The Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology: A Compendium for Medical Physicists and Radiation Oncologists

The purpose of this book is to describe the technological details associated with radiation oncology. Unlike standard medical physics textbooks which generally do not address design details or the details of acceptance, commissioning, and quality assurance, this book emphasizes the design of all the equipment or tools that are associated with radiation treatment. In addition, it describes the procedures that are required to implement this equipment into clinical service (needs assessment, purchase, acceptance and commissioning) and--once it is in service--the quality assurance that is required to keep the equipment operational at acceptable levels. In addition to describing all the tools that are used in "standard" radiation treatment centers, Modern Technology of Radiation Oncology addresses less common or evolving technologies and, thus, provides a comprehensive overview. Anyone embarking on any of these new procedures will be able to gain some basic insight as to what is required to make the procedure clinically viable. The book is intended to be both a reference text for those who have been working in the field for some years as well as a learning tool for those who are entering the field. While the body of each chapter is written at a level understandable by both medical physicists and radiation oncologists, additional detailed information for medical physicists is provided in the appendices at the end of some of the chapters.