PURPOSE Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology allows physicians to rapidly create customized devices for patients. We report our initial clinical experience using this technology to create custom applicators for vaginal brachytherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three brachytherapy patients with unique clinical needs were identified as likely to benefit from a customized vaginal applicator. Pat...

PURPOSE A cylinder applicator is the standard treatment device for intravaginal brachytherapy. However, they are limited in their ability to simultaneously spare the organs at risk (OAR), and reduce the hot spot in the vaginal mucosa, while achieving adequate dose conformality. This study aims to compare the dosimetric characteristics of single and multi-channel cylinders, and utilizes volume p...

Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric differences between colpostats and cylinder applicators for intravaginal brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Dose distributions near vaginal colpostats and dome cylinders were computed with a commercial high–dose-rate treatment-planning system and verified by spot measurements by using LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters. Taking source anisotropy into a...

PURPOSE An evaluation of CT plan data, using cylinder applicators, in fractionated HDR treatments of cervical cancers has been investigated in this clinical study. Critical and statistical analysis of the data, for each patient and fraction, for plan dose, doses for bladder and rectum have been enumerated and reported. Plans were done for each patient, following CT scans after insertion of the ...

PURPOSE To retrospectively assess the incidence and magnitude of air pockets around vaginal cylinders and its impact on dose distribution in vaginal cuff image-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifty endometrial carcinoma patients treated by postoperative HDR vaginal cuff brachytherapy were included in the study. The average age of patients was 58.3 ± 11.8 years ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an alternative brachytherapy technique for uterine cervix cancer involving the distal vagina, without increasing the risk of toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Theoretical study comparing three different high-dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy applicators: intrauterine tandem and vaginal cylinder (TC); tandem/ring applicator combined with vaginal cylinder (TR+C); and a v...

Introduction: A study was performed to evaluate radiation dose distribution and dose gradient around cylindrical applicators for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy systems with 192Ir, 60Co brachytherapy source applied for rectal and vaginal cancers treatments.   Materials and Methods: Two additional computed tomography (CT) based plans were generated using a ...

Introduction: Gynecological malignancies present challenges in determining an appropriate volumetric dose due to the highly variable physiologic activity of the surrounding tissue. Because of the high doses used in brachytherapy, surrounding structures have the potential to move around in the dose region and receive unknown amounts of radiation. Calculating hotspot region from ...

To investigate factors associated with pesticide-related visits to health care providers (i.e., doctor or hospital visits), responses to self-administered questionnaires received from 35,879 licensed restricted-use pesticide applicators participating in the Agricultural Health Study were analyzed. (In Iowa, applicators are actually certified, whereas in North Carolina they are licensed; for eas...