A national survey of medical staffs’ required capability and workload for accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to identify the required capabilities and workload of medical staff in accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). From August to September 2022, a questionnaire related to the capabilities and workload in the accelerator-based BNCT was administered to 12 physicians, 7 medical physicists and 7 radiological technologists engaged in BNCT and 6 other medical physicists who were not engaged in BNCT to compare the results acquired by those engaged in BNCT. Only 6–21% of patients referred for BNCT received it. Furthermore, 30–75% of patients who received BNCT were treated at facilities located within their local district. The median required workload per treatment was 55 h. Considering additional workloads for ineligible patients, the required workload reached ~1.2 times longer than those for only eligible patients’ treatment. With respect to capabilities, discrepancies were observed in treatment planning, quality assurance and quality control, and commissioning between medical physicists and radiological technologists. Furthermore, the specialized skills required by medical physicists are impossible to acquire from the experience of conventional radiotherapies as physicians engaged in BNCT were specialized not only in radiation oncology, but also in other fields. This study indicated the required workload and staff capabilities for conducting accelerator-based BNCT considering actual clinical conditions. The workload required for BNCT depends on the occupation. It is necessary to establish an educational program and certification system for the skills required to safely and effectively provide BNCT to patients.