The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical implementation of a magnetic resonance image (MRI)-based approach for adaptive intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) of cervix cancer patients. Patients were implanted with titanium tandem and colpostats. MR imaging was performed on a 1.5-T Philips scanner using T2-weighted (T2W), proton-density weighted (PDW), and diffusion-weighted (DW) imag...

PURPOSE To investigate the dosimetric difference due to the different point A definitions in cervical cancer low-dose-rate (LDR) intracavitary brachytherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty CT-based LDR brachytherapy plans of 11 cervical patients were retrospectively reviewed. Two plans with point As following the modified Manchester system which defines point A being 2 cm superior to the cervica...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of HDR brachytherapy for primary or recurrent vaginal cancer. METHODS Between the years 2000 to 2006, 18 patients with primary or recurrent vaginal cancer were treated with brachytherapy (HDRB). Six patients had primary vaginal cancer (stage II to IVA) while 12 were treated for isolated vaginal recurrence (primary cervix = 4, vulv...

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare the predicted rate local control and bladder rectum toxicity rates for image-guided adaptive brachytherapy plans using a tandem ovoid (T/O) applicator versus simulated hybrid intracavitary/interstitial ring with needles (T/R + N) patients locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC).Methods MaterialsPatients ≥ FIGO Stage IIB treated T/O from single inst...

PURPOSE To quantitatively describe the involution and mobility of carcinoma of the cervix while under treatment with chemoradiotherapy (both with external beam radiation [EBRT] and high-dose-rate [HDR] intracavitary therapy). These data have implications for conformal or intensity modulated radiation therapy boost to the cervix. METHODS AND MATERIALS Seventeen patients underwent HDR brachythe...

PURPOSE Distension and shape of urinary bladder may vary during intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) for cervical cancer, significantly affecting doses to bladder, rectum, sigmoid colon and small intestine and consequently late radiation toxicities. This study is to evaluate the effects of different fixed volume bladder distention on dosimetry, assessed by three dimensional image based planning, ...

PURPOSE This study was initiated to prove feasibility of hydrogel application in recto-vaginal space in intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) of cervical cancer in order to reduce rectal toxicity. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a case of stage IIB cervical cancer, after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), we planned ICBT 7 Gy × 3 fractions. In 1st fraction (Plan 1), due to narrow separation between rect...

cancer is only moderately sensitive to radiation therapy and satisfactory tumor control requires fairly high delivered dose. Historically this has been achieved by combination of external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with intracavitary brachy-therapy. While dose distribution of EBRT is fairly homogenous, inverse-square law determines most of the dose distribution in brachytherapy. The dilemma has b...