[Intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of thyroid cancer].

Abstract

The main problem of the conventional radiotherapy in postoperative or curative irradiation in thyroid cancer is to achieve a sufficient dose in the planning target volume with acceptable dose distribution homogeneity and at the same time not to exceed tolerance doses in the organs of risk. Our study presents the advantages of intensity-modulated radiotherapy over conventional radiotherapy on an example of dosimetric comparisons of isodose plans of three patients treated at our department. The intensity-modulated radiotherapy in thyroid cancer offers an improvement of dose homogeneity and better sparing of organs at risk (spinal cord and lungs). Furthermore, dose escalation is feasible in the whole initial planning target volume up to 60 Gy with a simultaneous sparing of healthy tissues and organs at risk.