General Information
Date: March 13-15 2012
Language: English
Coordinator: Dr. ir Nico van den Berg, Dr ir Marielle Philippens
Course description
The value of MRI for target volume delineation in radiotherapy treatment planning has long been recognized, and many institutes have begun to use MRI alongside CT for this purpose. While MRI constitutes a large field in itself, it is becoming increasingly clear that new opportunities, but also specific questions, arise when MRI is applied in radiotherapy. For example, multiple images may provide complementary information about the shape and characteristics of the target. In a diagnostic setting this may enhance the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis, for radiotherapy it creates the problem of what to define and delineate as target volume. A range of functional imaging techniques in MRI is used to improve sensitivity and specificity of detecting tumors, but may also provide important clues on their radiosensitivity. Geometrical accuracy is of limited importance in a diagnostic setting, but is critical for high-precision radiotherapy. MRI may be valuable for follow-up of radiotherapy patients after treatment, but very limited data exists on the changes that occur in normal tissue after irradiation and the impact it has on the sensitivity and specificity of detecting and characterizing recurrences.
This course gives an overview of the physics and clinical application of MRI within the context of radiotherapy.
Faculty
Multiple speakers from the department of radiotherapy and radiology of the UMC Utrecht, with a background in MRI physics, radiotherapy physics, MRI radiology and the use of MRI in radiotherapy.
Structure of the course
The course consists of 3 lecture days.
Course content
- Introduction in MRI physics
- MRI for
o cervical cancer
o head-neck cancer
o prostate cancer
o brain tumours
o breast cancer
- MRI-guided radiotherapy for
o cervical cancer
o head-neck cancer
o prostate cancer
- Validation of imaging
- Geometrical accuracy and imaging artifacts
- Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI
- Diffusion-weighted MRI
- In-room MR imaging
- Impact of MRI in radiotherapyContact and Route
Contact
Therese Vogel (T.G.J.Vogel[at]umcutrecht.nl)
Address
Van Peperzeelzaal
Department of Radiotherapy UMC Utrecht
Heidelberglaan 100
3584 CX Utrecht
To the UMC Utrecht
http://www.umcutrecht.nl/contact/
To the "van Peperzeelzaal" at the department of radiotherapy
Pass the reception at the main entrance of the hospital at the left side and follow the signs "gebouw Q" and/or "van Peperzeelzaal".