Development of Prior Image-Based, High-Quality, Low-Dose Kilovoltage Cone Beam CT for Use in Adaptive Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer.

摘要

Adaptive radiotherapy (RT) is an advanced technique for prostate cancer treatment which employs kilovoltage (KV) cone-beam CT (CBCT) for guiding treatment. High quality CBCT images are important in achieving improved treatment effect, but they also require a non-negligible amount of imaging radiation dose which raises patient safety concern. Therefore, the goal of this project is to investigate and develop innovative, prior-image-based CBCT imaging techniques that can yield high quality images with reduced dose. Throughout the three years of this project, I have conducted research tasks as planned. I have investigated and developed prior-image-based, narrowly collimated KV CBCT imaging configurations, have developed prior-image- based, few-view CBCT image-reconstruction algorithms, and have validated and evaluated the proposed configurations and algorithms. I have achieved the goals planned for this project. The techniques developed can potentially improve current CBCT image quality, and can enable novel, high-quality, low-dose CBCT imaging configurations.