Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is widely used to assess tissue vascularization, particularly in oncological applications. However, the most widely used pharmacokinetic (PK) models do not account for contrast agent (CA) diffusion between neighboring voxels, which can limit the accuracy of the results, especially in cases of heterogeneous tumors. To address this issue, previous works have proposed algorithms that incorporate diffusion phenomena into the formulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComput Methods Programs Biomed
November 2023
Neuroblastoma is a complex and aggressive type of cancer that affects children. Current treatments involve a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and stem cell transplantation. However, treatment outcomes vary due to the heterogeneous nature of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Numer Method Biomed Eng
November 2023
Dose calculation plays a critical role in radiotherapy (RT) treatment planning, and there is a growing need to develop accurate dose deposition models that incorporate heterogeneous tumour properties. Deterministic models have demonstrated their capability in this regard, making them the focus of recent treatment planning studies as they serve as a basis for simplified models in RT treatment planning. In this study, we present a simplified deterministic model for photon transport based on the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) as a proof-of-concept to illustrate the impact of heterogeneous tumour properties on RT treatment planning.
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