Practical Essentials Of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

The primary objective of this book is to teach residents, fellows, and clinicians in radiation oncology how to incorporate intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) into their practice. IMRT has proven to be an extremely effective treatment modality for head and neck cancers. It is now being used effectively in other sites, including, prostate, breast, lung, gynecological, the cervix, the central nervous system, and lymph nodes. The book will provide in a consistent format an overview of the natural course, lymph node spread, diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic options for each cancer subsite.

The third edition of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy was written to enhance the reader’s understanding of the cutting-edge technology of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy. It is designed to both update old readers and inform new readers about the complexities and details of clinical management. This completely updated edition provides a step-by-step, practical approach to the use of IMRT in the evaluation and treatment of cancer patients. Because of IMRT’s ability to employ individually controlled beamlets, it is an extremely promising technique, especially when paired with CT, PET, and/or MRI. With these improved procedures, doctors and clinicians will be able to take high resolution images of tumors while minimizing dosages to surrounding tissue. In order to focus on the most up to date IMRT techniques, the introductory chapters have been condensed to provide a brief overview of IMRT physics, mechanics and quality assurance, and also CT and MR imaging. To help assist in clinical decision-making it provides the reader with more than 700 full-color illustrations, IMRT tables and clear, straightforward descriptions that address a range of tumor types and sites including head and neck, urinary, and gynecologic cancers.

Provides an account of the perspective, methodology, and experience in the physical and medical aspects of IMRT at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).

Presents the technical aspects of IMRT, and the clinical aspects of planning and delivery. The volulme explores a practical approach for radiation oncologists and medical physicists initiating or expanding and IMRT program, the fundamental biology and physics of IMRT, a site-by-site review of IMRT techniques with clinical examples, and reviews of published outcome studies.

Clinical conformal radiotherapy is the holy grail of radiation treatment and is now becoming a reality through the combined efforts of physical scientists and engineers, who have improved the physical basis of radiotherapy, and the interest and concern of imaginative radiotherapists and radiographers. Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy describes in detail the physics germane to the development of a particular form of clinical conformal radiotherapy called intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT has become a topic of tremendous importance in recent years and is now being seriously investigated for its potential to improve the outcome of radiation therapy. The book collates the state-of-the-art literature together with the author's personal research experience and that of colleagues in the field to produce a text suitable for new research workers, Ph.D. students, and practicing radiation physicists that require a thorough introduction to IMRT. Fully illustrated, indexed, and referenced, the book has been prepared in a form suitable for supporting a teaching course.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has become standard of care for most cancer sites that are managed by radiation therapy. This book documents the evolution of this technology over 35 years to the current level of volumetric arc modulated therapy (VMAT). It covers every aspect of this radiation treatment technology, including the fundamentals of IMRT/VMAT, basic principles and advanced processes for implementation. The physics of IMRT is followed by the clinical application in major disease sites such as central nervous system, head and neck, breast, lung, prostate and cervix. It also provides updated references on each component of IMRT/VMAT. This book is written by leading experts in the field with extensive clinical experience in the practice and implementation of this technology. Part of IPEM-IOP Series in Physics and Engineering in Medicine and Biology.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a recent technological advancement that offers a potential to provide cost-effective benefits to patients beyond those normally achieved with conventional planning and treatment. IMRT is designed to address a major limitation of conventionally delivered radiation therapy: its inability to restrict the treatment beam to the tumor-bearing tissue. Topics covered in this book includes inverse treatment planning, intensity modulation and optimization, methods for planning and delivery, clinical experience, quality management and resource allocation.