Imaging of late complications from mantle field radiation in lymphoma patients.

Overview

Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most curable cancers because of its sensitivity to both radiation and several chemotherapy agents. Radical radiotherapy alone provided curative therapy for patients who had Hodgkin lymphoma as early as six decades ago. Yet, the radiation field included normal organs, such as breast tissue, thyroid, and coronary arteries, which were at risk for long-term complications. Dedicated imaging approaches have been developed to evaluate late radiation effects on these structures.