• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4717-4721
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• 2014

Background: Dosimetric comparison of two dimensional (2D) radiography and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) based dose distributions with high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitry radiotherapy (ICRT) for carcinoma cervix, in terms of target coverage and doses to bladder and rectum. Materials and Methods: Sixty four sessions of HDR ICRT were performed in 22 patients. External beam radiotherapy to pelvis at a dose of 50 Gray in 27 fractions followed by HDR ICRT, 21 Grays to point A in 3 sessions, one week apart was planned. All patients underwent 2D-orthogonal and 3D-CT simulation for each session. Treatment plans were generated using 2D-orthogonal images and dose prescription was made at point A. 3D plans were generated using 3D-CT images after delineating target volume and organs at risk. Comparative evaluation of 2D and 3D treatment planning was made for each session in terms of target coverage (dose received by 90%, 95% and 100% of the target volume: D90, D95 and D100 respectively) and doses to bladder and rectum: ICRU-38 bladder and rectum point dose in 2D planning and dose to 0.1cc, 1cc, 2cc, 5cc, and 10cc of bladder and rectum in 3D planning. Results: Mean doses received by 100% and 90% of the target volume were $4.24{\pm}0.63$ and $4.9{\pm}0.56$ Gy respectively. Doses received by 0.1cc, 1cc and 2cc volume of bladder were $2.88{\pm}0.72$, $2.5{\pm}0.65$ and $2.2{\pm}0.57$ times more than the ICRU bladder reference point. Similarly, doses received by 0.1cc, 1cc and 2cc of rectum were $1.80{\pm}0.5$, $1.48{\pm}0.41$ and $1.35{\pm}0.37$ times higher than ICRU rectal reference point. Conclusions: Dosimetric comparative evaluation of 2D and 3D CT based treatment planning for the same brachytherapy session demonstrates underestimation of OAR doses and overestimation of target coverage in 2D treatment planning.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1414-1420
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• 2022

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment planning usually involves optimization methods to deliver uniform dose to the target volume and minimize dose to the healthy tissues. Four optimizations were used to evaluate the high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) coverage and organ at risk (OAR). Dose-volume histogram (DVH) and dosimetric parameters were analyzed and evaluated. Better coverage was achieved with PGO (mean CI = 0.95), but there were no significant mean CI differences than GrO (p = 0.03322). Mean EQD₂ doses to HRCTV (D₉₀) were also superior for PGO with no significant mean EQD₂ doses than GrO (p = 0.9410). The mean EQD₂ doses to bladder, rectum, and sigmoid were significantly higher for NO plan than PO, GrO, and PGO. PO significantly reduced the mean EQD₂ doses to bladder, rectum, and sigmoid but compromising the conformity index to HRCTV. PGO was superior in conformity index (CI) and mean EQD₂ doses to HRCTV compared with the GrO plan but not statistically significant. The mean EQD₂ doses to the rectum by PGO plan slightly exceeded the limit from ABS recommendation (mean EQD₂ dose = 78.08 Gy EQD₂). However, PGO can shorten the treatment planning process without compromising the CI and keeping the OARs dose below the tolerance limit.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4935-4937
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• 2016

Objective: To compare dosimetric parameters of 3 dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3 DCRT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in terms of target coverage and doses to organs at risk (OAR) in the management of rectal carcinoma. Methods: In this prospective study, conducted between August 2014 and March 2016, all patients underwent CT simulation along with a bladder protocol and target contouring according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) guidelines. Two plans were made for each patient (3 DCRT and IMRT) for comparison of target coverage and OAR. Result: A total of 43 patients were recruited into this study. While there were no significant differences in mean Planning Target Volume (PTV) D95% and mean PTV D98% between 3 DCRT and IMRT, mean PTV D2% and mean PTV D50% were significantly higher in 3 DCRT plans. Compared to IMRT, 3 DCRT resulted in significantly higher volumes of hot spots, lower volumes of cold spots, and higher doses to the entire OAR. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that IMRT achieves superior normal tissue avoidance (bladder and bowel) compared to 3 DCRT, with comparable target dose coverage.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.195-198
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• 2009

Purpose : To establish reference doses of periapical radiography in Chonnam Province, Korea. Materials and Methods : The target-skin distances were measured for dental patient's 1235 exposures including 345 mandibular molar areas. Each periapical radiation exposure was simulated with exactly the same patients exposure parameters and the simulated radiation doses were measured utilizing Mult-O-Meter (Unfors Instruments, Billadal, Sweden). The measurements were done in 44 dental clinics with 49 dental x-ray sets in Chonnam Province for one or two weeks at each dental clinic during year 2006. Results : The third quartile patient surface doses were 2.8 mGy for overall periapical exposures and 3.2 mGy for periapical mandibular molar exposures. Conclusion : The third quartile patient surface doses in Chonnam Province can be used as a guide to accepted clinical practice to reduce patient radiation exposure for the surveyed reference doses were below the recommended dental periapical radiography dose of 7 mGy by IAEA.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7401-7405
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• 2014

Background: Postoperative chemoradiotherapy is accepted as standard treatment for stage IB-IV, M0 gastric cancer. Radiotherapy (RT) planning of gastric cancer is important because of the low radiation tolerance of surrounding critical organs. The purpose of this study was to compare the dosimetric aspects of 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) treatment plans, with the twin aims of evaluating the adequacy of 2D planning fields on coverage of planning target volume (PTV) and 3D conformal plans for both covering PTV and reducing the normal tissue doses. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with stage II-IV gastric adenocarcinoma were treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy using 3DRT. For each patient, a second 2D treatment plan was generated. The two techniques were compared for target volume coverage and dose to normal tissues using dose volume histogram (DVH) analysis. Results: 3DRT provides more adequate coverage of the target volume. Comparative DVHs for the left kidney and spinal cord demonstrate lower radiation doses with the 3D technique. Conclusions: 3DRT produced better dose distributions and reduced radiation doses to left kidney and spinal cord compared to the 2D technique. For this reason it can be predicted that 3DRT will result in better tumor control and less normal tissue complications.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.41-47
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to dosimetrically compare the technique of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D CRT), which is a traditional prophylactic cranial irradiation method, and the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) techniques used in the last few decades with the dynamic conformal arc therapy (DCAT) technique. Methods: The 3D CRT, VMAT, IMRT, and DCAT plans were prepared with 25 Gy in 10 fractions in a Monaco planning system. The target volume and the critical organ doses were compared. A comparison of the body V₂, V₅, and V₁₀ doses, monitor unit (MU), and beam on-time values was also performed. Results: In planned target volume of the brain (PTV_Brain), the highest D99 dose value (P<0.001) and the most homogeneous (P=0.049) dose distribution according to the heterogeneity index were obtained using the VMAT technique. In contrast, the lowest values were obtained using the 3D CRT technique in the body V₂, V₅, and V₁₀ doses. The MU values were the lowest when DCAT (P=0.001) was used. These values were 0.34% (P=0.256) lower with the 3D CRT technique, 66% (P=0.001) lower with IMRT, and 72% (P=0.001) lower with VMAT. The beam on-time values were the lowest with the 3D CRT planning (P<0.001), 3.8% (P=0.008) lower than DCAT, 65% (P=0.001) lower than VMAT planning, and 76% (P=0.001) lower than IMRT planning. Conclusions: Without sacrificing the homogeneous dose distribution and the critical organ doses in IMRTs, three to four times less treatment time, less low-dose volume, less leakage radiation, and less radiation scattering could be achieved when the DCAT technique is used similar to conventional methods. In short, DCAT, which is applicable in small target volumes, can also be successfully planned in large target volumes, such as the whole-brain.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2018

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) is a new treatment delivery technique that decreases overall treatment time by using higher fractional doses than conventional fractionation. Here, a quantitative analysis study of CyberKnife-based APBI was performed on 10 patients with left-sided breast cancer who had already finished conventional treatment at the Inha University Hospital. Dosimetric parameters for four kinds of treatment plans (3D-CRT, IMRT, VMAT, and CyberKnife) were analyzed and compared with constraints in the NSABP B39/RTOG 0413 protocol and a published CyberKnife-based APBI study. For the 10 patients recruited in this study, all the dosimetric parameters, including target coverage and doses to normal structures, met the NSABP B39/RTOG 0413 protocol. Compared with other treatment plans, a more conformal dose to the target and better dose sparing of critical structures were observed in CyberKnife plans. Accelerated partial breast irradiation via CyberKnife is a suitable treatment delivery technique for partial breast irradiation and offers improvements over external beam APBI techniques.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of common three photon energies (6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV) on intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans to treat prostate cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with prostate cancer treated locally to 81.0 Gy were retrospectively studied. 6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV IMRT plans for each patient were generated using suitable planning objectives, dose constraints, and 8-field setting. The plans were analyzed in terms of dose-volume histogram for the target coverage, dose conformity, organs at risk (OAR) sparing, and normal tissue integral dose. Results: Regardless of the energies chosen at the plans, the target coverage, conformity, and homogeneity of the plans were similar. However, there was a significant dose increase in rectal wall and femoral heads for 6-MV compared to those for 10-MV and 15-MV. The $V_{20Gy}$ of rectal wall with 6-MV, 10-MV, and 15-MV were 95.6%, 88.4%, and 89.4% while the mean dose to femoral heads were 31.7, 25.9, and 26.3 Gy, respectively. Integral doses to the normal tissues in higher energy (10-MV and 15-MV) plans were reduced by about 7%. Overall, integral doses in mid and low dose regions in 6-MV plans were increased by up to 13%. Conclusion: In this study, 10-MV prostate IMRT plans showed better OAR sparing and less integral doses than the 6-MV. The biological and clinical significance of this finding remains to be determined afterward, considering neutron dose contribution.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2021

Background: The National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology-National Institute of Radiological Sciences (QST-NIRS) has continuously investigated the undesired radiation exposure in ion beam radiotherapy mainly in carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT). This review introduces our investigations on the secondary neutron dose in CIRT with the broad and scanning beam methods. Materials and Methods: The neutron ambient dose equivalents in CIRT are evaluated based on rem meter (WENDI-II) measurements. The out-of-field organ doses assuming prostate cancer and pediatric brain tumor treatments are also evaluated through the Monte Carlo simulation. This evaluation of the out-of-field dose includes contributions from secondary neutrons and secondary charged particles. Results and Discussion: The measurements of the neutron ambient dose equivalents at a 90#x00B0; angle to the beam axis in CIRT with the broad beam method show that the neutron dose per treatment dose in CIRT is lower than that in proton radiotherapy (PRT). For the scanning beam with the energy scanning technique, the neutron dose per treatment dose in CIRT is lower than that in PRT. Moreover, the out-of-field organ doses in CIRT decreased with distance to the target and are less than the lower bound in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) shown in AAPM TG-158 (American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group). Conclusion: The evaluation of the out-of-field doses is important from the viewpoint of secondary cancer risk after radiotherapy. Secondary neutrons are the major source in CIRT, especially in the distant area from the target volume. However, the dose level in CIRT is similar or lower than that in PRT and IMRT, even if the contributions from all radiation species are included in the evaluation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.130-136
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• 2021

Purpose: The Halcyon radiotherapy platform at Groote Schuur Hospital was delivered with a factory-configured analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) beam model for dose calculation. In a recent system upgrade, the Acuros XB (AXB) algorithm was installed. Both algorithms adopt fundamentally different approaches to dose calculation. This study aimed to compare the dose distributions of cervical carcinoma RapidArc plans calculated using both algorithms. Methods: A total of 15 plans previously calculated using the AAA were retrieved and recalculated using the AXB algorithm. Comparisons were performed using the planning target volume (PTV) maximum (max) and minimum (min) doses, D95%, D98%, D50%, D2%, homogeneity index (HI), and conformity index (CI). The mean and max doses and D2% were compared for the bladder, bowel, and femoral heads. Results: The AAA calculated slightly higher targets, D98%, D95%, D50%, and CI, than the AXB algorithm (44.49 Gy vs. 44.32 Gy, P=0.129; 44.87 Gy vs. 44.70 Gy, P=0.089; 46.00 Gy vs. 45.98 Gy, P=0.154; and 0.51 vs. 0.50, P=0.200, respectively). For target min dose, D2%, max dose, and HI, the AAA scored lower than the AXB algorithm (41.24 Gy vs. 41.30 Gy, P=0.902; 47.34 Gy vs. 47.75 Gy, P<0.001; 48.62 Gy vs. 50.14 Gy, P<0.001; and 0.06 vs. 0.07, P=0.002, respectively). For bladder, bowel, and left and right femurs, the AAA calculated higher mean and max doses. Conclusions: Statistically significant differences were observed for PTV D2%, max dose, HI, and bowel max dose (P>0.05).