S2681
RTT - Patient experience and quality of life
ESTRO 2026
Purpose/Objective: To evaluate the extent to which current provision of patient education and support related to vaginal dilation after pelvic radiotherapy in gynaecological cancer matches existing guidelines set out in published international guidelines on vaginal dilation after pelvic radiotherapy1,2. Material/Methods: In August 2025, 56 UK NHS radiotherapy managers were sent an electronic questionnaire designed to assess compliance with international consensus guidelines on the management of vaginal dilation after pelvic radiotherapy. The questionnaire comprised 61 questions relating to radiographer training, patient education and resources and advice on vaginal dilation. Results: There were 40 (71%) responses. Of those that responded 85% reported that there is formal training for staff discussion of vaginal dilation with patients and 83% reported that all female patients who have had radical pelvic radiotherapy and/or vaginal brachytherapy for gynaecological cancer were seen to
Results:
Ten patients referred for SRS were included, between Jan 2025 and October 2025. Differences in the GTV volume between the two MRIs were low with mean GTV 2.62cm3 (SD 2.8) for the no-mask MRI and 2.58cm3 (SD 2.8) for the encompass immobilisation. The median DSC for differences in GTV between the no-mask MR and the encompass mask was 0.89 (SD 0.04). The mean absolute differences in COM coordinates between the GTVs delineated on the two MRIs were x = -0.02cm (SD0.04), y = 0.02cm (.07) and z= 0.04cm (SD0.08). All patients completed the patient experience questionnaire. Patients overall tolerability with the encompass mask was high (see figure 1), with 90% felt safe within the mask, 80% felt calm. 30% of patients worried in advance, 10% of patients found it hard to breathe. Conclusion: This work has shown that variation in GTV geometric and volumetric comparison between the mask and no- mask MR scan is low, demonstrating that the mask is not required for routine patients. Patients demonstrated a high level of tolerability with the encompass mask, which is important for future applications such as MRI only planning for this patient group. References: Ahlander, B.M., AArestedt, K., Engvall, J., Maret, E. and Ericsson, E., 2016. Development and validation of a questionnaire evaluating patient anxiety during Magnetic Resonance Imaging: the Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Anxiety Questionnaire (MRI - AQ). Journal of advanced nursing, 72(6), pp.1368-1380. Keywords: Patient experience, MRI imaging, RTT Digital Poster Highlight 4251 National audit of patient education and support related to vaginal dilation after pelvic radiotherapy in gynaecological cancer Caroline Fadipe 1 , Marina Khan 1 , Ingrid White 2 1 Radiotherapy, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. 2 Clinical Oncology, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
give information on vagina dilation in their department. This was done by therapeutic
radiographers (RTTs) in 68% of cases. Dilator advice was usually given during radiotherapy and most patients were recommended to start using dilators 2-4 weeks after radiotherapy, three times a week. Most departments are giving patients plastic dilators. However, there was wide variation in the instructions given to patients on how dilators should be used and the duration of time which dilation should be continued for, and safety netting for symptoms (figure 1)
. Availability of comprehensive psychosexual assessment for women experiencing difficulty using dilators or expressing sexual concerns and psychosexual education of RTTs is insufficient (see figure 2)
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