ABSTRACT

The aim of radiation therapy is to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation to the target volume, while sparing surrounding healthy tissues and organs. In other words, the aim is to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect with the minimum risk of complications. Different technical methods and devices can be used,

depending on their availability and on the level of expertise of the radiation therapy staff. It is common practice in modern radiation oncology that the decision for the treatment of a specific

patient is a result of a multidisciplinary cooperation (pathologists, surgeons, and medical and radiation oncologists) based on clinical, histopathological, and imaging data. After the decision for radiation therapy is made, the next step is the planning of the therapy itself: the treatment planning step.