Modeling respiratory motion in radiation therapy

Dr. Emily Heath

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Carleton University

September 26, 2016 15:00 - 16:30

Saint Patrick's Building Room 417, Carleton University

 

 

abstract

Radiation therapy is an important treatment modality which is used in 50-60% of cancer treatments in Canada. Advances in radiation delivery technology as well as computer optimization techniques have enabled delivery of high doses of radiation which are tightly conformed to the tumour. However, tissue motion due to respiration causes distortion of the delivered dose potentially leading to under-treatment. This talk will provide an overview of current challenges and solutions to respiratory motion in radiation therapy as well as recent work on developing a software tool to accurately predict patient-specific dose delivery.

biography

Dr. Emily Heath is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Carleton University. Her research interests include developing software tools to simulate radiation therapy delivery in addition to novel treatment planning approaches with the aim to improve the treatment of cancer using radiation therapy. She obtained her B.A.Sc. in Engineering Physics from Queen's University and her MSc and PhD in Medical Physics from McGill University. She previously worked at the Vancouver Cancer Centre and held a post-doctoral research position at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany.