International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Jul 2004
3D CT-based high-dose-rate breast brachytherapy implants: treatment planning and quality assurance.
Although accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) as the sole radiation modality after lumpectomy has shown promising results for select breast cancer patients, published experiences thus far have provided limited information on treatment planning methodology and quality assurance measures. A novel three-dimensional computed tomography (CT)-based treatment planning method for accurate delineation and geometric coverage of the target volume is presented. A correlation between treatment volume and irradiation time has also been studied for quality assurance purposes. ⋯ CT-based treatment planning allowed excellent visualization of the lumpectomy cavity and normal structures, thereby improving target volume delineation and optimal coverage, relative to conventional orthogonal film dosimetry. Using the Manchester volume implant table calculated irradiation time can be used as quality assurance for the HDR computed time. Thus dosimetric quality assurance and adequate target volume coverage can be concurrently confirmed, allowing prospective evaluation and optimization of implants.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Jul 2004
ReviewTreatment of patients with cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators during radiotherapy.
To define the practical clinical guidelines that can be implemented by busy radiation oncology departments to minimize the risk of harm to patients with implanted cardiac pacemaker (ICP) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) devices during radiotherapy. ⋯ Precautions are necessary to minimize the risk to patients with ICP and ICD devices during radiotherapy. Practical management guidelines are presented that can be readily adopted by any busy clinical radiation oncology practice.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Jul 2004
Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh.
Fracture of the femur is one of the late complications of adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the thigh, who receive external beam irradiation after limb-sparing surgery. When the target volume approximates the femur, it is often inevitable that a large segment of the femur will receive full prescription dose with conventional radiation techniques. We report the dosimetric feasibility of intensity- modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) techniques to achieve adequate target coverage and bone sparing. ⋯ Intensity-modulated radiation therapy techniques can reduce the dose to the femur without compromising target coverage by achieving concave dose distributions around the interface of the PTV and the femur. At the same time, IMRT can reduce the hot spots significantly in the surrounding soft tissues and skin. Whether such dosimetric improvements can translate into reduction of complications and/or improving local control needs to be investigated.
-
Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. · Jul 2004
Combination chemotherapy plus low-dose involved-field radiotherapy for early clinical stage Hodgkin's lymphoma.
To present our long-term experience regarding the use of chemotherapy plus low-dose involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) for clinical Stage I-IIA Hodgkin's lymphoma. ⋯ IFRT at a dose of 2800-3000 cGy is highly effective in clinical Stage I-IIA HL patients who achieved a complete response or very good partial response with A(E)BVD. The long-term toxicity with respect to secondary malignancies appears to be acceptable.