Radiotherapy for Non-Malignant Disorders

This volume discusses the background and various clinical applications of radiation therapy in the treatment of non-malignant diseases. It documents the radiobiological and physical principles of treatment and the rationale underlying the use of radiotherapy for various disorders of the CNS, head and neck, eye, skin and soft tissues, bone and joints, and vascular system. In so doing, it draws attention to and elucidates the scope for application of radiotherapy beyond the treatment of malignancies. Both the risks and the benefits of such treatment are fully considered, the former ranging from minor clinical problems to life-threatening diseases.This volume discusses the general background, radiobiology, radiophysics and clinical applications of radiation therapy in the treatment of non-malignant diseases. Within 39 chapters, it documents the rationale and indications for the use of state-of-the-art radiotherapy for various non-malignant disorders of the CNS, head and neck, eye, skin and soft tissues, bone and joints, and the vascular system. In so doing, it draws attention to and elucidates the scope for application of radiotherapy beyond the treatment of malignancies. Both the risks and the benefits of such treatment are fully considered, the former ranging from minor clinical problems to life-threatening diseases. With the assistance of many tables and colored figures, the extensive data from clinical studies are presented in a well-structured and informative way. Each chapter concludes with a list of key points, allowing the reader to quickly comprehend the main facts. Since this approach offers an interdisciplinary perspective, this book will be of interest not only to radiotherapists but also to many other practitioners and medical specialists, for example orthopedists, surgeons, and ophthalmologists.