
04/23/2025
Hello Fellow Dosimetrists!
Radiation oncology has made remarkable strides — from IMRT to proton therapy — allowing us to treat with unprecedented precision.
For Head & Neck cancer patients, survival is only part of the story. Quality of life — the ability to taste food, smell a rose, detect danger, and simply feel human — matters just as much.
We routinely protect critical structures like: Brainstem, Spinal Cord, Optic Structures, Cochlea, and Parotids. Yet one structure remains under the radar:
The Olfactory Bulb
Loss of smell (anosmia) doesn’t just dull life — it disconnects people from joy, nutrition, memory, and even safety. With modern planning techniques, we have the power to do more than shrink tumors.
Let’s start the conversation: Should the olfactory bulb be on the list of OARs we protect Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB) and American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)?