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The Challenges of Using MRI During Radiotherapy

A McWilliam1, B Rowland1, M van Herk1

  • 1Division of Clinical Cancer Science, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK; Department of Radiotherapy Related Research, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.

Clinical Oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))
|September 11, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This article explores integrating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) into radiotherapy. It discusses MRI for better tumor outlining, MRI-only approaches, and functional imaging, highlighting implementation challenges for safe use.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Physics
  • Radiotherapy Technology
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers superior soft-tissue contrast compared to traditional methods.
  • Integrating advanced imaging into radiotherapy workflows is crucial for treatment precision.
  • Current radiotherapy planning often relies on computed tomography (CT) which has limitations in soft-tissue visualization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline key considerations for incorporating MRI into radiotherapy workflows.
  • To explore the benefits and challenges of MRI-based tumor delineation.
  • To discuss the feasibility and implications of MRI-only radiotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on MRI applications in radiotherapy.
  • Analysis of technical and clinical challenges in MRI integration.
  • Discussion of functional imaging techniques (e.g., diffusion-weighted imaging) for radiotherapy.

Main Results:

  • MRI enables more accurate tumor and organ-at-risk delineation, potentially improving treatment targeting.
  • MRI-only workflows present opportunities for reduced imaging dose and streamlined planning but require robust technical solutions.
  • Functional MRI techniques show promise for assessing treatment response and adapting radiotherapy plans.

Conclusions:

  • Successful integration of MRI into radiotherapy requires addressing technical, safety, and workflow challenges.
  • MRI-only workflows are a developing area with significant potential for advancing radiotherapy.
  • Further research and standardization are needed to fully leverage MRI's capabilities in radiation oncology.
Keywords:
magnetic resonance imagingradiotherapy

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