"Appraisal of Target Determination for Radiotherapeutic Management of Hepatic Tumors"

Abstract

Objective:Although not included within the group of most common cancers, hepatic tumors comprise a leading cause of cancer-related mortality around the globe. Herein, we assess incorporation of multimodality imaging for precise target definition of hepatic tumors. Materials and Methods:Lesion size, localization and association with surrounding critical structures, symptomatology, and contemplated results of radiotherapeutic management have been thoroughly assessed. Definition of ground truth target volume was accomplished by a group of experts after thorough collaborative assessment, colleague peer review, and consensus to be used for actual treatment and comparative analysis.Results: Reports of American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements were considered in RT planning by expert radiation physicists by taking into account relevant normal tissue dose constraints. Optimal target coverage was prioritized in treatment planning while normal tissue protection was considered within the preset dose volume constraints. This study revealed that ground truth target volume was identical with target determination by CT-MR registration-based imaging for radiotherapeutic management of hepatic tumors. Conclusion:We conclude that visualization of data from multiple imaging modalities and incorporation of contemporary image registration and fusion techniques may dramatically improve target definition for more precise radiotherapeutic management of hepatic tumors. Admittedly, further studies are needed to shed light on this critical issue.Radiation Therapy (RT) [1][2][3][4]. Use of RT has been historically