Risk analysis in radiotherapy

Radiation therapy was one of the first medical specialties to implement quality assurance (QA) programs in clinical practice. These QA programs have mainly focused on equipment performance, neglecting human factors. Risk management is a relatively new approach in medical disciplines. Methods of evaluation and risk management must be identified, applied and adapted to the specificities of this domain. Based on the experience of industry, risk management will allow us to substantially improve safety and develop our own models of management. Recent experiences use these approaches to implement risk management in radiation therapy departments. (C) 2009 Societe francaise de radiotherapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.