S2811
RTT - RTT education, training, and advanced practice
ESTRO 2026
Results:
Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. 3 Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. 4 Radiotherapy, The Christie NHS FT, Manchester, United Kingdom Purpose/Objective: Radiotherapy research continues to expand worldwide (Aggarwal et al., 2018), yet the unique research identity of radiation therapists (RTTs) remains undefined. Without a cohesive body of evidence, the profession risks fragmentation at a time when adaptive radiotherapy, artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies demand research competencies. This review systematically maps and analyses RTT-led research to define its global scope, structure and professional identity, and to inform future capability and policy frameworks in line with ESTRO’s Vision 2030. Material/Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR (and or Arksey & O’Malley) frameworks, PubMed, Embase and CINAHL were searched (2000–2025) using combinations of professional and research-related terms (“therapeutic radiograph*”, “radiation therapist*”, “radiotherapy professional*”, “research agenda”, “scope of practice”). Peer-reviewed and *grey literature* describing or analysing RTT research activity were included (e.g., Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR) Doctoral Log). Three independent reviewers screened and charted records; data were thematically synthesised into a conceptual evidence map highlighting key domains, evolution and capability enablers. Results: From 213 records screened, 205 studies met inclusion criteria. Analysis revealed four interdependent research domains underpinning the RTT profession: Clinical and Patient-Focused Research: patient experience, service delivery, side effect management, and clinical trials. Technological and Dosimetric Research: optimisation,Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), AI-assisted planning, radiomics and QA innovation (Duffton et al., 2020). Radiobiology and Translational Research: biomarkers, tumour microenvironment and normal-tissue sparing. Professional and Educational Research: education, credentialing, leadership, and research culture (Higgins et al., 2011). Cross-cutting themes, methodological rigour, multidisciplinary collaboration and capacity building were consistent across all regions. The review identified a marked rise in RTT research output after 2015, driven by institutional strategies that embedded dedicated research roles and mentorship (Marr et al., 2025; Beldham-Collins et al., 2025). These findings demonstrate the profession’s transition from research participation to research leadership, aligning with ESTRO’s commitment to advancing education, innovation and patient-centred
3D-T2 SPAIR demonstrated superior urethral delineation (58.3% “very clear/clear” vs. 46.3% for 3D- T2; W = 4200, p = 0.03) with fewer unclear ratings (10 vs. 18). Conversely, 3D-T2 outperformed SPAIR for bladder (82.4% vs. 65.7%; p < 0.001) and seminal vesicles (67.6% vs. 58.3%; p = 0.005), attributed to higher SNR. Prostate zones showed no significant differences (peripheral: p = 0.09; transition: p = 0.18; central: p = 1.0) (Figure 1). Conclusion: 3D-T2 SPAIR for urethral contrast (Due to Enhanced fat suppression)and3D-T2 for Bladder/Seminal Vesicles SNR-dependent structures, optimizing SBRT planning accuracy. A hybrid protocol combining 3D-T2 SPAIR and 3D-T2 optimizes OAR segmentation accuracy in prostate SBRT. Keywords: ProstateSBRT, MRonlySim, Organ segmentation References: 1-Nigogosyan Z, Ippolito JE, Collins SP, Wang EC. Prostate MRI in Stereotactic Body Radiation Treatment Planning and Delivery for Localized Prostate Cancer. Radiographics. 2022 Jul-Aug;42(4):1251-1264. doi: 10.1148/rg.210114. Epub 2022 Jun 17. PMID: 35714039.2-Syed YA, Patel-Yadav AK, Rivers C, Singh AK. Stereotactic radiotherapy for prostate cancer: A review and future directions. World J Clin Oncol. 2017 Oct 10;8(5):389-397. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v8.i5.389. PMID: 29067275; PMCID: PMC5638714.3-Pathmanathan AU, McNair HA, Schmidt MA, . Comparison of prostate delineation on multimodality imaging for MR-guided radiotherapy. Br J Radiol. 2019 Mar;92(1095):20180948. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20180948. Epub 2019 Jan 24. PMID: 30676772; PMCID: PMC6540870.
Poster Discussion 265
Beyond the Linac: Defining the Global Research Identity of the Radiation Therapist - A Systematic Review Meegan Shepherd 1,2 , Mairead Daly 3,4 , Lucy Siew-Chen Davies 4,3 , Cynthia L Eccles 4,3 1 Radiotherapy, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Sydney, Australia. 2 Medicine, Nursing and Health
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