The use of PET-MRI scan in Head and Neck cancer Radiotherapy planning
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The use of PET-MRI scan in radiotherapy planning of patients with head and neck cancer: A single centre pilot study
IRAS ID
286722
Contact name
Satya Garikipati
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Patients with head and neck cancers are often treated with radiotherapy. The overall aim of treatment is to cure the cancer while minimizing its side effects. These cancers are usually close to the surrounding vital organs which are often affected by the radiation treatment. This can cause side effects such as a dry mouth or swallowing difficulties. Improving the accuracy of radiotherapy planning could help reduce side effects and improve quality of life post-treatment.
To design radiation treatment, patients undergo a “planning CT scan”, a computed tomography scan. This is obtained while the patient’s head and shoulders are held in position by a custom-made thermoplastic shell. The shell is necessary to ensure that the patient is in exactly the same position every time a dose of radiation is given.
The most important step in planning this treatment is accurately identifying the cancer and the surrounding normal tissues. This is to work out exactly which areas need to be treated and which areas need to be avoided. This is done on the planning CT scan. During diagnosis of cancer, patients undergo other imaging including an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan and a PET-CT(Positron Emission Tomography CT) scan . These are the best imaging modalities for head and neck cancer and feed into the process of identifying cancer accurately. It would be better from a radiotherapy planning perspective if these scans are acquired in the same position as the ‘planning CT scan’.A PET-MRI scan is a combined MRI and PET scan, which is a new imaging available in Sheffield. The current project aims to determine whether patients with head and neck cancers can tolerate a ‘PET-MRI’ scan with immobilisation similar to that used during the radiotherapy planning process and to assess if this additional scan helps in improving accuracy in radiotherapy planning.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0031
Date of REC Opinion
4 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion