PURPOSE During intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) for cervical cancer, the choice of applicator system remains rather arbitrary. However, as the applicator geometry may play an important role in dose distribution, thereby improving the therapeutic ratio, this study was conducted to compare the Manchester-style and Fletcher-style applicator systems. MATERIAL AND METHODS After completion of EBR...

PURPOSE To evaluate a method of reducing computed tomography (CT) metal artifacts due to the Fletcher-Suit applicator. METHODS AND MATERIALS We apply a projection-interpolation algorithm to CT images containing artifacts from the brachytherapy applicator. Regions of projection data containing the applicator are interpolated, removing the metal from the projections. A new image is then reconst...

BACKGROUND For brachytherapy of cervical cancer, applicator shifts can not be avoided. The present investigation concerned Utrecht interstitial applicator shifts and their effects on organ movement and DVH parameters during 3D CT-based HDR brachytherapy of cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS After the applicator being implanted, CT imaging was achieved for oncologist contouring CTVhr, CTVi...

Accounting for brachytherapy applicator attenuation is part of the recommendations from the recent report of AAPM Task Group 186. To do so, model based dose calculation algorithms require accurate modelling of the applicator geometry. This can be non-trivial in the case of irregularly shaped applicators such as the Fletcher Williamson gynaecological applicator or balloon applicators with possib...

In CT anatomy-based inverse treatment planning of interstitial high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy planning, the planning target volume (PTV) delineated by the radiation oncologist includes the applicator volume. The applicator volume can be eliminated with the help of two methods: one based on Boolean operations and the other using the erasing option of the application software. Both methods ar...

background: in this study, quantitative 32p bremsstrahlung planar and spect imaging and consequent dose assessment were carried out as a comprehensive phantom study to define an appropriate method for accurate dosimetry in clinical practice. materials and methods: ct, planar and spect bremsstrahlung images of jaszczak phantom containing a known activity of 32p were acquired. in addition, phanto...

Introduction: Brachytherapy is a type of radiotherapy in which radioactive sources are used in proximity of tumors normally for treatment of malignancies in the head, prostate and cervix. Materials and Methods: The Cs-137 Selectron source is a low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy source used in a remote afterloading system for treatment of different cancers. This system uses active and inactive sp...

Purpose This study is intended to compare dose-volume parameters evaluated using different forward planning- optimization techniques, involving two applicator systems in intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical cancer. It looks for the best applicator-optimization combination to fulfill recommended dose-volume objectives in different high-dose-rate (HDR) fractionation schedules. Material and ...

High-dose rate endorectal brachytherapy (HDR-EBT) is mainly used as a palliative treatment modality. In this paper, we compare dosimetry distributions for a single-channel catheter (Miami) applicator with distributions of the inflatable multichannel (Novi Sad) endorectal applicator. The comparisons were made with respect to dose coverage to the clinical tumor volume as well as to the bladder, r...