About Image-Guided and Adaptive Radiotherapy

Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) has revolutionized external beam radiotherapy over the last few decades, enabling the more conformal techniques of 3DCRT, IMRT and VMAT to be delivered with greater accuracy, precision and confidence….all of which are used to optimise dose to the tumour and minimise dose to surrounding healthy normal tissues.  It has been the bedrock for further technique developments and advancements for reducing planning margins, responding to treatment changes, and its methods have brought benefits to accuracy and precision for particle therapy too.  The majority of techniques are x-ray based, but there is rapid development for technologies and processes which use non-ionising radiation.

Adaptive Radiotherapy (ART) has been a natural development from on-treatment 3D image guidance, to develop still further the conformality of a high dose volume to the target volume beyond that designed at pre-treatment planning; to better account for intra and interfractional changes which can occur throughout the treatment course.  Adapting to both positional and shape changes is the subject of much research, especially with MR guided procedures and the development of the MR-Linac.

Both IGRT and ART are major driving forces for innovation in the development of modern radiation therapy, with potentially better tumour control and reduced toxicity.


This collection focuses on these developments in radiotherapy, drawing together multidisciplinary research and experiences in the development, implementation and clinical outcomes from state-of-the-art IGRT and ART methodologies, using both ionising and non-ionising radiation. The focus is on external beam radiotherapy using both photons and particle beams, with a particular emphasis on clinical implementation. 
 
We invite original research on all aspects of IGRT and ART; including technology and technique developments; clinical trials; optimising resources (including workforce and equipment management); and training and development issues.

Keywords: Image-guided Radiotherapy; Image-guided Radiation Therapy; Adaptive Radiotherapy; Conebeam CT; Image Guidance; MR guided Radiotherapy; MR-Linac

Any questions about this collection? Please get in contact with research@f1000.com.