. Some institutions have started to treat these patients showing encouraging results. To shorten procedure times is crucial for the comfort of symptomatic patients receiving respiratory support and to optimize institutional facilities. Patients and methods At our institution, LD-RT is offered to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and signs of early cytokine-released syndrome on behalf of a multicenter study. We designed a coordinated process flow starting from the patient transfer to the simulation CT-scan (first-step), to the end of the LD-RT treatment (last step). The times spent on each step of the process flow were evaluated. Results Mean age of treated patients was 83 (72–91) years-old. The timing parameters of the first 10 consecutive patients were analyzed. Except for the first (dummy run), patients were managed from the first to the last step in a median of 38 min (25–58, SD 10.67). The most time-consuming sub-process was the contouring of the treatment volumes and dosimetry. Conclusions LD-RT is not only an encouraging option for COVID-19 pneumonia patients, but a convenient and feasible procedure if performed in a coordinated way by reducing procedure times.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Cancer Research
medicine.medical_specialty
Time Factors
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Hospitalized patients
Workflow
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Humans
Medicine
Single institution
Low dose radiotherapy
Patient transfer
Aged
Radiotherapy procedures
Aged, 80 and over
SARS-CoV-2
business.industry
COVID-19
Pneumonia
General Medicine
medicine.disease
030104 developmental biology
Procedure times
Oncology
Multicenter study
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Emergency medicine
Low-dose radiotherapy
business
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 16993055 and 1699048X
- Volume :
- 23
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Clinical and Translational Oncology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6f5fdce38d22009648523b0ef19f6e7a
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-021-02634-5