Catherine Mandel

Whole brain radiotherapy after local treatment of brain metastases in melanoma patients--a randomised phase III trial.

BackgroundCerebral metastases are a common cause of death in patients with melanoma. Systemic drug treatment of these metastases is rarely effective, and where possible surgical resection and/or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are the preferred treatment options. Treatment with adjuvant whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) following neurosurgery and/or SRS is controversial. Proponents of WBRT report prolongation of intracranial control with reduced neurological events and better palliation. Opponents state melanoma is radioresistant; that WBRT yields no survival benefit and may impair neurocognitive function. These opinions are based largely on studies in other tumour types in which assessment of neurocognitive function has been incomplete.Methods/DesignThis trial is an international, prospective multi-centre, open-label, phase III randomised controlled trial comparing WBRT to observation following local treatment of intracranial melanoma metastases with surgery and/or SRS. Patients aged 18 years or older with 1-3 brain metastases excised and/or stereotactically irradiated and an ECOG status of 0-2 are eligible. Patients with leptomeningeal disease, or who have had previous WBRT or localised treatment for brain metastases are ineligible. WBRT prescription is at least 30 Gy in 10 fractions commenced within 8 weeks of surgery and/or SRS. Randomisation is stratified by the number of cerebral metastases, presence or absence of extracranial disease, treatment centre, sex, radiotherapy dose and patient age. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients with distant intracranial failure as determined by MRI assessment at 12 months. Secondary end points include: survival, quality of life, performance status and neurocognitive function.DiscussionAccrual to previous trials for patients with brain metastases has been difficult, mainly due to referral bias for or against WBRT. This trial should provide the evidence that is currently lacking in treatment decision-making for patients with melanoma brain metastases. The trial is conducted by the Australia and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group (ANZMTG-study 01-07), and the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) but international participation is encouraged. Twelve sites are open to date with 43 patients randomised as of the 31st March 2011. The target accrual is 200 patients.Trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12607000512426

Learning from incident reports in the Australian medical imaging setting: handover and communication errors

OBJECTIVE To determine the type and nature of incidents occurring within medical imaging settings in Australia and identify strategies that could be engaged to reduce the risk of their re-occurrence. METHODS 71 search terms, related to clinical handover and communication, were applied to 3976 incidents in the Radiology Events Register. Detailed classification and thematic analysis of a subset of incidents that involved handover or communication (n=298) were undertaken to identify the most prevalent types of error and to make recommendations about patient safety initiatives in medical imaging. RESULTS Incidents occurred most frequently during patient preparation (34%), when requesting imaging (27%) and when communicating a diagnosis (23%). Frequent problems within each of these stages of the imaging cycle included: inadequate handover of patients (41%) or unsafe or inappropriate transfer of the patient to or from medical imaging (35%); incorrect information on the request form (52%); and delayed communication of a diagnosis (36%) or communication of a wrong diagnosis (36%). CONCLUSION The handover of patients and clinical information to and from medical imaging is fraught with error, often compromising patient safety and resulting in communication of delayed or wrong diagnoses, unnecessary radiation exposure and a waste of limited resources. Corrective strategies to address safety concerns related to new information technologies, patient transfer and inadequate test result notification policies are relevant to all healthcare settings. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE Handover and communication errors are prevalent in medical imaging. System-wide changes that facilitate effective communication are required.

Establishing National Medical Imaging Incident Reporting Systems: Issues and Challenges

Radiology incident reporting systems provide one source of invaluable patient safety data that, when combined with appropriate analysis and action, can result in significantly safer health care, which is now an urgent priority for governments worldwide. Such systems require integration into a wider safety, quality, and risk management framework because many issues have global implications, and they also require an international classification scheme, which is now being developed. These systems can be used to inform global research activities as identified by the World Health Organization, many of which intersect with the activities of and issues seen in medical imaging departments. How to ensure that radiologists (and doctors in general) report incidents, and are engaged in the process, is a challenge. However, as demonstrated with the example of the Australian Radiology Events Register, this can be achieved when the reporting system is integrated with their professional organization and its other related activities (such as training and education) and administered by a patient safety organization.

Where Failures Occur in the Imaging Care Cycle: Lessons From the Radiology Events Register

Adverse events contribute to significant patient morbidity and mortality on a global scale, and this has been documented in a number of international studies. Despite this, there is limited understanding of medical imagings involvement in such events. Incident reporting is a key feature of high-reliability organizations because, understandably, it is essential to know where things go wrong and why as the very first step in formulating preventative and corrective strategies. Although anesthesiology has led the way, health care in general has been slow to adopt this technique, and this includes medical imaging. Knowledge as to where medical imaging incidents are initiated and detected, and why, is not well documented or appreciated, although this is critical information in relation to quality improvement. Using an online radiology reporting system, the authors therefore sought to gain further insight and also ascertain where failures are located in the imaging cycle, and whether different incidents sources provide different information. Last, the authors sought to examine the resilience of the imaging system using these incident data.

Use of surgical safety checklists in Australian operating theatres: an observational study

The use of surgical safety checklists (SSC) is an intervention aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity. Although the effectiveness of their use in surgery has been studied extensively, little is known about their practical use in Australian hospitals. The aim of this study was to observe and document the use of SSC in Australia.

Mixed methods study on the use of and attitudes towards safety checklists in interventional radiology

The use of safety checklists in interventional radiology is an intervention aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity. Currently there is little known about their practical use in Australian radiology departments. The primary aim of this mixed methods study was to evaluate how safety checklists (SC) are used and completed in radiology departments within Australian hospitals, and attitudes towards their use as described by Australian radiologists.

Effectiveness of quality improvement interventions for patient safety in radiology: a systematic review protocol

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to find the best available evidence regarding effectiveness of quality improvement interventions in clinical radiology and the experiences and perspectives of staff and patients. More specifically, the review questions are.

System for Reporting and Analysing Incidents

Incident reporting is a key safety tool in high-risk sectors, including healthcare. To be effective, an incident reporting system must be well constructed and reporting encouraged and supported. The presence of a fair and just culture in the workplace, where reporting is seen as a means of improving patient care, and not a tool to punish others, encourages open and honest reporting. This chapter outlines the rationales, benefits, issues, and features essential for an incident reporting system for radiology and medical imaging by using the Radiology Events Register (RaER) as an example. The challenges limiting incident reporting and the possible solutions are also presented.