Segmented breast treatment planning incorporating 4D data acquisition
Jill P. Anderson · Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) · 2010
Conventional 3-D external beam radiation therapy for breast cancer, although a vast improvement over traditional therapy, does not take into account respiratory motion. With breast cancer patients, this motion can expose healthy tissues, such as the lungs, to higher doses than expected. More significantly, respiratory motion can create hot spots in the breast tissue in excess of 15% of the prescribed dose. 4-D radiation therapy allows for the dimension of time to be added to the process through a bellows devise and post processing. This paper identifies that, unlike other methods of utilizing 4-D technology (which add time and may require the purchase of additional equipment), selecting a mid point phase of the breathing cycle is an inexpensive and fast alternative and is more effective than conventional 3-D technology.