Optimized Radiation for Prostate Cancer Therapy

The determination of the precise anatomical location of a tumor is the prerequisite for setting optimal parameters for radiation treatment of prostate cancer.

This approach guarantees that the ionizing radiation only destroys tumorous cells and does not affect other organs in the vicinity of the prostate. In a cooperative study with Innsbruck Medical University and the East-Vienna Center of Social Medicine, two physicists of Vienna University of Technology (TU), evaluated the mean deviation of radiation parameters for prostate cancers and compared various sources of radiation.

Movement inaccuracies of up to two centimeters may occur in prostate radiation. “During the radiation treatment, patients have to lie on a table for some 20 minutes without moving. Over time, the muscles relax and the pelvis drops. As a consequence, the radiation may focus on the bladder or other organs. In our calculations, we concentrated on the precision of localizing the prostate and on improvement potentials in treatment,” explained Karin Poljanc, Assistant Professor at the Atomic Institute of Austrian Universities.

compete article: Innovations Report