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                                    84challenging. The radiation dose must be optimised to minimise its toxic effects, while patient well-being, as well as treatment response and outcome are all essential factors to consider. To address this challenge, Prof. Cai%u2019s team developed a strategy for radiation therapy targeting lung cancer patients while trying to avoid those parts of the lungs that are most important to the organ%u2019s function.%u201cWe developed the world%u2019s first AI-based mapping method that synthesises lung perfusion images from CT images,%u201d says Prof. Cai. Perfusion is the flow of blood through a particular organ or tissue. The team%u2019s Functional Lung Avoidance Radiotherapy (FLART) is based on perfusion measurements derived from CT images of the lungs. These measurements show how much blood flows through different parts of the lungs, which is related to how well those parts are working. FLART then avoids directing radiation to highly functional regions, reducing lung injury and improving treatment outcomes. Compared with the existing practice of radiation therapy, FLART reduces the risk of radiation-induced lung injury by 5 to 8%.To determine the volume and shape of a tumour, contrast agents that highlight tumorous tissues are sometimes used to enhance MRI images. However, these agents often contain gadolinium, a toxic substance. %u201cTumorous cells have different properties than surrounding normal cells. This information is embedded in regular MRI images,%u201d explains Prof. Cai. %u201cAlthough such information may not be visible to the human eye, our AI-powered system has HITTING THE BULLSEYE
                                
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