Upcoming imaging concepts and their impact on treatment planning and treatment response in radiation oncology
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COMMENTARY
Open Access
Upcoming imaging concepts and their impact on treatment planning and treatment response in radiation oncology Paul Russell Roberts1, Ashesh B. Jani2, Satyaseelan Packianathan1, Ashley Albert1, Rahul Bhandari1 and Srinivasan Vijayakumar1*
Abstract For 2018, the American Cancer Society estimated that there would be approximately 1.7 million new diagnoses of cancer and about 609,640 cancer-related deaths in the United States. By 2030 these numbers are anticipated to exceed a staggering 21 million annual diagnoses and 13 million cancer-related deaths. The three primary therapeutic modalities for cancer treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Individually or in combination, these treatment modalities have provided and continue to provide curative and palliative care to the myriad victims of cancer. Today, CT-based treatment planning is the primary means through which conventional photon radiation therapy is planned. Although CT remains the primary treatment planning modality, the field of radiation oncology is moving beyond the sole use of CT scans to define treatment targets and organs at risk. Complementary tissue scans, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron electron emission (PET) scans, have all improved a physician’s ability to more specifically identify target tissues, and in some cases, international guidelines have even been issued. Moreover, efforts to combine PET and MR to define solid tumors for radiotherapy planning and treatment evaluation are also gaining traction. Keeping these advances in mind, we present brief overviews of other up-and-coming key imaging concepts that appear promising for initial treatment target definition or treatment response from radiation therapy. Keywords: Radiation therapy, Treatment planning, Treatment response, Imaging
Background Despite many advances, cancer continues to represent a significant health burden in the United States and the rest of the world. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2018, approximately 1.7 million new diagnoses of cancer and about 609,640 cancer-related deaths are anticipated in the United States. Worldwide, cancer accounts for about 1 in 7 of all deaths. Given the far-reaching impact of cancer, affordable and remotely utilizable imaging technologies are needed to improve
* Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 350 Woodrow Wilson Drive Suite 1600, Jackson, MS 39213, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
diagnostic accuracy, treatment efficacy, and the value of post-treatment surveillance in cancer care [1]. The three primary therapeutic modalities for cancer treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Individually or in combination, these treatment modalities have provided and continue to provide curative or palliative care to the myriad victims of cancer. Of the three, it is radiation therapy which is most heavily dependent upon imaging technologie
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