Tumorkontúrozást

Tumorkontúrozást, also known as tumor contouring or delineation, is a critical process in radiation oncology and medical imaging. It involves precisely outlining the boundaries of a tumor on medical scans, such as CT, MRI, or PET scans. This delineation is typically performed by radiation oncologists, medical physicists, or trained dosimetrists. The accuracy of tumor contouring directly impacts the effectiveness and safety of radiation therapy treatment plans.

The primary goal of tumorkontúrozást is to define the target volume for radiation delivery. This involves identifying not only the gross tumor volume (GTV) but also incorporating margins to account for microscopic disease spread and treatment uncertainties. These margins are often referred to as the clinical target volume (CTV) and planning target volume (PTV). Conversely, it is equally important to accurately delineate organs at risk (OARs), which are nearby healthy tissues and organs that should be spared from radiation exposure as much as possible.

Tumorkontúrozást can be performed manually by expert clinicians interpreting images or using advanced software tools that assist with segmentation. Techniques such as deformable image registration are employed to account for anatomical changes that may occur between imaging sessions or during treatment. The quality of tumorkontúrozást is subject to inter-observer variability, meaning different clinicians may draw slightly different contours. Therefore, standardized protocols and consensus-based guidelines are often used to improve consistency and reproducibility in this vital step of radiation therapy planning.