title: Global harmonization of quality assurance naming conventions in radiation therapy clinical trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the various radiation therapy quality assurance (RTQA) procedures used by the Global Clinical Trials RTQA Harmonization Group (GHG) steering committee members and present the harmonized RTQA naming conventions by amalgamating procedures with similar objectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of the GHG steering committee members' RTQA procedures, their goals, and naming conventions was conducted. The RTQA procedures were classified as baseline, preaccrual, and prospective/retrospective data capture and analysis. After all the procedures were accumulated and described, extensive discussions took place to come to harmonized RTQA procedures and names.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RTQA procedures implemented within a trial by the GHG steering committee members vary in quantity, timing, name, and compliance criteria. The procedures of each member are based on perceived chances of noncompliance, so that the quality of radiation therapy planning and treatment does not negatively influence the trial measured outcomes. A comparison of these procedures demonstrated similarities among the goals of the various methods, but the naming given to each differed. After thorough discussions, the GHG steering committee members amalgamated the 27 RTQA procedures to 10 harmonized ones with corresponding names: facility questionnaire, beam output audit, benchmark case, dummy run, complex treatment dosimetry check, virtual phantom, individual case review, review of patients' treatment records, and protocol compliance and dosimetry site visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Harmonized RTQA harmonized naming conventions, which can be used in all future clinical trials involving radiation therapy, have been established. Harmonized procedures will facilitate future intergroup trial collaboration and help to ensure comparable RTQA between international trials, which enables meta-analyses and reduces RTQA workload for intergroup studies.
authors.affiliation: European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer-Radiation Oncology Group (EORTC-ROG), Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance (RTQA), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: christos.melidis@eortc.be.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melidis
authors.affiliation: Washington University, representing Advanced Technology Consortium, Radiation Oncology, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Walther R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Dosimetry Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izewska
authors.affiliation: Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fidarova
authors.affiliation: Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zubizarreta
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Representing Quality Assurance Review Center, Worcester, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ulin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Juntendo University, Representing Japan Clinical Oncology Group, RTQA, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikura
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Representing Radiological Physics Center, RTQA, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Followill
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Representing Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, RTQA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Sciences, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, representing TransTasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) Cancer Research, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.affiliation: North West Cancer Centre, Representing TROG Cancer Research, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Deidre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Besuijen
authors.forename: Catharine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, St. Luke's Cancer Centre, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, Surrey and National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex, representing Radiation Therapy Trials Quality Assurance (RTTQA), United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Clark H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, Middlesex representing RTTQA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.affiliation: Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, Middlesex representing RTTQA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aird
authors.affiliation: Center for Proton Therapy, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland, Representing the EORTC-ROG, RTQA, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Damien C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Representing EORTC-ROG, RTQA, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Coen W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hurkmans
authors.affiliation: Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Verellen
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D019985:Benchmarking / Q000592:standards; D026661:Clinical Trials Data Monitoring Committees / Q000592:standards*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D003406:Credentialing; D006801:Humans; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000592:standards*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D061089:Radiotherapy, Image-Guided / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D009626:Terminology as Topic