ABSTRACT
Clinical implementation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) needs all the
work required to implement 3D conformal radiotherapy (CFRT) and more (see Chapter 39
and Chapter 40). Consideration must be given to important issues such as equipment and
space requirements, time and personnel requirements, additional dosimetry verification and
treatment quality assurance (QA), staff training and patient education and changes in treat-
ment scheduling. It is essential for a clinic to designate an implementation team to think
through the implications in advance, and to periodically update procedures as lessons are
learned. Bringing the modality to the clinic is only the first step. Much effort is needed to
keep it running smoothly and to keep pace with upgrades and future developments in IMRT
technology. To achieve the full benefit from IMRT, various resources must be in place, and all
persons involved in IMRT, not only physicists but also physicians and other personnel such as
radiographers, service engineers and administrators, must be properly trained. Furthermore,
IMRT is an integrated system. Every single technical/physical component and treatment step
must be considered carefully. In this chapter, a brief description is provided, which details the
requirements for clinical implementation and guidelines on IMRT treatments.