Incorporating work from 178 contributors affiliated with 43 centers in nine countries, editors Mundt and Roeske (both: radiation and cellular oncology, U. of Chicago) begin this text with the fundamentals, giving an in-depth overview of the physics, biology, and medicine pertaining to this rapidly developing therapy. Following is a systematic exploration of the steps and technologies for planning, delivery, and clinical implementation; an overview of commercially available inverse planning and delivery systems; and an overview of the application of IMRT in all clinical sites. Each disease is presented in detail, along with considerations in treatment planning and review of published IMRT literature. Overview chapters are paired with case studies--each dealing with simulation, immobilization, target delineation, plan optimization and delivery, and quality assurance of an actual patient. Finally, the book concludes with commentaries on proton IMRT, the combination of IMRT and biological modifiers and the pros and cons of IMRT. The included CD-ROM includes the text and illustrations of the book in searchable PDF format. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)