XVII International Conference on the Use of Computers in Radiation Therapy (ICCR 2013)

Editorial

Dear colleagues,

From a professional perspective there is nothing quite as enjoyable as attending a good conference with colleagues that share not only interest for the same topic but also a similar vision for their field of work. Proceedings cannot replace the direct contact and lively conversations between participants who are at the same time at the same place sharing ideas and discussion. However, proceedings complement the actual conference by

1. giving the ideas, research findings and debates which characterise the conference lasting presence

2. giving participants an opportunity to refresh their memory about issues they would like to follow up on and

3. providing an opportunity for others who were not able to attend the meeting to share in the thoughts and issues discussed at the conference.

For the proceedings of the International Conferences on the Use of Computers in Radiation Therapy (ICCR) all this has been important in the past as the high citation rates for ICCR proceedings show. We hope that also the present proceedings will appeal to participants and others who are interested in cancer and ways to treat patients affected by it. It is exciting to note that what sounded like a small niche field (''Computers in Radiation Therapy'') has become a very broad forum to discuss all aspects of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Of particular interest for the 17th ICCR have been data and how to collect, organise and use it effectively. This is relevant for most areas in medicine and we believe that radiation therapy with its focus on evidence based practice and measurable and standardised activities has an important and possibly leading role to play.

The 100 manuscripts combined in the present proceedings can hopefully contribute to this. The proceedings are organised into five different streams which reflect the foci of the conference:

• Dose Calculation

• Imaging for treatment planning and Motion Management

• Treatment planning and optimisation

• Verification, Risk assessment and IGRT

• Trials, registries and more

Each of the streams had its own theme editor and we would like to thank Peter Greer, Sarah Gulliford, Tomas Janssen, Joerg Lehmann and Peter Metcalfe and for their invaluable contributions. I believe we all shared the joy of reading the huge variety of manuscripts which reflect a dynamic field and a truly international authorship. All manuscripts have been peer reviewed by at least two independent referees. Still, proceedings are different from journal articles. The focus of the proceedings is on interest for others, novelty and creativity. While trying to ensure a common format to all contributions we have also aimed to maintain the style and approach of the individual authors. We would like to thank all authors and reviewers for their contribution to these ICCR proceedings.

On behalf of the editorial team we would like to invite you to explore the proceedings and hope that you enjoy reading them as much as we did editing them.

Yours sincerely

Annette Haworth and Tomas Kron

Editors, Proceedings of the 17th ICCR