Advancing Multilingual Standards: French Translation of the TG‑263U1 Radiation Oncology Nomenclature
Abstract
Purpose
Increasing international collaboration in radiation oncology highlights the need for standardized nomenclature that is consistent across languages. The AAPM Task Group TG‑263U1 established French and Spanish language sub‑groups in 2021 to support multilingual implementation of TG‑263 conventions. This work describes the development of the French translation produced by the TG‑263U1 French sub‑group.
Methods
The French translation team consisted of four francophone medical physicists, all AAPM members, two of whom were also members of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP). Their linguistic backgrounds represented northern Africa and multiple Canadian regions (Atlantic provinces, Ontario, and Québec). Two members worked in French‑language clinical environments, while the others practiced in English‑speaking settings in the United States. A collaborative workflow was used to reach consensus, taking into account regional linguistic differences. Reference tools included Terminoloqia Anatomica (TA), dictionnary of the Académie nationale de médecine, the Language Portal of Canada, TERMIUM Plus, and a manufacturer‑provided French translation from Varian (Palo Alto, CA). Upon completion of the draft nomenclature, the translation was shared with the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) and the Société Française de Physique Médicale (SFPM) for external feedback.
Results
All spatial concepts, root names, target classifiers, and TG‑263U1 structure nomenclature were successfully translated into French. To ensure compatibility across widely used clinical software systems, the French nomenclature avoids special characters such as accents and diacritics.
Conclusion
A French version of the standardized TG‑263U1 nomenclature will be released following publication of the task group report. The availability of multilingual nomenclature is expected to support international clinical practice harmonization, improve research collaboration, and enhance data interoperability across diverse radiation oncology environments.