Brachytherapy is continuously advancing. Years of accumulated experience have led to clinical evidence of its benefit in numerous clinical sites such as gynecological, prostate, breast, rectum, ocular, and many other cancers. Brachytherapy continues to expand in its scope of practice and complexity, driven by strong academic and commercial research, by advances in competing modalities, and due to the diversity in the political and economic landscape. It is a true challenge for practicing professionals and students to readily grasp the overarching trends of the field, especially of those technologies and innovative practices that are not yet established but are certainly on the rise.
Addressing this challenge, Emerging Technologies in Brachytherapy presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the latest trending/emerging technologies and expert opinions. It is divided into five broad sections:
- Section I: Physics of Brachytherapy
- Section II: Imaging for Brachytherapy Guidance
- Section III: Brachytherapy Suites
- Section IV: Is Brachytherapy a Competitive Modality?
- Section V: Vision 20/20: Industry Perspective
Each section has a carefully selected collection of chapters, which covers the spectrum of topics in comprehensive detail. By drawing on recognized experts and key opinion leaders from academia and commercial sectors worldwide (100+ contributors), Emerging Technologies in Brachytherapy provides readers with a wealth of relevant information needed to comprehend the rapidly advancing technologies and trends of today and the prospects for the future.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Sources and Loading Technologies
Applicators
Applicator Reconstruction
Dose Calculation
Dose Optimization
Image Processing for Brachytherapy
FMEA for Brachytherapy
Real-Time In Vivo Dosimetry
Quality Assurance Technologies
Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) in Brachytherapy
Robotics in Brachytherapy
Optical Imaging and Navigation Technologies
Ultrasound
X-Ray and Computed Tomography
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Positron Emission Tomography
Imaging for Treatment Verification
Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Emerging Technologies in Brachytherapy
Hospital Charles Lemoyne, Montreal, Canada
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada
Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India
Institut Joliot-Curie Cancer Center, Dakar, Senegal: Implementing a Brachytherapy Program in a Resource Limited Setting
EBRT or Brachytherapy?
Particle Therapy or Brachytherapy?
Is Brachytherapy Cost Effective?
Elekta Brachytherapy
Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG
About the Author :
Dr. William Y. Song is the Head of the Department of Medical Physics at the Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, in Toronto, Canada. This is one of the largest medical physics units in the world with 50+ staff. Along with a busy external beam radiotherapy program, the centre sees close to 600 brachytherapy patients a year, making it the busiest program in Canada. Since joining the centre in 2014, he has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, at the University of Toronto. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physics, at the Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. He received his PhD degree in 2006 at the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada, on the topic of image guided treatment approaches for prostate cancer. Since then, he has pursued research in the field of image guidance systems, 4D motion management technologies, and brachytherapy, resulting in over 50+ peer-reviewed publications and 130+ conference abstracts. Along the way, he became a fully certified medical physicist (American Board of Radiology, 2010), directly supervised(ing) 20+ MSc and PhD graduate students, an ad hoc reviewer for 20+ research journals, and is a member of the Board of Associate Editors for the Journal of Medical Physics. In brachytherapy particular, his research focus has been in developing novel applicators and MR image processing techniques that enhances plan quality and plan quality evaluations; one in particular, in cleverly designing MR-compatible metal alloys to create non-isotropic dose distributions that can, in combination with inverse planning, gain exceptional dosimetric conformality for use in image guided adaptive brachytherapy.
Dr. Kari Tanderup is Professor at Department of Oncology, Aarhus University H
Review :
"Physicians, medical physicists and other members of the brachytherapy team will find this book of value. Beginning with a solid overview of the physics of available radiation sources, brachytherapy applicators, and equipment and planning methods, it looks forward to where these technologies are going and how they might best be applied. Written by international experts, it provides clear authoritative information and practical solutions as to how these methods can be applied in the clinical environment. It includes details of image guided brachytherapy suite designs from around the world, describing how leading centres have incorporated modern advanced imaging into their brachytherapy process. This book is highly readable and provides an authoritative overview of the current state of the art in brachytherapy technologies."
—Gerard Morton MD FRCPC, Associate Professor, Dept of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto
"Enthusiasm for brachytherapy has waxed and waned over the years with the prevalent popularity of new, external beam approaches. It now stands on the threshold of moving ahead on its own merits. Brachytherapy represents the ultimate radiation therapy, delivering the lowest possible radiation dose to normal tissues, and the highest possible dose to the target. It is now image-guided and quality-assured taking away much of the uncertainty that previously make it so operator dependent. Not only that, it is efficient, limits hospital visits, and is economically smart. These are all attractive features in an era of patient-centered medicine and medical overspending.
This book looks at the many emerging technologies that make brachytherapy more attractive than ever. It is an indispensible guide to both physicists and radiation oncologists who want to take their practice to the next level. Rich as it is in exciting technical detail, it does not fail to also arm brachytherapists with the economic arguments they need to advocate for their art. "
—Anthony Zietman MD, Shipley Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
"Expert or novice this book has something for everyone. Enlisting an impressive array of global experts in the field it covers not only the physics basics of brachytherapy use in the modern era, but also explores it’s future. The book describes in detail the use of various imaging modalities and brachytherapy tools. It reviews strengths and weaknesses of each, and describes how modern imaging has transformed brachytherapy.
For those new to brachytherapy, or seeking guidance on updating one’s practice, the book details various brachytherapy suites and practices from around the world. Reviewing the existing literature on the role of brachytherapy in various disease sites, authors give a thought-provoking comparative analysis of brachytherapy with other advanced techniques. The book is interesting and approachable with numerous quality illustrations and photos. One can refresh on the basics, refine your technique, or discover new and exciting advances in the field."
—Catheryn M. Yashar, Professor, Medical Director, Assistant Vice-Chair of Clinical Affairs, and UCSD Vice Chief of Staff of the University of California, San Diego
"Physicians, medical physicists and other members of the brachytherapy team will find this book of value. Beginning with a solid overview of the physics of available radiation sources, brachytherapy applicators, and equipment and planning methods, it looks forward to where these technologies are going and how they might best be applied. Written by international experts, it provides clear authoritative information and practical solutions as to how these methods can be applied in the clinical environment. It includes details of image guided brachytherapy suite designs from around the world, describing how leading centres have incorporated modern advanced imaging into their brachytherapy process. This book is highly readable and provides an authoritative overview of the current state of the art in brachytherapy technologies."
—Gerard Morton MD FRCPC, Associate Professor, Dept of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto
"Enthusiasm for brachytherapy has waxed and waned over the years with the prevalent popularity of new, external beam approaches. It now stands on the threshold of moving ahead on its own merits. Brachytherapy represents the ultimate radiation therapy, delivering the lowest possible radiation dose to normal tissues, and the highest possible dose to the target. It is now image-guided and quality-assured taking away much of the uncertainty that previously make it so operator dependent. Not only that, it is efficient, limits hospital visits, and is economically smart. These are all attractive features in an era of patient-centered medicine and medical overspending.
This book looks at the many emerging technologies that make brachytherapy more attractive than ever. It is an indispensible guide to both physicists and radiation oncologists who want to take their practice to the next level. Rich as it is in exciting technical detail, it does not fail to also arm brachytherapists with the economic arguments they need to advocate for their art. "
—Anthony Zietman MD, Shipley Professor of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital; Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
"Expert or novice this book has something for everyone. Enlisting an impressive array of global experts in the field it covers not only the physics basics of brachytherapy use in the modern era, but also explores it’s future. The book describes in detail the use of various imaging modalities and brachytherapy tools. It reviews strengths and weaknesses of each, and describes how modern imaging has transformed brachytherapy.
For those new to brachytherapy, or seeking guidance on updating one’s practice, the book details various brachytherapy suites and practices from around the world. Reviewing the existing literature on the role of brachytherapy in various disease sites, authors give a thought-provoking comparative analysis of brachytherapy with other advanced techniques. The book is interesting and approachable with numerous quality illustrations and photos. One can refresh on the basics, refine your technique, or discover new and exciting advances in the field."
—Catheryn M. Yashar, Professor, Medical Director, Assistant Vice-Chair of Clinical Affairs, and UCSD Vice Chief of Staff of the University of California, San Diego
