His research interests included brachytherapy, MR imaging and mathematical optimization of radiation therapy planning. On the latter subject, he obtained his PhD degree from the Radboud University in Since then, he has been working on the development of prototype systems for MR-integrated proton therapy. Image guidance plays a pivotal role in modern radiation therapy to achieve high local control rates and keep side effects within tolerable levels. Technological developments in onboard imaging for high-energy X-ray beam therapy XT have enabled daily treatment adaptation for anatomical changes that occur in between or during treatment fractions.
The lack of fast, high soft-tissue contrast image guidance in particle beam therapy PT is considered a major hindrance to exploiting its full potential to outperform image-guided XT for soft-tissue tumours in general, and those that are subject to motion in particular.
However, the full integration of real-time MRI and PT presents a plethora of technical challenges, starting from scanner integration with the beamline, through dosimetry and treatment planning in the presence of the MR magnetic fields, MR-only based treatment planning, online treatment adaptation and quality-assurance, up to online MRI-based range verification.
This presentation provides an overview of recent developments and milestones achieved by various groups on the aforementioned topics. A roadmap for the clinical introduction of in-beam MR-integrated PT is presented, showing ongoing research efforts to address the knowledge gaps and remaining challenges to be solved before a first patient can be safely treated with PT inside an in-beam MRI device.
Choose timezone Your profile timezone:. Zoom Meeting ID. Speaker : Prof. Discussion 15m. Powered by Indico v3.
