PhD defence Femke Leonarda Astrid Vaassen

Keywords: Radiotherapy, Automatic contouring, Implementation, Evaluation

"Advancing automatic contouring in radiotherapy: clinical introduction, evaluation, and impact"

Radiotherapy is a key cancer treatment that aims to destroy cancer cells while limiting side effects. New technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are helping improve this process, especially by automating the outlining (or “contouring”) of tumours and nearby healthy organs. This task is usually time-consuming and varies between doctors, but automation makes it faster and more consistent. This thesis studied how well these tools work, focusing first on lung and breast cancer, and later on head-and-neck and brain cancers. It found that certain AI tools save time and maintain treatment quality. It also showed that some adjustments are still needed, especially in complex cases. The research provided practical advice for using these tools in hospitals and showed that combining different models (like CT and MRI) gives the best results. Overall, automation in radiotherapy can improve care, reduce workload, and support better outcomes for patients.

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