The rationale for using intraoperative irradiation (IORT) is based on the realization that tolerable doses of eternal beam radiation are often insufficient to achieve control of locally advanced malignancies. In these instances, the IORT component of treatment becomes the optimal conformal technique of irradiation, since dose-limiting organs or structures can either be surgically displaced or protected by placement of lead shielding.
This fully revised and expanded second edition is of interest to those with intraoperative electron (IOERT) capabilities, high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-IORT) capabilities, or both. Techniques, indications, and results are discussed by disease site. Each chapter is dual authored by a radiation oncologist and a surgeon, giving a balanced presentation of clinical scenarios. Issues of basic science and physics are also covered, and a notable chapter on normal tissue tolerance is included.
Intraoperative Irradiation: Techniques and Results, Second Edition is a superb compilation, providing essential cutting-edge knowledge. It is a foundation for physicians as IORT develops and becomes more widely available.