Imaging for RT guidance and planning

Modern radiotherapy techniques such as on-line adaptive radiotherapy, brachytherapy and proton therapy offer unprecedented precision in treating patients. We investigate quantitative MRI techniques to characterize tumor and normal tissue to optimize the balance between control of the disease and treatment-related toxicity.

MRI biomarkers associated with xerostomia and dysphagia after radiotherapy

We aim to develop and validate MRI techniques for patients with head-neck cancer that provide a spatially resolved characterization of normal tissue damage associated with toxicity and functional impairment after radiotherapy. The project focuses on salivary glands and structures involved in swallowing.

We use these techniques for improved normal tissue complication modelling of xerostomia and dysphagia. Detailed knowledge of the location of tissue damage will be used to improve radiotherapy treatment plans by avoiding sensitive structures and select patients for proton therapy.

Focal boosting in prostate cancer

Focal dose escalation to the visible tumor inside the prostate gland has been shown to improve treatment outcome in patients with localized unfavorable intermediate risk and high-risk prostate cancer. Focal boosting may be challenging when the tumor is located near critical healthy structures. We use quantitative MRI to investigate the expected benefit of focal boosting for individual patients. We develop dose models to select the optimal treatment technique for each patient.

FLAME

Figure: example of patient included in the FLAME trial, with multiparametric MRI (T2w, ADC and Ktrans) and dose distribution with focal boost. The red arrow indicates the location of the tumor, the blue arrow the location of the focal boost

Key publication

Team