• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.303-309
• /
• 2017

To evaluate the usefulness of 3-dimensional brachytherapy(BT) planning technique based on CT in cervical cancer. Patients with cervical cancer underwent 2-D BT treatment planning and then CT scan with HDR intracavitary applicators in place with same positions. Dose was prescribed to Point A with 5Gy per fraction on 2-D BT planning. For 3-D BT planning, and dose was prescribed to the High risk CTV for BT (HR CTV) with 5Gy. The 3-D BT planning goal was to cover at least 90% of the HR CTV with target 5Gy isodose surface while limiting the dose to $2cm^3$ of bladder to less than 7.5 Gy, and $2cm^3$ of rectum to less than 5Gy. In one patient of 10 patients, $D_{2cm3}$ of rectal dose was over 5Gy and 6patients at $D_{2cm3}$ of bladder dose on 2-D BT planning. There was a tendency to underestimate ICRU bladder dose than ICRU rectal dose. CT based 3-D BT planning for cervical cancer will enable evaluation of dose distributions for tumor and critical organs at risk. So, rectal and bladder morbidity as well as geographic miss will be reduced in case of the bulky disease or uterine malposition.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.283-288
• /
• 2010

In order to evaluate radiation dose on the uterus and surrounding organs during brachytherapy for cervical cancer, of which the frequency of occurrence is high in Korean women, as well as radiation dose on medical staffs in proximity of patients receiving the therapy, a mathematical phantom based on reference Korean was established and the radiation dose was calculated accordingly. For simulation, $^{192}Ir$, which is useful in brachytherapy, was selected as radionuclide. Also, it was presumed that the intensity of initial radiation was 1 Ci. The result indicated the radiation of 4.92E-14 Gy/Ci in the uterus, the source organ. In addition, radiation on people around patient receiving the therapy was found to be 1.24E-07 Sv at a distance of 30 cm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2003.09a
• /
• pp.58-58
• /
• 2003

목적 : 본 연구에서는 C-arm과 CT에 사용 가능한 자궁경부암용 팬톰을 개발하고 이를 이용하여 기존의 필름 방법에 기반한 위치 확인 방법과 CT 재구성 방법의 정확성을 비교 연구하고자 한다. 정확성이 검증된 후에는 두 방법의 장점을 이용하기 위해 CT로 재구성된 좌표를 필름의 좌표로 변환시켜 현재 사용되고 있는 필름에 기반한 근접 치료 계획 시행에 도움을 주고자 한다. 방법 : 자체 제작한 자궁경부암용 팬톰은 인체 등가 물질인 물과 아크릴을 사용하였고, 크게 localizer 부분과 팬톰 부분으로 구성되어 있다. 또한, 실제 자궁경부암 환자의 임상적인 구조를 모사하여 제작하였다. 자궁경부암 치료시 중요 장기인 방광과 직장을 구와 원기둥으로 설계하였고, 고선량율 applicator는 아크릴 판의 흠으로 고정시켜 제작하였기 때문에 CT 촬영시 applicator를 제거한 영상에서도 applicator의 구조가 정확하게 묘사될 수 있도록 제작하였다. 두 시스템에서 재구성된 좌표를 비교하기 위해 각각의 시스템에서의 얻은 재구성 좌표와 팬톰 자체의 localizer와 재구성 알고리즘을 바탕으로 개발된 프로그램을 이용하여 얻은 좌표로 두 재구성 좌표의 비교 연구를 수행하였다. 정확성이 검증되고 장기의 정보가 담긴 CT의 좌표는 자체 개발된 프로그램으로 2 차원의 필름 좌표로 변환되었다. 본 연구에 사용된 모든 프로그램은 ILD 5.5를 사용하여 개발되었다. 결과 : 두 시스템의 좌표 비교 결과 x, y 축은 차이가 2mm 이내로 비교적 정확한 실험 결과를 얻을 수 있었고, z 축의 경우 CT 슬라이드의 굵기에 따라 2mm-3mm 이내의 차이가 있음을 관찰할 수 있었다. z 축을 제외한 좌표의 차이는 획득한 영상에서 컴퓨터로 좌표를 옮기는 localizer 좌표 선택 과정에 발생했을 것으로 예상된다. 또한, 이 검증된 좌표와 개발된 프로그램을 이용하여 우리는 CT의 좌표를 2차원의 필름 좌표로 정확하게 변환할 수 있었다. 결론 : 이 연구로부터 기존의 C-arm 재구성 방법과 CT 재구성 방법의 비교를 통해 각 치료 기기의 신뢰성을 직접 확인할 수 있었으며, 비교를 통해 검증된 CT의 좌표를 필름 좌표로 변환시킴으로서, 각 시스템의 장점만을 결합한 효과적인 치료 계획을 세울 수 있는 가능성을 제시하였다. 또한 물과 아크릴을 사용한 비교적 간단하고 경제적인 방법으로 C-arm, CT 그리고 MRI에 모두 이용 가능한 팬톰을 제작하여 쉽고 정확하게 위치를 확인할 수 있었다. 더 나아가, 본 연구에서 제작된 자궁경부암 팬톰은 근접치료를 포함하여 관련 팬톰 개발에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 예상된다.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.109-116
• /
• 2000

One consideration of radiation delivery in cervical cancer is the complication of critical organs, e.g., bladder and rectum. The absorbed dose of bladder and rectum in HDR intracavitary brachytherapy is measured indirectly with TLD dosimetry A method for the complication reduction of bladder and rectum is suggested. For two-hundred cervical cancer patients, follow-up MRI images were reviewed and distances from cervical central axis to bladder and rectum and vaginal wall thickness were measured. The sealed TLDs were placed upon the gauze packing of the ovoids and the distances to the TLDs from the ovoid center were measured in the simulation film and actual doses of bladder and rectum were calculated. From published data, maximal tolerance doses of bladder and rectum were derived and based on the permissible doses per fraction in HDR brachytherapy the packing thicknesses were determined in both directions. The required minimal packing thicknesses for bladder and rectum were 0.43 and 0.92 cm, respectively. The results were compared with computer calculation using the Meisberger polynomial approach. It is our hope this study can be used for a guideline for users in clinic in estimating critical organ dose in bladder and rectum in HDR brachytherapy in vivo dosimetry.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2011

Purpose: To analyze availability of MR images before and after external beam radiotherapy in brachytherapy, we will acquire MR images before and after external beam radiotherapy and compare the change of direction of uterine cavity and analyze the accuracy of applicator insertion. Materials and Methods: From January 2009 to December 2010, we compared MR images before and after external beam radiotherapy for uterine cervical cancer only with radical purpose treatment. MR images which was acquired after external beam radiotherapy has done with inserted status of CT/MR applicator. Results: As a consequence, the tumor was markedly reduced after external beam radiotherapy. The change of anteflexion of uterus turned into retroflexion of the uterine cavity was 17.1%. The case of wrong insertion of tandem include direction or length was 14.3%. Conclusion: According to MR images taken after external beam radiotherapy, we recognized not only reduced the tumor volume but the marked change of exact direction or length of the uterine cavity. So the confirmation of accurate insertion based on MR images before brachytherapy could be very helpful for optimal brachytherapy treatment planning with reduced applicator insertion errors.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.29-33
• /
• 2003

I. Purpose Brachytherapy is the main component in treatment of patients with uterine cervical cancer. The reproducibility of applicator position in the same patient at repeated treatments was very important for accurate dose delivery. It was aimed to evaluate the change of applicator location between each high dose rate(HDR) brachytherapy insertion in the patients with uterine cervical cancer. II. Materials and Methods From January 1999 to October 2001, total 52 patients were treated with external beam radiotherapy and HDR brachytherapy (Microselectron, Nucletron). During six to seven times of brachytherapy, all patients had three treatment plans. From the orthogonal radiographs, we measured the following variables; height from upper border of pubic bone to os (HPO), distance from sacral promontory to tip of tandem (DST), distance from coccyx to os (DCO), distance from tip of right ovoid to os (DRO), distance from tip of left ovoid to os (DLO), and distance from center of the first tandem source to ovoid (DTO). To evaluate the reproducibility of applicator position, it was calculated the standard deviation of differences between three insertions for the 7 parameters in each patient. III. Results The ranges of standard deviations of interfractional differences for the variables were as follows. 1)HPO : $0{\sim}0.79cm$ 2)DST : $0{\sim}0.9cm$ 3)DCO : $0.06{\sim}0.76cm$ 4)DRO : $0{\sim}0.53cm$ 5)DLO : $0{\sim}0.45cm$ 6) DTO $0{\sim}0.36cm$ IV. Conclusions There was some change in applicator position on repeated implants in our study. But variation of the interfractional differences was minimal; in all parameters, there were less than 1 cm. We are continued to try for reducing the geometric variation between each procedure.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.228-236
• /
• 2002

Purpose : Although high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy regimens have been practiced with a variety of modalities and various degrees of success, few studies on the subject have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of local control and late complication rate according to different HDR brachytherapy fractionation regimens in uterine cervical cancer patients. Methods and Materials : From November 1992 to March 1998, 224 patients with uterine conical cancer were treated with external beam irradiation and HDR brachytherapy. In external pelvic radiation therapy, the radiation dose was $45\~54\;Gy$ (median dose 54 Gy) with daily fraction size 1.8 Gy, five times per week. In HDR brachytherapy, 122 patients (Group A) were treated with three times weekly with 3 Gy to line-A (isodose line of 2 cm radius from source) and 102 patients (Group B) underwent the HDR brachytherapy twice weekly with 4 or 4.5 Gy to line-A after external beam irradiation. Iridium-192 was used as the source of HDR brachytherapy. Late complication was assessed from grade 1 to 5 using the RTOG morbidity grading system. Results : The local control rate (LCR) at 5 years was $80\%$ in group A and $84\%$ in group B (p=0.4523). In the patients treated with radiation therapy alone, LCR at 5 years was $60.9\%$ in group A and $76.9\%$ in group B (p=0.2557). In post-operative radiation therapy patients, LCR at 5 years was $92.6\%$ In group A and $91.6\%$ in group B (p=0.8867). The incidence of late complication was $18\%$ (22 patients) and $29.4\%$ (30 patients), of bladder complication was $9.8\%$ (12 patients) and $14.7\%$ (15 patients), and of rectal complication was $9.8\%$ (12 patients) and $21.6\%$ (22 patients), in group A and B, respectively. Lower fraction sized HDR brachytherapy was associated with decrease in late complication (p=0.0405) (rectal complication, p=0.0147; bladder complication, p=0.115). The same result was observed in postoperative radiation therapy patients (p=0.0860) and radiation only treated patients (0=0.0370). Conclusion : For radiation only treated patients, a greater number of itemized studies on the proper fraction size of HDR brachytherapy, with consideration for stages and prognostic factors, are required. In postoperative radiation therapy, the fraction size of HDR brachytherapy did not have much effect on local control, yet the incidence of late complication increased with the elevation in fraction size. We suggest that HDR brachytherapy three times weekly with 3 Gy could be an alternative method of therapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.267-275
• /
• 1992

Remote afterloading high dose rate brachytherapy (HDRB) is a new technology and needs new biological principle for time and dose schedule. Here, authors attempt to evaluate the technique and clinical outcome in 116 patients, 590 procedures peformed at Asan Medical Center for 3 years. From Sep. 1989 to Aug 1992, 471 procedures of intracavitary radiation in 58 patients of cervical cancer and 26 of nasopharyngeal cancer,79 intraluminal radiation in 12 of esophageal cancer, 11 of endobronchial cancer and 1 Klatskin tumor and 40 interstitial brachytherapy in 4 of breast cancer, 1 sarcoma and 1 urethral cancer were performed. Median follow-up was 7 months with range $1\~31$ months. All procedures except interstitial were performed under the local anesthesia and they were all well tolerated and completed the planned therapy except 6 patients. 53/58 patients with cervical cancer and 22/26 patients with nasopharynx cancer achieved CR. Among 15 patients with palliative therapy, $80{\%}$ achieved palliation. We will describe the details of the technique and results in the text. To evaluate biologic effects of HDRB and optimal time/dose/fractionation schedule, we need longer follow-up. But authors feel that HDRB with proper fractionation schedule may yield superior results compared to the low dose rate brachytherapy considering the advantages of HDRB in safety factor for operator, better control of radiation dose and volume and patients comfort over the low dose brachytherapy.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
• /
• 2013.05a
• /
• pp.205-206
• /
• 2013

자궁경부암 근접치료를 시행했던 환자 10명을 대상으로 동일한 처방에 대한 기하학적 특성이 다른 Ir-192선원을 치료계획시스템을 이용하여 선량평가를 비교 분석 해 보았다.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.327-333
• /
• 2012

Purpose: To analyze the correlation between dose volume histograms(DVH) based on organ outer wall contour and organ wall delineation for bladder and rectum, and to compare the doses to these organs with the absorbed doses at the bladder and rectum. Material and methods: Individual CT based brachytherapy treatment planning was performed in 13 patients with cervical cancer as part of a prospective comparative trial. The external contours and the organ walls were delineated for the bladder and rectum in order to compute the corresponding dose volume histograms. The minimum dose in 0.1 $cm^3$, 1 $cm^3$, 2 $cm^3$, 5 $cm^3$, 10 $cm^3$ volumes receiving the highest dose were compared with the absorbed dose at the rectum and bladder reference point. Results: The bladder and rectal doses derived from organ outer wall contour and computed for volumes of 2 $cm^3$, provided a good estimate for the doses computed for the organ wall contour only. This correspondence was no longer true when large volumes were considered. Conclusion: For clinical applications, when volumes smaller than 5 $cm^2$ are considered, the dose-volume histograms computed from external organ contours for the bladder and rectum can be used instead of dose -volume histograms computed for the organ walls only. External organ contours are indeed easier to obtain. The dose at the ICRU rectum reference point provides a good estimate of the rectal dose computed for volumes smaller than 2 $cm^2$ only for a midline position of the rectum. The ICRU bladder reference point provides a good estimate of the dose computed for the bladder wall only in cases of appropriate balloon position.