Recent Developments in the Technology of Radiation Oncology. Chapter 9

The accurate targeting of tumours with maximum preservation of normal tissues has long been the foremost goal of radiotherapy practice. Over the last two decades, the ability to achieve this goal has improved greatly. This achievement has been made possible by advances in imaging technology, specifically the development of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and fusion PET–CT. Developments in imaging coupled with advances in computer technology have fundamentally changed the processes of tumour targeting and radiotherapy planning. The ability to display anatomical information in an infinite selection of views has led to the emergence of three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3-D CRT), a modality in which the volume treated conforms closely to the shape of the tumour volume. During the past decade, there have been significant advances in radiotherapy technology. This chapter presents an overview of recent developments in radiotherapy technology.