PURPOSE The superior image quality of 3 tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in cervical cancer offers the potential to use a single image set for brachytherapy. This study aimed to determine a suitable single sequence for contouring tumour and organs at risk, applicator reconstruction, and treatment planning. MATERIAL AND METHODS A 3T (Skyra, Siemens Healthcare AG, Germany) MR imaging ...

Up to date, no worldwide standard in vitro method has been established for the determination of the sun protection factor (SPF), since there are many problems in terms of its repeatability and reliability. Here, we have studied the problems on the in vitro SPF measurements brought about by the phenomenon called viscous fingering. A spatially periodic stripe pattern is usually formed spontaneous...

Heterogeneities existing in the patient during treatment are neglected, as the treated subject is considered homogeneous in most of the commercially-available treatment planning systems (TPSs) used for high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. The choice of a suitable dosimeter for experimental dosimetry near the HDR source is crucial, mainly due to existence of steep dose gradients. The present work...

It is well known that, in focused ultrasonic systems, the radiated beams through tissues converge around a focal point. This phenomenon produces a temperature increment over 56°C in few seconds, at the focus by the mechanical waves energy transformation into heat, due to acoustic absorption in the tissue. This can originate thermal coagulation, instantaneous cell damage or instantaneous ablatio...

The purpose of this study is to survey the current patterns of practice, and barriers to implementation, of 3D image-guided brachytherapy (3D-IGBT) for cervical cancer in Japan. A 30-item questionnaire was sent to 171 Japanese facilities where high-dose-rate brachytherapy devices were available in 2012. In total, 135 responses were returned for analysis. Fifty-one facilities had acquired some s...

A novel, potential and efficient microwave direct contact hyperthermia applicator referred to as water-loaded box-horn for therapeutic heating of bio-medium is designed and developed at 915 and 2450 MHz. Also, theoretical expressions for fields in bio-medium as produced by a direct contact box-horn applicator have been derived using plane wave spectral technique. The box-horn is a special type ...

A novel and effective hyperthermia applicator utilizing a circular arc phased array of longitudinal slots in narrow wall of rutile-loaded rectangular waveguide is presented and analyzed in this paper. This configuration is mainly intended as a specialized and very effective applicator for hyperthermia treatment of tumor within curved portions of human body such as abdomen, neck, chest etc. Each...

Therapeutic use of high-amplitude pressure waves, or shock wave therapy (SWT), is emerging as a popular method for treating musculoskeletal disorders. However, the mechanism(s) through which this technique promotes healing are unclear. Finite element models of a shock wave source and the foot were constructed to gain a better understanding of the mechanical stimuli that SWT produces in the cont...