Dear Radiation Oncology Insider,
In 1922, Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (C.V. to his friends) discovered a radiation process that now bears his name, Raman scattering or the Raman effect. This inelastic scattering of photons comes about through excitation. In 1930, the Indian physicist received the Nobel Prize for his work on light scattering, and the Raman effect is considered a significant tool for analyzing the composition of liquids, gases, and solids.
But what does Raman scattering mean for radiation therapy specialists? Arizona physicists have harnessed the Raman effect to develop a laser-based therapy that could selectively destroy viruses and bacteria -- without damaging human cells. Learn more about how this pulsed laser irradiation method could be used to inactivate blood-borne viruses, such as hepatitis and HIV, in our Insider Exclusive from medicalphysicsweb.
In other radiation oncology news, a group from the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit has posited that radiation oncologists who come across previously undetected findings during CT simulation have a responsibility to ensure that those images are reviewed by a diagnostic radiologist. Do you agree, or is this beyond the scope of radiation specialists? Click here to learn more, then let us know what your thoughts are on this issue.
You can also visit the Radiation Oncology Digital Community for the following articles:
- Why women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer are not doing themselves any favors by smoking
- Why aspiration postchemoradiation may not be the best idea for head and neck cancer patients
- How serial MRI is part of a multivariate strategy to predict tumor response during cervical cancer treatment
Finally, the buzzword for the 2008 U.S. presidential election has been "change." Unfortunately, in radiation oncology, one issue has not undergone much change: disparities in cancer care based on race. Read about the racial gap between African-American and white patients in receiving treatment, and learn how soft-tissue sarcoma outcomes vary widely by race and ethnicity.
