Abstract

MRI-only radiotherapy planning reduces systematic errors and ensures more accurate contours of target volumes. More precise contours reduce the radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissues, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications. By excluding CT from the radiotherapy planning workflow, we reduce the patient’s radiation dose, save time, and make the whole process more comfortable for patients. MRI-only planning has also proven its cost effectiveness, especially in the long term. Several technologies have been developed to overcome the challenges of transitioning to MRI-only planning. To ensure the electron density, several technologies for generating synthetic CT have been developed, all of which ensure a dose distribution comparable to a standard CT. To correct geometric distortion, systems have been created to minimize geometric distortion. MRI-only planning is a step toward MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy, that allows real-time treatment monitoring and adaptive re-planning if necessary.