Innovations in image-guided radiotherapy.
The limited ability to control for the location of a tumour compromises the accuracy with which radiation can be delivered to tumour-bearing tissue. The resultant requirement for larger treatment volumes to accommodate target uncertainty restricts the radiation dose because more surrounding normal tissue is exposed. With image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) these volumes can be optimized and tumoricidal doses can be delivered, achieving maximal tumour control with minimal complications. Moreover, with the ability of high-precision dose delivery and real-time knowledge of the target volume location, IGRT has initiated the exploration of new indications for radiotherapy, some of which were previously considered infeasible.
Verellen
Dirk
D
UZ Brussel, Oncologisch Centrum, Radiotherapie, Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium. dirk.verellen@uzbrussel.be
De Ridder
Mark
M
Linthout
Nadine
N
Tournel
Koen
K
Soete
Guy
G
Storme
Guy
G
D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods