The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology, Vol 2

Author:  Jacob Van Dyk, editor
ISBN:  9781930524255      ISBN10:  1930524250
Published:  2005 | 514 pp | Hardcover

Price:   $ 120.00


  
  




Interactions  |  October 2005


The second volume of the popular book The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology is a comprehensive review of much of the new technology and clinical practice of radiotherapy since the publication of the first volume in 1999. Editor Van Dyk introduces the need for these technology advances in the opening chapter by discussing some key issues surrounding prostate cancer: identification of the target, tracking the target through image guidance, and radiobiological considerations. In many ways, the example of the prostate illustrates the most modern of challenges in radiotherapy. The book concludes by addressing current issues in radiotherapy from a brachytherapy perspective by discussing advances in the important area of prostate brachytherapy. In between, the book addresses many of the modern aspects of radiotherapy: imaging, Monte Carlo dose calculation, inverse planning, intensity modulation, image guidance and breathing control. Also included is an excellent chapter on radiobiological modelling; this chapter will certainly be very useful to many readers as it brings together into one chapter many concepts and results that are typically only available through a large literature review. Finally, a pleasant surprise in this book is a thorough chapter on dosimetry protocols. At first, the chapter seems atypical of the book since dosimetry protocols are not what one considers when thinking of modern radiotherapy, however several new protocols have appeared since volume 1 of The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology, (including TG51) and so this chapter is timely and will be useful for anyone that is implementing a new dosimetry protocol since it contains several worked examples designed to assist the reader in implementing these protocols.

Absent from this book, however, is an up-to-date view of the clinical practice of tomotherapy. The technology of tomotherapy was covered in great detail in the first volume; since then the clinical practice and implementation of tomotherapy has evolved considerably. Admittedly, much clinical experience in tomotherapy is so recent that it would be difficult to provide an accurate perspective of this new technology, as well as to simply collect the material in a suitable format for this book. However, this book would have been the ideal forum for a chapter devoted to these advances. As well, the technology of ultrasound based image guidance, where an ultrasound device is registered to a CT simulator and linac, is only covered briefly. This technology can potentially solve the difficult problem of prostate mobility and day-to-day localisation; this book would also be ideally suited for an overview of this very new technology.

The goal of this book was to focus on the improvements in technology that have occurred since volume 1, and the book is very successful at achieving this goal. Consequently, much of the material in this book is advanced, and is less likely to be useful to someone new to radiotherapy. It will be very useful to professionals already in the field, people who want to get up to date on new developments, or people who are interested in implementing the technologies discussed in the book. It was very interesting to read, and I highly recommend it as a reference text for all practising medical physicists in radiotherapy.

Reviewed by Marco Carlone, Ph.D. Cross Cancer Institute