Integrating PET and RT Planning - The Austin Experience
Since its inception, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning and more recently hybrid PET/Computed Tomography (CT) scanning has been a powerful tool in the accurate diagnosis and staging of many forms of cancer.
Integration of imaging and treatment modalities is now utilised world wide to enable better definition of treatment areas and hence achieve better patient outcomes.
In early 2005, the Austin Hospital Centre for PET and Radiotherapy (RT) departments began collaborating on a research protocol where PET scanning is performed in the RT planning and treatment position. The resultant PET scan is then incorporated into the RT planning software, where it is used to help define more accurately the treatment regions. The functional data obtained from PET imaging has the potential to guide the region size for tumour treatment as well as define previously unidentified tumour locations. The use of PET in staging oncology patients is already common place, whilst its use in the planning stage of RT is increasing and is likely to become standard practice in the future.
This presentation will highlight the impact of using PET in the planning stage, through case studies where treatment regions have been altered as a result of the data obtained from the PET scan. The methods used; from scanning patients to transferring data to the RT department to incorporate in their planning software will also be covered.