Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
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Comparative Study
The effect of independent collimator misalignment on the dosimetry of abutted half-beam blocked fields for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
Independent collimation conveniently allows for the junctioning of abutting fields with non-diverging beam edges. When this technique is used at the junction of multiple fields, e.g. lateral and low anterior fields in three-field head and neck set-ups, there should be a dosimetric match with no overdose or underdose at the matchline. We set out to evaluate the actual dosimetry at the central match plane. ⋯ We recommend that independent jaw alignment be evaluated routinely and provide a simple method to estimate dose inhomogeneity at the match plane. If there is a field gap or overlap resulting in a clinically significant change in dosimetry, jaw misalignment should be corrected. If it cannot be corrected, part of the benefit of asymmetric collimation is lost and other methods of field junctioning may have to be considered. We routinely use a small block over the spinal cord at the mono-isocenter set-up plane for three-field head and neck treatments to prevent an overdose.
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Henri Becquerel presented the discovery of radium by Pierre and Marie Curie at the Paris Academy of Science on 26th December 1898. One century later, radium has been abandoned, mainly for radiation protection difficulties. It is, however, likely that modern techniques of brachytherapy have inherited to those designed for radium sources, and that radium has cured thousands and thousands patients all over the world for about eighty years. The history of discovery and medical use of radium is summarised.
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Biography Historical Article
Marie Curie--the founder of the Radium Institute in Warsaw.