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Open Access 01-12-2010 | Minireview

Recent advances in radiotherapy

Authors: SA Bhide, CM Nutting

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2010

Abstract

Radiation therapy has come a long way from treatment planning based on orthogonal radiographs with large margins around tumours. Advances in imaging and radiation planning software have led to three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and, further, to intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). IMRT permits sparing of normal tissues and hence dose-escalation to tumours. IMRT is the current standard in treatment of head and prostate cancer and is being investigated in other tumour sites. Exquisitely sculpted dose distributions (increased geographical miss) with IMRT, plus tumour motion and anatomical changes during radiotherapy make image guided radiotherapy an essential part of modern radiation delivery. Various hardware and software tools are under investigation for optimal IGRT.

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/8/25/prepub

Title: Recent advances in radiotherapy
Authors: SA Bhide
CM Nutting
Publication date: 01-12-2010
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-8-25

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Recent advances in radiotherapy

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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