title: The application of image fusion in stereotactic brachytherapy of brain tumours.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The visualization of any morphological volume (i.e. CT, MRI) together with an additional second morphological volume (i.e. CT, MRI) or functional data set, which may come from SPECT or PET, is a new method for treatment planning, verification and follow-up of interstitial irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors present their experience on interstitial irradiation of brain tumours with stereotactically implanted I-125 seeds supported by image fusion. The image fusion was performed by the BrainLab-Target 1.13 software on Alfa 430 (Digital) workstation before, during, and after interstitial irradiation of brain tumours with Iodine125 seeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of 20 brachytherapeutic image fusion of stereotactic CT (slices with fiducials) with additional stereotactic CT, MRI, PET and SPECT images provides more accurate and precise target volume, more exact localization of catheters and isotope seeds (verification fusion), differentiation between the localization and amount of the necrotic and proliferating parts of the tumours and shows the volume changes in consequence of interstitial irradiation. The image fusion should help to improve the accuracy and minimize the perifocal morbidity of interstitial irradiation.
authors.affiliation: St. John's Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Julow
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emri
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valálik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sági
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mangel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trón
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Várallyay
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solymosi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hável
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes