ArticleFrontiers in oncology2025
The feasibility of a patient oriented interactive panoramic virtual tour for external beam radiation therapy.
Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: The integration of digital technology in healthcare, particularly for patient education and experience, is rapidly advancing. This pilot study examined the feasibility of an interactive panoramic virtual tour for improving patient experiences in an external beam radiation therapy (RT) setting at a smaller center. Methods: A virtual tour of the RT department was developed using specialized software and 360-degree 8K camera. The study utilized a two-group design: a control group (33 patients) not exposed to the tour and an experimental group (35 patients) who accessed the tour via the MyHealth platform prior to RT treatment. The survey measured levels of anxiety, comfort with treatment course, knowledge about the facility, navigation through a course of RT, and satisfaction with overall treatment on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being a more desirable outcome. Results: The experimental group reported improved outcomes compared to the control group across all parameters: anxiety levels were lower (mean: 7.3 ± SD: 2.6 vs. 6.5 ± 3.3; p = 0.32), though variances differed significantly (p = 0.03). Comfort levels were higher (9.1 ± 1.7 vs. 8.4 ± 2.1; p = 0.27), knowledge about the cancer center increased (8.7 ± 1.5 vs. 7.8 ± 2.4; p = 0.27) with unequal variances (p = 0.03), and ease of navigation slightly improved (9.8 ± 0.6 vs. 9.4 ± 1.9; p = 0.61). Satisfaction levels were similar in the experimental group (9.6 ± 1.1 vs. 9.5 ± 1.2; p = 0.74). Conclusions: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that an interactive virtual tour may enhance certain aspects of the RT patient experience, although the small sample size limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions. The integration of virtual tours into RT practices reflects a shift towards more interactive and patient-friendly approaches in healthcare by demystifying the RT process and providing accessible information. Future research with larger, more diverse cohorts at a larger institution is warranted to confirm whether these early findings generalize more broadly and to better quantify the impact of virtual tours on patient-reported outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.