Purpose: Accurate positioning of the prostate is of paramount importance to ensure optimal target coverage and normal tissue sparing in stereotactic ablative body radiation when large doses per fraction are delivered with tight margins around the prostate. Bladder and rectal filling play an important part in controlling the accuracy of a patient's setup and therefore the overall toxicities and outcomes. The aim of this study was to establish the value of characterizing patients' bladder filling kinetics at the time of simulation with ultrasound scans so that a predictive model can be used to ensure that a bladder volume at treatment would match at simulation.

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The study was designed to understand patient and staff satisfaction with the use of a multimedia presentation tool during Day One radiation therapy patient teaching sessions. A previous study conducted at the Juravinski Cancer Centre determined that patients expressed interest in a multimedia based education session. In response, a multimedia presentation was designed for the Day One patient teaching session and its effectiveness was measured from the perspective of staff and patients. Method/Process: With the results from the previous study, a PowerPoint presentation was developed and implemented into the Day One radiation therapy teaching sessions for a one-month study period. The PowerPoint featured graphics, text and a video component, which outlined the treatment process and the management of radiation therapy side effects. A literature review was conducted encompassing patient learning styles in the health care setting, and experiences with multimedia-based mediums for patient healthcare education. Based on the findings from the literature review, quantitative surveys were designed to assess both staff and patient satisfaction with the use of the presentation. These surveys used LIKERT scale-type questions. A statistical analysis comprised of sign and Kruskal-Wallis tests were completed on all survey responses. A p-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistically significant trends. Results/Benefits/Challenges: A total of 26 surveys were collected; 10 surveys from patients and 13 from the staff survey. The male and female ratio was 4:6 for the patient survey. The staff survey had a female male ratio of 10:1, with 2 no gender identifiers. Of the 44 survey questions between the two surveys, 15 questions yielded significant statistical trends. The patient statistical significances were: a preference for visual presentation of information, a desire to see information presented in more than one format, and effective use of the tool in their teaching session. The staff survey statistically significant responses indicated: acknowledgement of the merits of using the teaching tool, and the use of the tool lengthening the time for the teaching session. Conclusion/Impact/Outcomes: A number of trends from this study were significant: patients enjoyed the use of the presentation, and radiation therapists saw its merit but had some difficulty incorporating it into the education session timeframe. Recommendations from this study include: further studies on the use of a visual tool in teaching sessions; the need for education on the use of the visual tool to allow better implementation into therapists' preferred teaching method; and encompassing specific therapist preferences by using person specific visual presentations.