Role of SPECT in Radiotherapy of Lung Cancer and Toxicity Evaluation

"SPECT will be performed on all patients at baseline. Two treatment plans will be made- functional SPECT-based plan and conventional CT-based plan. Randomization will take place if both plans are satisfying established criteria for tumour coverage and normal tissue sparing. Randomization between Arm 1 and Arm 2 will be done, where the patients will be treated either by SPECT-plan or by CT-plan respectively.~The SPECT data are viewed as a multicoloured image in the spectrum colour setting to allow accurate volume contouring around a predefined colour. The threshold level is adjusted individually for each patient in order to match the size of the SPECT image within the lung volumes defined on CT. A new contour of functional lung is created from the SPECT images using a threshold of 30% of the maximum uptake for each patient. A treatment plan is generated. The principal objective for each plan is to minimize the volume of lungirradiated"