Diagnostic ultrasound in radiation treatment planning

Diagnostic ultrasound provides the radiation therapist a very practical method of acquiring anatomical information for developing optimized radiation therapy plans. With ultrasound it is possible to record simultaneously the contour of the patient and the location and depth of tumors and normal structures. This information can easily be incorporated into current methods of computerized treatment planning. Ultrasound examination also assists in the accurate placement of treatment ports on the body surface, and allows adjustment of field size as tumors respond to treatment. It is predicted that diagnostic ultrasound examination will become a standard method of obtaining anatomical information for radiation therapy planning in all modern radiation treatment facilities.