Browsing by Author "Grendarova, Petra"

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    Advanced Cancer Patients' Perspectives on a Video Decision Support Aid used to Enhance Goals of Care Discussions
    (2016) Grendarova, Petra; Hebert, Marilynne; Carr, Eloise; Trotter, Theresa; Kerba, Marc
    The purpose of this study was to explore perspectives of advanced cancer patients on the use of a video decision support aid developed to enhance Goals of Care (GOC) discussions and to examine how the video influenced participants' perceptions and knowledge about GOC. A qualitative approach was applied to collect data from participants before and after watching the video. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants from an Outpatient Radiation Oncology Bone Metastases Clinic. Extended Elaboration Likelihood Model was the conceptual framework used to guide data analyses. Participants found the video scenarios made the GOC framework more personally relevant. They were able to relate their experiences to the video. Participants found the timing and professional clinic environment appropriate for watching the video. Several participants expressed their intention to initiate discussions with their health care providers and to formalize their GOC plans.
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    Exploring the Role of GD-EOB-DTPA (Primovist®) MRI in Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Accuracy
    (2021-06-17) Kuznetsova, Svetlana; Ploquin, Nicolas; Thind, Kundan; Grendarova, Petra; Wieser, Michael; Kirkby, Charles; Vandervoort, Eric
    Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is an effective alternative to surgical resection for liver oligometastases. Liver SBRT technique allows for the delivery of total radiation dose in a much smaller number of treatments compared to conventional radiotherapy course. This results in a more efficient patient throughput, thus allowing for better allocation of clinical resources. Liver SBRT technique has become widespread, and there is increasing interest in its expansion to a broader patient population. Currently, liver SBRT still suffers from practice heterogeneities. Specifically, the number of treatments, motion management, and image guidance can vary across cancer centers. Due to this, the delivery accuracy can also vary across different practices of liver SBRT implementation. The Primovist®-enhanced MRI allows for the direct visualization of the radiation deposition region within the liver. Primovist® is a contrast agent with hepatocyte-specific property, resulting in the direct uptake by liver cells. This potentially creates a novel avenue for the geometric delivery accuracy assessment independent of a treatment’s peculiarities. The use of Primovist® MRI in radiotherapy is relatively new. The purpose of the work presented in this thesis is to develop a framework to help embed Primovist® MRI into the liver SBRT workflow to quantify the geometric accuracy of radiation delivery. To help embed Primovist® MRI into the liver SBRT workflow, the deformable image registration approach has been established and validated. We have conducted an extensive analysis of structure-guided deformable image registration with respect to its associated error and assessed its best implementation approach. One of the preventative factors that hampers wider use of Primovist® MRI is the manual requirement of localizing the visualization of radiation delivery. In this work, we have developed a framework to help automate the localization of radiation delivery. We were then able to use the established framework in conjunction with the validated deformable image registration to directly quantify the geometrical accuracy of liver SBRT delivery using Primovist® MRI. Furthermore, we compared the Primovist®-based geometrical accuracy against the interfractional motion. This work has laid the groundwork that will help with the wider adoption of Primovist® MRI in a liver SBRT workflow.