Programme

Overview: Multiparametric MRI has a significant unleashed potential for radiation therapy by providing detailed tumor characterization and treatment guidance. Its clinical applications span various aspects of radiotherapy, yet challenges such as standardization and clinical integration persist. Advances in artificial intelligence are enabling new possibilities, including improved image acquisition, image analysis and automation. Future perspectives focus on the continued development of multiparametric MRI to enhance treatment planning and patient outcomes. This session will provide a basic introduction to multiparametric MRI techniques, insights into their current status in radiotherapy, existing barriers, and emerging innovations shaping the future of MRI-guided radiotherapy.

Overview: In this teaching session Sarah Barrett, Assistant Professor in Radiation Therapy of the Trinity college and University of Dublin, will give an overview of the current status and role of radiotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer. Recent technical advances on imaging improvements, integration of AI models into the workflow, and a growing interest in robust optimization are discussed. Additionally, the expanding role of adaptive radiotherapy, and the changing profile of lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy due to personalised medicine, will be highlighted. Finally, it is explained how all these developments will influence the role of the RTT in the future, and which skills and knowledge they need to acquire to be able to continue to deliver excellent patient care.

Overview: In this session Pr R Beijersbergen will demonstrate how functional genomic screening technologies can be applied to radiation oncology research. More specifically, he will highlight the numerous advantages of spatial transcriptomics over single-cell transcriptomics, emphasizing its ability to integrate gene expression analysis with spatial information, enabling gene expression mapping in the context of individual cell and histology. Lastly, he will address current limitations, including analytical complexity, resolution and cost.

Overview: In this teaching lecture Harini Veeraraghavan will explore why foundation models are essential for radiation treatment applications, addressing key challenges such as the limited availability of labelled data and the diversity of imaging modalities in radiotherapy. She will discuss whether new models must always be developed or if existing ones can be leveraged, presenting relevant use cases for both approaches. By examining segmentation, dose prediction, outcome prediction, and longitudinal tracking, the session will provide insights into the role of foundation models in radiotherapy and strategic considerations for their adoption in clinical workflows.

Overview: This session explores how modern technology is enabling faster, simulation-free radiotherapy while maintaining safety, precision, and clinical value. It will open with an overview of the direct-to-treatment paradigm, illustrating how same-day radiotherapy without prior CT simulation is becoming feasible, supported by clinical examples and data. The following talks will highlight both clinical and physics considerations, including workflow adaptation, patient selection, implementation strategies, and dosimetric implications. The session aims to provide a comprehensive view of this emerging approach, stimulate discussion on challenges and opportunities, and reflect on how it may shape the future of routine radiotherapy practice.

Overview: Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy (SFRT) encompasses a group of irradiation techniques that utilize a non-uniform dose distribution to enhance the response of large tumors, minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissues, and stimulate the host immune system against neoplastic cells. Despite the limited evidence, clinical experiences have demonstrated remarkable results, sparking renewed interest in SFRT applications. During this session, attendees will receive an overview of SFRT techniques, along with valuable insights for their clinical practice. Specifically, Prof. Slavisa Tubin will explore the radiobiological rationale and the clinical evidence of SFRT, while Dr. Natalia Tejedor Aguilar will address treatment planning and technical aspects.

Overview: Radiotherapy has been the focus of many de-escalation trials in oncology. This session gives a critical overview over de-escalation and radiotherapy omission trials as well as the specifics of trial design in this setting, in particular non-inferiority trials. The optimization for future design of trials in this space in regards of patient-relevant endpoints, non-inferiority margins and multi-disciplinary collaboration will be addressed.