MR-Guided Radiotherapy
Glenn Cahoon1
1Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, Australia

Synopsis

Radiotherapy is one of the most effective cancer treatments available with almost half of all cancer patients receive radiation treatment over the course of their disease. With an increasing number of people surviving cancer, emphasis is being placed on reducing treatment side effects. Improvements in radiation treatment planning and delivery are reliant on accurately visualizing and localising the disease as well as normal tissue structures. Traditionally CT imaging has been used for treatment planning and dose calculation, however, MRI with its superior soft tissue contrast, is increasingly being incorporated into the RT workflow to improve lesion definition and disease extent.

SMRT 2021 MR Guided Radiotherapy – Glenn Cahoon MSc FSMRT
Objectives:
• To gain an appreciation of the role of MR imaging in the radiotherapy workflow
• To familiarize users with the background of radiation therapy and MR imaging accuracies.
• To understand the factors that affect MR imaging accuracy.
• To understand the importance of geometric accuracy in MR imaging that is done for radiation therapy applications.
• To understand the methods for improving image quality in RT
• Understand the concepts and limitations of an MR only workflow
• Appreciate the benefits of functional MRI in treatment monitoring and response
•Gain an understanding of the functional benefits of MR guided treatment (MRLINAC)

Acknowledgements

Radiation Oncology Staff - Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Austin Health Melbourne Australia

References

MRI for Radiotherapy: Planning, Delivery, and Response assessment - Gary Liney, Uulke van der Heide

IPEM topical report: guidance on the use of MRI for external beam radiotherapy treatment planning - Richard Speight et al 2021

AAPM Scientific Report: MRTI Simulation in Radiotherapy: Considerations for Clinical Implementation, Optimisation, and Quality Assurance - Carri K Glide-Hurst et al 2021

The Integration of MRI in radiation therapy: collaboration of radiographers and radiation therapists - Robba Rai et al 2017

Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 29 (2021)