RADIOTHERAPY DOSE ASSESSMENT AND ADAPTION USING ONLINE IMAGING

摘要

In external beam radiation therapy, a planning image (scan) of the patient is obtained prior to treatment as a basis for constructing a radiation delivery plan. However, since the planning scan is obtained prior to treatment (potentially days or weeks prior), it does not necessarily represent the state of the patient's anatomy as it presents at the time of treatment beam delivery. The potential mismatch between the patient's anatomy in the planning scan and anatomy at the time of treatment can result in dose discrepancies between the planned dose and the actual delivered dose. The methods herein describe the use of online images taken immediately before or during treatment delivery in order to predict, assess, and adapt to such discrepancies.