Imaging and Alignment for Image-Guided Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Image-guided radiation therapy is an exciting new area that focuses heavily on the potential benefit of advanced imaging and image registration to improve precision, thus limiting morbidity and potentially allowing for safe delivery of increased dose. This review explores the issues surrounding the use of imaging and image registration for treatment planning and verification, with emphasis on the underlying patient model and alignment algorithms.

Biological image-guided radiotherapy in rectal cancer: Is there a role for FMISO or FLT, next to FDG?

“…Recently, repeated imaging during RT has been investigated to track geometrical and biological changes of the tumour and adapt the treatment plan accordingly [16]. Biological changes in response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation have been evaluated with FDG-PET in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer [6,17].…”

Salvage SBRT for Previously Irradiated Lung Cancer

“…The tight conformality (and thus the avoidance of normal tissue) possible with radiosurgical techniques permits safer delivery of single doses in the range of 15 -20 Gy. Using prototypes for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) [19], stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) which mimics SRT for extracranial disease, e.g., small sized lung cancers, has been reported where hypofractionated therapy in fractional doses of 12 -20 Gy appeared to be relatively safe and effective resulting in local control rates of 80% -90% [20].…”

Subject-specific four-dimensional liver motion modeling based on registration of dynamic MRI

“…Image-guided therapies often rely on real-time imaging to provide information about the tumor position. [14][15][16] The beam geometry can be updated during treatment according to the tumor motion, or gated therapy can be performed. In the case of a continuous updating process, fast image registration can be performed to track the tumor, possibly aided by fiducial markers that are implanted near the tumor.…”