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Physics of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy—Commissioning, Quality Assurance, and Treatment Planning

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Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

Abstract

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) have gained wide spread use as a modality of treatment in Radiation Oncology during the last decade. In this chapter, we describe various devices that are capable of delivering SBRT. These systems are complex combinations of treatment and imaging capabilities. Therefore, they require substantial efforts in commissioning and clinical validation before being used for patient treatment. We present a broad overview of commissioning whilst emphasizing the complexity of small field dosimetry. In addition, Treatment Planning System (TPS) commissioning is also discussed. Clinical validation of TPS, SBRT and Imaging systems must be validated both by performing end-to-end measurements and also by using third party (for example, Radiological Physics Center (RPC) phantoms and systems) before using the system clinically. Routine quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) is an important aspect of this treatment modality and must be strictly maintained to ensure stringent quality requirements. In addition, some systems provide patient specific QA options which further assists in ensuring high quality treatment delivery. Finally we review a variety of scenarios where SBRT may be used, demonstrating the ability to deliver high doses to the tumor whilst significantly sparing surrounding organs at risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Cynthia F. Chuang PhD

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Frank C. Love Cancer Institute at St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

    Maximian F. D’Souza PhD

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MS, USA

    John A. Rossman MS

Authors
  1. Cynthia F. Chuang PhD
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  2. Maximian F. D’Souza PhD
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  3. John A. Rossman MS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John A. Rossman MS .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom

    Andrew Gaya

  2. Dept. Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Anand Mahadevan

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Chuang, C.F., D’Souza, M.F., Rossman, J.A. (2015). Physics of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy—Commissioning, Quality Assurance, and Treatment Planning. In: Gaya, A., Mahadevan, A. (eds) Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-597-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-597-2_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-596-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-597-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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