Complexity in Radiation Therapy: It's Complicated

The culmination of radiation therapy's technical innovation during the past few decades led to the development of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT),1 which constitutes the evolution of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).2 Both of these treatment modalities have greatly increased our ability to conform dose to target volumes and spare surrounding normal tissues. Naturally, they have become the predominant techniques for various treatment sites (eg, head, neck, and prostate). The steep dose gradients achievable with these techniques are materialized via multileaf collimator (MLC), dose rate, and gantry speed modulation at the cost of intrinsic plan complexity.

Source: International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics - December 11, 2019 Category: Radiology Authors: Efstathios Kamperis, Chionia Kodona, Konstantinos Hatziioannou, Vasileios Giannouzakos Tags: Physics Contribution Source Type: research