title: Ultrasound scanning in the radiotherapy department.
abstract: Apart from its use by diagnostic radiologists in the detection and staging of tumours, ultrasound scanning appears to offer particular advantages to the radiotherapist in treatment field planning. The following merits are almost self-evident: tumour, organ and body outlines are visualised, with the patient usually in the treatment position, sufficiently accurately for measurement, field planning and for checking of the treatment fields. Moreover, the safety and high patient-acceptability of the scanning technique allows reassessment of tumour morphology with early modification of the treatment regime. In certain cases, heavy reliance is now made on the information from ultrasound scanning since more conventional investigation would not allow imaging of the tumour-affected area in the treatment planes. On occasions carefully planned treatments based on conventional planning procedures have had to be modified because subsequent ultrasound scans have revealed inadequate cover of the tumour or non-optimal treatment field positioning. It would seem advisable that radiotherapy departments should acquire the expertise and personnel to ensure access to ultrasound scanning systems, both to increase the accuracy of defining the tumour-bearing area for treatment planning and to avoid methods of investigation involving invasive techniques.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D014465:Ultrasonics; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis