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[Multimodalities imaging for target volume definition in radiotherapy]
Jean-François Daisne1, Vincent Grégoire
1Service de radiothérapie oncologique et Unité d'imagerie moléculaire et de radiothérapie expérimentale (IMRE), Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, avenue Hippocrate, 10, B-1200 Bruxelles, Belgique.
Bulletin Du Cancer
|December 22, 2006
Summary
Modern radiotherapy uses 3D imaging, but CT scans lack soft tissue contrast, risking inaccurate tumor targeting. Integrating advanced imaging like MRI and PET with sophisticated algorithms can improve radiation therapy precision.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiology
- Oncology
Context:
- Modern radiotherapy relies on 3D conformal techniques to optimize tumor targeting and minimize normal tissue dose.
- Computed-tomography (CT) is the gold standard but has poor soft tissue contrast, leading to target definition variability.
- This variability risks geographical misses or overirradiation of healthy tissues.
Purpose:
- To review advanced imaging modalities for radiotherapy treatment planning.
- To discuss sophisticated computer algorithms for image fusion.
- To present clinical results and practical recommendations for multi-modality imaging.
Summary:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) offer superior soft tissue contrast compared to CT.
- Image fusion algorithms are crucial for integrating data from different modalities.
- Clinical outcomes for head, neck, lung, esophagus, cervix, and lymphoma tumors using multi-modality imaging are reviewed.
Impact:
- Improved accuracy in defining tumor volumes for radiation therapy.
- Reduced irradiation of surrounding healthy tissues, potentially lowering side effects.
- Enhanced radiotherapy treatment planning through the integration of diverse imaging data.
