Adaptive Treatment Planning for Locoregional Hyperthermia: A Necessary Tool for Optimizing Treatment Quality

Abstract

Phased array heating devices with multiple antennas organized in one or more rings around the patient are often used for locoregional hyperthermia treatments. During treatment, antenna settings often need to be adapted in response to normal tissue hot spots or disappointing tumor temperatures. Empirical determination of the best system settings is difficult. The progress in treatment planning over the past decade presently allows its use to assist in adjustment of antenna settings. This paper describes the progress and future perspectives of treatment planning-guided steering during locoregional hyperthermia.