OBJECTIVE To compare the inverse planning optimization based on total dose constraints versus conventional treatment plan (point A planning method) for cervical carcinoma, and evaluate the benefit of CT-based image-guided brachytherapy. METHODS We prospectively analyzed data of 10 consecutive patients with cervical cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy to the whole pelvis (45 Gy in 2...

AIM To assess clinical outcomes of patients treated with a high-dose rate brachytherapy boost for anal canal cancer (ACC). METHODS From August 2005 to February 2013, 28 patients presenting an ACC treated by split-course external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and HDR brachytherapy with or without chemotherapy in a French regional cancer center in Nice were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS Median...

The purpose of this study was to develop new and modified tools that allow HDR brachytherapy quality assurance tests to be carried out efficiently without film, video cameras, stopwatches, and mechanical rulers; and to devise methods that use these new tools for daily and quarterly check procedures, which are efficient and provide increased accuracy compared to previous methods. The HDR brachyt...

PURPOSE To determine outcomes of interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) in patients with early stage oral tongue cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-two patients with stage I and II oral tongue cancer were treated with HDR-BT between 1999 and 2014: brachytherapy alone = 62 (67.4%), and combination of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy = 30 (32.6%). Median follow-u...

introduction interaluminal brachytherapy is one of the important methods of esophageal cancer treatment. the effect of applicator attenuation is not considered in dose calculation method released by aapm-tg43. in this study, the effect of high-dose rate (hdr) brachytherapy esophageal applicator on dose distribution was surveyed in hdr brachytherapy. materials and methods a cylindrical pmma phan...

PURPOSE To investigate beam quality correction, KQQ0 (r) and phantom scatter correction, Kphan (r) for lithium formate dosimeter as a function of distance r along the transverse axis of the high-energy brachytherapy sources 60Co, 137Cs, 192Ir and 169Yb using the Monte Carlo-based EGSnrc code system. MATERIALS AND METHODS The brachytherapy sources investigated in this study are BEBIG High Dose...

BACKGROUND The high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy might be an effective tool for palliation of dysphagia. Because of some concerns about adverse effects due to absorbed radiation dose, it is important to estimate absorbed dose in risky organs during this treatment. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to measure the absorbed dose in the parotid, thyroid, and submandibular gland, eye, trachea, spinal c...

PURPOSE A process for prostate high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy was developed and implemented successfully in the community hospital setting. The practical aspects of the program are reviewed and may serve as a foundation for clinics interested in offering this clinical service. METHODS AND MATERIALS A generic needle distribution geometry was established to accommodate target volumes of var...

PURPOSE HDR (60)Co system has recently been developed and utilized for brachytherapy in many countries outside of the U.S. as an alternative to (192)Ir. In addition, the AccuBoost(®) technique has been demonstrated to be a successful non-invasive image-guided breast brachytherapy treatment option. The goal of this project is to evaluate the possibility of utilizing the BEBIG HDR (60)Co system f...

PURPOSE The aim of this work is to analyze the efficacy and tolerance of preoperative intracavitary HDR brachytherapy (HDR-BT) in patients with IB and IIA cervical cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS 139 patients with cervical cancer IB-IIA with preoperative HDR-BT, out of which 60 patients with cervical cancer IB (43.2%) and 79 with IIA (56.8%) were treated since 1996 to 2002. In preoperative BT to...