Modern Tools for Modern Brachytherapy

This review aims to showcase the brachytherapy tools and technologies that have emerged during the last 10 years. Soft-tissue contrast using magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging has seen enormous growth in use to plan all forms of brachytherapy. The era of image-guided brachytherapy has encouraged the development of advanced applicators and given rise to the growth of individualised 3D printing to achieve reproducible and predictable implants. These advances increase the quality of implants to better direct radiation to target volumes while sparing normal tissue. Applicator reconstruction has moved beyond manual digitising, to drag and drop of three-dimensional applicator models with embedded pre-defined source pathways, ready for auto-recognition and automation. The simplified TG-43 dose calculation formalism directly linked to reference air kerma rate of high-energy sources in the medium water remains clinically robust. Model-based dose calculation algorithms accounting for tissue heterogeneity and applicator material will advance the field of brachytherapy dosimetry to become more clinically accurate. Improved dose-optimising toolkits contribute to the real-time and adaptive planning portfolio that harmonises and expedites the entire image-guided brachytherapy process. Traditional planning strategies remain relevant to validate emerging technologies and should continue to be incorporated in practice, particularly for cervical cancer. Overall, technological developments need commissioning and validation to make the best use of the advanced features by understanding their strengths and limitations. Brachytherapy has become high-tech and modern by respecting tradition and remaining accessible to all.& COPY; 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal College of Radiologists. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

This review highlights the emergence of brachytherapy tools and technologies over the past decade. Advances in soft-tissue imaging using magnetic resonance and ultrasound have greatly improved the planning of brachytherapy. Image-guided brachytherapy has led to the development of advanced applicators and the use of 3D printing for precise and reproducible implants. Improved dosimetry algorithms and dose optimization toolkits have enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of brachytherapy treatment planning. Traditional planning strategies remain relevant for validating new technologies. Overall, brachytherapy has evolved to become a high-tech and modern treatment while maintaining accessibility for all.