Reduction of small and large bowel irradiation using an optimized intensity-modulated pelvic radiotherapy technique in patients with prostate cancer

To investigate the role of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to irradiate the prostate gland and pelvic lymph nodes while sparing critical pelvic organs, and to optimize the number of beams required.Target, small bowel, colon, rectum, and bladder were outlined on CT planning scans of 10 men with prostate cancer. Optimized conventional (RT) and 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plans were created and compared to...