It is arguable that the imaging and delivery hardware necessary for delivering real-time adaptive image-guided radiotherapy is available on high-end linear accelerators. Robust and computationally efficient software is the limiting factor in achieving highly accurate and precise radiotherapy to the constantly changing anatomy of a cancer patient. The limitations are not caused by the availability of algorithms but rather issues of reliability, integration, and calculation time. However, each of

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... the software components is an active area of research and development at academic and commercial centers. This article describes the software solutions in 4 broad areas: deformable image registration, adaptive replanning, real-time image guidance, and dose calculation and accumulation. Given the pace of technological advancement, the integration of these software solutions to develop real-time adaptive image-guided radiotherapy and the associated challenges they bring will be implemented to varying degrees by all major manufacturers over the coming years. Semin Radiat Oncol 17:245-257