Radiation therapy planning with ultrasound

Diagnostic ultrasound is a relatively new diagnostic modality which is a practical method of acquiring anatomical information important in radiation treatment planning. Patient contour, port margins, location of tumors and normal structures, and tissue inhomogeneities can be recorded simply, safely, rapidly, and accurately. This information can then be utilized in developing radiation therapy plans that deliver irradiation more precisely to the malignant disease while avoiding normal structures. The proper application of ultrasound in radiation therapy planning has the potential of significantly improving cure rates and minimizing complication rates in the treatment of patients with malignant disease.