Aim: To demonstrate a simple technique of cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) in supine position using inter fraction moving field junctions to feather out any potential hot and cold spots.Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients diagnosed with medulloblastoma were treated during the period February 2011 to June 2015 were included in this study. Out of fifteen patients in the study nine were male and 6 were female with a median age of 13.4 years (range 5-27 years). All the patients were positioned supine on CT simulation, immobilized using thermoplastic mask and aligned using room based laser system. Two parallel opposed lateral fields for the whole brain using an asymmetrical jaw with isocenter at C2 vertebral body. A posterior field also placed to cover the cervical and dorsal field using the same isocenter at C2. The second isocenter was placed at lumbar vertebral region to cover the remaining dorsal, lumbar and sacral region using an inter-fraction moving junction. Field-in-field and enhanced dynamic wedge used to homogeneous dose distribution when required. Results andDiscussion: In this study, we found that only two patients failed in the primary site, no radiation myelitis or recurrences in the filed junctions were reported in these fifteen patients with a median follow-up of 36.4 months. The automated sequence of treatment plans with moving junctions in the comfortable supine position negating the need for manual junction matching or junction shifts avoiding potential treatment errors and also facilitating delivery of anesthesia where necessary.
Background and Purpose: Conventional portals, based on bony anatomy, for external beam radiotherapy for cervical cancer have been repeatedly demonstrated as inadequate. Conversely, with image-based conformal radiotherapy, better target coverage may be offset by the greater toxicities and poorer compliance associated with treating larger volumes. This study was meant to dosimetrically compare conformal and conventional radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Five patients of carcinoma cervix underwent planning CT scan with IV contrast and targets, and organs at risk (OAR) were contoured. Two sets of plans-conventional and conformal were generated for each patient. Field sizes were recorded, and dose volume histograms of both sets of plans were generated and compared on the basis of target coverage and OAR sparing. Results: Target coverage was significantly improved with conformal plans though field sizes required were significantly larger. On the other hand, dose homogeneity was not significantly improved. Doses to the OARs (rectum, urinary bladder, and small bowel) were not significantly different across the 2 arms. Conclusion: Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy gives significantly better target coverage, which may translate into better local control and survival. On the other hand, it also requires significantly larger field sizes though doses to the OARs are not significantly increased.
Dosimetric comparison of three dimensional conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy in high grade gliomas Treatment of high-grade gliomas continues to be frustrating for the clinician as the medial survival stands at a dismal 14.5 months for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with the current standard of care. Given the high dose and generous margins required to be irradiated, three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) has become standard practice. Radiation dose escalation beyond 60 Gy, by means of stereotactic or intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) boost, has not yielded clinically significant benefits in terms of local control or survival. At the same time, the potential of IMRT to spare normal tissues such as the brain stem and the optic apparatus makes it an attractive tool for modern radiation oncologists in seeking to improve post-radiotherapy quality of life. At our centre, we have been treating a large number of cases of high grade glioma with 3DCRT and IMRT for the last several years. The present study has been an effort to understand any potential benefits that IMRT, even without dose escalation, can offer.
BACKGROUND:The non-surgical management of non-melanoma skin cancers is an area requiring clinical investigation. Radiotherapy has a role in treatment for a defined subset of patients. AIMS:The application of radiotherapy is subject to availability of proper equipment, non-availability of which precludes appropriate radiotherapy in most centers in third world countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The introduction of innovations is needed to circumvent this. Plesiotherapy is such a mode of therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer. METHODS:The introduction of innovations is needed to circumvent this. Plesiotherapy is such a mode of therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer. RESULTS:In this paper we present successful management of a cohort of non-melanoma skin cancer patients with plesiotherapy using stepping source(192) Ir HDR source. CONCLUSIONS:Plesiothrapy is an effective mode of therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer.
The study was aimed to compare accuracy of monitor unit verification in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using 6 MV photons by three different methodologies with different detector phantom combinations. Sixty patients were randomly chosen. Zero degree couch and gantry angle plans were generated in a plastic universal IMRT verification phantom and 30×30×30 cc water phantom and measured using 0.125 cc and 0.6 cc chambers, respectively. Actual gantry and couch angle plans were also measured in water phantom using 0.6 cc chamber. A suitable point of measurement was chosen from the beam profile for each field. When the zero-degree gantry, couch angle plans and actual gantry, couch angle plans were measured by 0.6 cc chamber in water phantom, the percentage mean difference (MD) was 1.35%, 2.94 % and Standard Deviation (SD) was 2.99%, 5.22%, respectively. The plastic phantom measurements with 0.125 cc chamber Semiflex ionisation chamber (SIC) showed an MD=4.21% and SD=2.73 %, but when corrected for chamber-medium response, they showed an improvement, with MD=3.38 % and SD=2.59 %. It was found that measurements with water phantom and 0.6cc chamber at gantry angle zero degree showed better conformity than other measurements of medium-detector combinations. Correction in plastic phantom measurement improved the result only marginally, and actual gantry angle measurement in a flat- water phantom showed higher deviation.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a moderately aggressive variety of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Extranodal presentation of MCL is well known, the intestine being a common site. The incidence of colorectal involvement is relatively rare. Moreover, the recurrence of the disease at laparotomy scar site is even more rare. We report an unusual case of incision line recurrence in a case of colonic MCL occuring three years after initial treatment.