The impact of IGRT on normal tissue toxicity

Abstract

Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) deploys advanced imaging techniques prior to each treatment to ensure the highest possible agreement between the planned treatment geometry and the daily set-up. This agreement includes both the patient position and the localization of the internal target and normal structures. This process reduces non-tumor tissues within the target volume to a minimum. IGRT is now commonly accompanied by altered fractionation schemes, usually hypofractionation. With the small-volume, high-dose-per-fraction treatments, the profile of treatment morbidities may change, compared to conventional 3D treatment. This chapter explores how these morbidities may change with the use of IGRT.