| This thesis describes a D&barbelow;ouble kinetic G&barbelow;ompertzian-E&barbelow;xponential (DGE) model, which is designed to be a spatial and temporal model to simulate tumour growth for clinical research applications. This unique model can provide a link between clinical spatial information and a radiobiological cell kill model for our overall radiotherapy process model, which is aimed at the investigation of the impact of technological change on the patient outcome.; A series of tests have been performed and three sets of experimental growth data including two spheroid data sets and one virtual untreated brain tumour have been used to validate this model. The results showed that this model could simulate not only symmetric tumours such as found at spheroid and solid tumour but also the asymmetric growth such as at tissue interfaces, as well as local regional nodal involvement. This model can predict behaviour similar to that seen in the clinic and laboratory. Since this model is a voxel based tumour growth model, it provides an opportunity to link with the spatial tumour information acquired from standard imaging to investigate radiotherapy. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
