Radiation therapists gather to share the latest advances in radiation therapy at annual RTi3 Conference

This year’s RTi3 Conference was a great success with over 70 abstracts in oral and poster sessions, four keynote speakers, three workshops and 48 oral presentations packed into two full days from March 2 to 3 at the Chestnut Conference Centre. This year’s conference included presentations from international colleagues from the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The topics ranged from the most current advances in precision radiotherapy, disease site-focused sessions, patient care and experience, education, quality and safety.

“The RTi3 conference has developed into an exceptional education opportunity not only for radiation therapists from across the country and the world, but also for entire health care teams in radiation medicine, including IP trainees,” said Dr. Ewa Szumacher, Radiation Oncologist, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre and UTDRO faculty member, in her special address. “Such meetings are crucial in keeping abreast of the latest innovations in our discipline and in understanding the evolving role of radiation therapists.”

The conference was organized by two co-chairs and a committee of radiation therapists from various cancer centres in Ontario. The co-chairs for this year’s conference were Michael Velec, Radiation Therapist-Clinician Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Brian Liszewski, Radiation Therapist at the Odette Cancer Centre. Both Velec and Liszewski are faculty members at UTDRO.

"Speaking with the delegates it is clear that RTi3 is increasingly being recognized as the most important annual event for radiation therapists across Canada," said Velec.

“The conference allows therapists from across Canada and beyond to convene, share this knowledge, build relationships and grow in their practice,” said Liszewski. “RTi3 nurtures the pillars of Innovation, Inquiry and Inspires therapists to go forward to continue the work they see among their colleagues. It’s this energy that makes RTi3 an important event in the Radiation Therapy community.”

All of the submitted abstracts for the RTi3 Conference undergo a rigorous double-blind peer-review process. The following were rated the highest and identified for their potential impact on the field and alignment with the main RTi3 pillars: Inquire, Inspire, Innovate.

• Late Toxicity in a Prospective Phase I/II Trial of MRI Guided Focal Boost Integrated with HDR Brachytherapy as a Monotherapy for Low and Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer - Mackenzie Smith
• Professional Implications of Introducing Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: an Evaluation using Radiation Medicine as a Testing Ground - Caitlin Gillan
• An Evidence-Based Process for Hiring Frontline Radiation Therapists - Tara Rosewall

To read all of the abstracts at the RTi3 Conference, visit the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences.

At the conclusion of the conference, the organizing committee awarded the following abstract presenters in the below categories:

• Best Oral Presentation Award: Communication is Key: Changing How Patients Receive their CT Simulation Appointments to Improve Utilization of Radiation Therapy Services – Joanna Javor
• Best Poster Award: Deformable Image Registration and Dose Accumulation for Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Comparing Delivered and Planned Radiotherapy Doses – Andrea Shessel
• Student Investigator Award: Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality as a Supplemental Educational Tool in Traditional First Day Teaching for Patients Receiving External Beam Radiation Therapy to the Pelvis – Kalaina Johnson
• Best Student Poster Award: The Boy Who Cried Wolf: The Perceptions of Reporting Near Misses in the Radiation Therapy Program – Bonnie Chan

RTi3 is an annual conference for the global radiation therapy community hosted by UTDRO. This was the 14th year of the conference that has a mandate to advance the science and practice of Radiation Therapy and showcase the latest research and clinical innovations. Radiation therapists are often major collaborators in research and are principal investigators on many of the clinical trials related to radiation treatment simulation, planning, delivery procedures and toxicities.

Visit the radonc.utoronto.ca website to keep posted on the details for next year’s RTi3 Conference. Check out this year's photo album.

RTi3 Conference 2018 Stats

• Total Delegates: 155
• Keynote speakers: 4
• Workshops: 3
• Posters: 32
• Oral presentations: 48

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