An Examination of Synchronous Shielding in<sup>60</sup>Co Rotational Therapy

Rawlinson, J. A.; Cunningham, Jack R.

doi:10.1148/102.3.667

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Another good example of the scientific method in radiation therapy physics is the invention of IMRT by Brahme et al [10] and forerunners [11]. It started with the clinical question: how to treat certain paraspinal tumours that bend around the spinal cord?…”

Section: Rigorous Scientific Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The physical basis and future of radiation therapy

Bortfeld

Jeraj²

2011

BJR

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ABSTRACT. The remarkable progress in radiation therapy over the last century has been largely due to our ability to more effectively focus and deliver radiation to the tumour target volume. Physics discoveries and technology inventions have been an important driving force behind this progress. However, there is still plenty of room left for future improvements through physics, for example image guidance and four-dimensional motion management and particle therapy, as well as increased efficiency of more compact and cheaper technologies. Bigger challenges lie ahead of physicists in radiation therapy beyond the dose localisation problem, for example in the areas of biological target definition, improved modelling for normal tissues and tumours, advanced multicriteria and robust optimisation, and continuous incorporation of advanced technologies such as molecular imaging. The success of physics in radiation therapy has been based on the continued ''fuelling'' of the field with new discoveries and inventions from physics research. A key to the success has been the application of the rigorous scientific method. In spite of the importance of physics research for radiation therapy, too few physicists are currently involved in cutting-edge research. The increased emphasis on more ''professionalism'' in medical physics will tip the situation even more off balance. To prevent this from happening, we argue that medical physics needs more research positions, and more and better academic programmes. Only with more emphasis on medical physics research will the future of radiation therapy and other physics-related medical specialties look as bright as the past, and medical physics will maintain a status as one of the most exciting fields of applied physics.

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Section: Rigorous Scientific Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The physical basis and future of radiation therapy

Bortfeld

Jeraj²

2011

BJR

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“…Other authors used central blocks, sometimes motorized, that shielded the organ at risk [10-13, 15, 18]. But Rawlinson & Cunningham [22] showed that the dose distribution in the target volume near the organ at risk will be insufficient (for illustration see Figures 2b and 3). Areas of the TV near the OAR remain in the block shadow for a longer time than distant areas, even if the shadowing effect is more smeared out than in the case of a certain number of fixed fields.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applications of Two-Step Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy

Bratengeier

2001

Strahlenther Onkol

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“…Jack was a supervisor and mentor to a number of graduate students. Examples include: Louis Beaudoin, who performed tissue inhomogeneity corrections with differential scattering volumes for photon beams — a method that was very computer intensive and well‐ahead of its time — likely the first voxel‐based method; Alan Rawlinson, who evaluated synchronous shielding for cobalt‐60 teletherapy — a concept that was a forerunner of intensity modulated radiation therapy; Jacques Niederer, who developed a sophisticated cell response model to fractionated doses of radiation, a model capable of describing most of the radiobiological functions that are commonly studied; Marc Sontag, who developed the equivalent tissue‐air ratio method for tissue inhomogeneity corrections in photon beams at a time when maps of patient‐specific tissue density became available with the advent of x‐ray computed tomography — a method that accounted for the third dimension in dose calculations and was the most sophisticated clinical method available for a number of years as the field progressed from 2‐D radiation therapy to 3‐D conformal radiotherapy; Milton Woo, who then added the consideration of electronic disequilibrium in photon beam dose calculations — providing yet another level of physics complexity to patient‐related dose computations. Furthermore, Jack guided and mentored a number of visiting medical physicists from around the world resulting in precise measurements of tissue‐air ratios, new procedures for radiation treatment, and dosimetry for beta sources…”

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confidence: 99%