Elemental.

Big data—it’s useless without consistent little data. Is it Gray or centiGray? PTV1 or PTV_high? An ASTRO panel has generated a consensus statement on three broad rad onc categories in desperate need of standardization: dose/fractionation, technique/modality, and treatment site. Dose and fractionation elements should include doses in centiGray prescribed to each site. For simultaneous integrated boost plans, that’s the cumulative total dose for the entire plan, while for sequential plans, that’s the cumulative doses for each phase. Also essential are the number of fractions planned and delivered and the start and end dates of treatment. Modality elements should include protons versus photons, etc; and technique elements 3D versus IMRT, etc. Finally, the anatomic site for each prescribed dose level and the ICD-10 diagnosis code should be included. TBL: You already document minimum data elements, so ASTRO suggests simple standardizations in nomenclature that could help us all understand what works and what doesn’t in radiation oncology. | Hayman, Pract Radiat Oncol 2019