"The best part of the four studies I did for my PhD was my search for a model that indicates the highest achievable radiation dose to combat a tumor in the prostate. Such a tumor can be in different locations, have different sizes and you always have to take the surrounding tissue into account. With MRI data from almost 600 patients and the radiation plans based on that data, I was able to develop a model that predicts the highest possible yet responsible dose. The data I used for the model were actually impure: for similar anatomy, the planned radiation dose was sometimes different. It was a very interesting challenge to develop a working model for this new radiation technique. Now I am training as a clinical physicist at Haaglanden MC, where many prostate irradiations also take place. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to use my model outside the NKI; European legislation has just entered into force that makes this complicated."
Marcel will defend his thesis on June 30.