External Beam Therapy

External beam therapy is the most common form of radiotherapy, delivering ionizing radiation such as high-energy x-rays, gamma rays, or electron beams directly into the location of the patient's tumour. Now in its third edition, this book is an essential, practical guide to external beam radiotherapy planning and delivery, covering the rapid technological advances made in recent years. The initial chapters give a detailed insight into the fundamentals of clinical radiotherapy. This is followed by systematic details for each tumour site commonly treated with radiotherapy, covering indications, treatment, and planning. The final chapter covers the all important aspect of quality assurance in radiotherapy delivery. This third edition has been fully updated and revised to reflect new techniques, including details of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), and proton therapy. Written by experts in each field, External Beam Therapy is an invaluable companion to professionals and trainees in medical physics, therapeutic radiology, and clinical or radiation oncology. ABOUT THE SERIESRadiotherapy remains the major non-surgical treatment modality for the management of malignant disease. It is based on the application of the principles of applied physics, radiobiology, and tumour biology to clinical practice. Each volume in the series takes the reader through the basic principles of the use of ionizing radiation and then develops this by individual sites. This series of practical handbooks is aimed at physicians both training and practising in radiotherapy, as well as medical physics, dosimetrists, radiographers, and senior nurses.