Tami Freeman[email protected]Radiation Oncology/TherapyIncident learning lowers radiation therapy errorsIn an attempt to minimize errors and improve treatment safety, a team at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Center has implemented an incident learning system for managing radiotherapy errors. The group details its initial experience in an article published online in Radiotherapy and Oncology.July 4, 2010MRISPIE: Is MRI-guidance the next step for IGRT?Image-guidance has become an invaluable tool within radiation therapy, with recent years seeing a shift toward incorporating image-derived, patient-based information into the treatment process. At the same time, the industry has witnessed the emergence of advanced radiotherapy systems with integrated imaging capabilities.May 20, 2010Nuclear MedicineSPIE: Fundamental challenges identified with quantitative PETPET/CT could play a significant role in the development of new cancer therapies. But if the technique is to fulfill its potential of offering true quantitative measurements, it's critical to address issues such as respiratory motion.April 1, 2010UltrasoundSPIE: New uses for focused ultrasound to treat brain diseases definedFocused ultrasound therapy can noninvasively deliver targeted energy deep into the body with precision. Adding MR imaging enables real-time guidance and visualization of heating and ablation effects. And while the technique may not traditionally be associated with brain treatments, focused ultrasound could prove a perfect fit for treating a range of brain diseases.March 14, 2010Radiation Oncology/TherapyAdaptive radiation therapy monitors tumor changeAlthough radiation therapy treatment plans are becoming increasingly accurate, they can't account for changes that occur once treatment has begun, such as tumor shrinkage and morphing. Researchers offer their latest work in the application of adaptive radiation therapy to address this issue.December 24, 2009Nuclear MedicineRadiotherapy exploits advances in diagnostic imagingImaging plays a major role throughout the entire cancer management process -- from diagnosis and staging, to therapy planning and delivery, to response monitoring and surveillance, according to a presentation at the recent American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting in Chicago.November 12, 2009Molecular ImagingProtons promise lower second cancer riskProton therapy offers a lower second cancer risk than that associated with photon radiotherapies, even when neutron effects are taken into account, according to research from M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.May 7, 2009Radiation Oncology/TherapyDynamic Gamma Knife radiosurgery may enable faster treatmentsCurrently, with Gamma Knife radiosurgery, radiation is delivered in a step-and-shoot manner with the patient repositioned offline between each shot, making the process time-consuming for large tumors. According to a U.S. research team, dynamic Gamma Knife delivery could ease this time constraint -- and offer additional advantages.March 22, 2009Radiation Oncology/TherapyBrachytherapy's change of direction: Directional sources may help more patients benefit from APBIAccelerated partial-breast irradiation (APBI) offers a faster and more localized alternative to whole-breast external-beam radiotherapy, and can be delivered via interstitial brachytherapy, using multiple catheters placed in the breast. Unfortunately, APBI is not suitable for all patients due to radiation toxicity to the skin and chest wall. But researchers have developed a new brachytherapy scheme that could overcome this limitation and enable more patients to benefit from APBI.March 16, 2008Radiation Oncology/TherapyCell survival offers IMRT insight on 'bystander effect'In vitro experiments have revealed the existence of new bystander effects, in which cell survival is increased when nearby cells are irradiated. Australian researchers examined cell survival following exposure to spatially modulated beams to gain insight into the radiobiology underlying intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and help radiation oncologists reap the maximum benefit from this advanced technique.November 22, 2007Previous PagePage 4 of 4Top StoriesDigital X-RayChest x-rays reveal atherosclerosis in patients undergoing amputationsLower limb amputation is an increasingly common major complication of advanced peripheral arterial disease and diabetes mellitus.MRI3D MRI technique helps plan treatment for pediatric heart conditionsWomens ImagingCould AI scoring help with managing DCIS?CTClinicians, beware: CT diagnostic accuracy varies by adnexal lesion typePractice ManagementRadiology coding update for 2026
