Beyond boundaries: exploring radiographers’ experiences and solutions in organ-at-risk delineation for radiotherapy planning

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the perception of radiographers on the difficulties encountered during the delineation of organs at risk (OARs) for radiotherapy planning and the methods that could be used to facilitate this process. Methodology: A self-designed questionnaire was distributed to all radiographers (n = 29) employed at the radiotherapy department in Malta. The survey assessed the challenges faced by the radiographers during the delineation of various OARs and inquired about the perceived effectiveness of specific measures that could be used to facilitate the delineation process using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (not difficult/effective) to 5 (very difficult/effective). Results: The response rate was 79%. Overall, the delineation of OARs was rated as slightly difficult (mean score 1.95 ± 0.33). Nevertheless, some OARs, such as the parotid, stomach and brain stem, were deemed more difficult to contour with a mean score of 3 or higher. The implementation of peer review was perceived as the most influential factor in reducing delineation difficulty (mean score 4.59 ± 0.58), followed by contouring training (mean score 4.48 ± 0.58) and training on artificial intelligence (AI) (mean score 4.35 ± 0.48). Conclusion: The introduction of peer review, training and AI could facilitate the delineation of OARs.