Automating the Breast Radiation Therapy Process to Improve Efficiency

Breast radiation treatment is planned from a Computed Tomography (CT) scan. This study is designed to investigate a method to reduce the time between the planning of radiation treatment and its actual start by automating the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning process. The investigators plan to examine data from another scan called Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). A CBCT scan provides similar information to a conventional CT scan, however the images for CBCT are acquired at the treatment unit (linear accelerator used for treatment). Using these x-ray pictures of patients, the study team consisting of a radiation oncologist, a medical physicist and a radiation therapist will create a custom treatment plan unique to each patient. By doing this, the investigators hope to reduce the amount of time spent waiting for treatment and the number of hospital visits for patients in the future.