The role of computational methods for automating and improving clinical target volume definition.

The role of computational methods for automating and improving clinical target volume definition. Radiother Oncol. 2020 Oct 08;: Authors: Unkelbach J, Bortfeld T, Cardenas CE, Gregoire V, Hager W, Heijmen B, Jeraj R, Korreman SS, Ludwig R, Pouymayou B, Shusharina N, Söderberg J, Toma-Dasu I, Troost EGC, Vasquez Osorio E Abstract Treatment planning in radiotherapy distinguishes three target volume concepts: the gross tumor volume (GTV), the clinical target volume (CTV), and the planning target volume (PTV). Over time, GTV definition and PTV margins have improved through the development of novel imaging techniques and better image guidance, respectively. CTV definition is sometimes considered the weakest element in the planning process. CTV definition is particularly complex since the extension of microscopic disease cannot be seen using currently available in-vivo imaging techniques. Instead, CTV definition has to incorporate knowledge of the patterns of tumor progression. While CTV delineation has largely been considered the domain of radiation oncologists, this paper, arising from a 2019 ESTRO Physics research workshop, discusses the contributions that medical physics and computer science can make by developing computational methods to support CTV definition. First, we overview the role of image segmentation algorithms, which may in part automate CTV delineation through segmentation of lymph node stations or normal tissues represen...
Source: Radiotherapy and Oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Radiother Oncol Source Type: research