A comparison of treatment planning techniques for low-dose-rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy treatment plans created using three retrospectively applied planning techniques with plans delivered to patients.Methods and MaterialsTreatment plans were created retrospectively on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) scans for 26 patients. The technique dubbed 4D Brachytherapy was applied, using TRUS and MRI to obtain prostatic measurements required for the associated webBXT online nomogram. Using a patient's MRI scan to create a treatment plan involving loose seeds was also explored. Plans delivered to patients were made using an intraoperative loose seed TRUS-based planning technique. Prostate V₁₀₀ (%), prostate V₁₅₀ (%), prostate D₉₀ (Gy), rectum D_0.1cc (Gy), rectum D_2cc (Gy), urethra D₁₀ (%), urethra D₃₀ (%), and prostate volumes were measured for each patient. Statistical analysis was used to assess and compare plans.ResultsProstate volumes measured by TRUS and MRI were significantly different. Prostate volumes calculated by the webBXT online nomogram using TRUS- and MRI-based measurements were not significantly different. Compared with delivered plans, TRUS-based 4D Brachytherapy plans showed significantly lower rectum D_0.1cc (Gy) values, MRI-based 4D Brachytherapy plans showed significantly higher prostate V₁₀₀ (%) values and significantly lower rectum D_0.1cc (Gy), urethra D₁₀ (%), and urethra D₃₀ (%) values, and loose seed MRI-based plans showed significantly lower prostate V₁₀₀ (%), prostate D₉₀ (Gy), rectum D_0.1cc (Gy), rectum D_2cc (Gy), urethra D₁₀ (%), and urethra D₃₀ (%) values.ConclusionsTRUS-based 4D Brachytherapy plans showed similar dosimetry to delivered plans; rectal dosimetry was superior. MRI can be integrated into the 4D Brachytherapy workflow. The webBXT online nomogram overestimates the required number of seeds.     

Evaluation of a collapsed-cone convolution algorithm for esophagus and surface mold 192Ir brachytherapy treatment planning

PurposeTG43 does not account for a lack of scatter and tissue and applicator heterogeneities. The advanced collapsed-cone engine (ACE) algorithm available for use in the Oncentra Brachy treatment planning system (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) can model these conditions more accurately and is evaluated for esophageal and surface mold brachytherapy treatments.Methods and MaterialsACE was commissioned for use then compared against TG43 for five esophageal and five surface mold treatment plans. Dosimetric differences between each algorithm were assessed using superimposed comparisons and dose-volume histogram statistics.ResultsEsophagus (6 Gy per fraction): Compared with TG43, ACE demonstrated up to a 0.63% and 0.05 Gy reduction in planning target volume (PTV) V100% and PTV D98, respectively. Lung D2cc and bone D2cc deviated by up to 0.09 Gy and 0.03 Gy, respectively. Lung D0.1 cc and bone D0.1 cc both deviated by up to 0.12 Gy.Surface mold (4.5 Gy per fraction): Compared with TG43, ACE demonstrated up to a 12.5% and 0.18 Gy reduction in PTV V80% and PTV D98, respectively. Bone D2cc and D0.1 cc both reduced by up to 0.2 Gy when modeled with ACE. Increasing mold size laterally increased the dosimetric differences between TG43 and ACE.ConclusionsTG43 generally overestimated dose delivered to the target volume and organs at risk for the sites investigated. Dosimetric differences observed for esophageal treatments were minimal; however, surface mold treatments would benefit from the increased dosimetric accuracy offered by ACE.Implementation should be considered for surface mold ¹⁹²Ir treatment planning, but increased calculation time, additional contouring, and mass density assignment requirements should be scrutinized with regard to their potentially negative impact on current clinical practice.     

基于实验与蒙特卡罗模拟法探究125I粒子间剂量衰减

目的 研究多颗¹²⁵I放射性粒子间剂量衰减规律.方法 利用Geant 4软件包进行蒙特卡罗模拟单颗粒子和多颗粒子周围剂量分布,将模拟结果与TG43-U1报告中推荐剂量计算方法所得结果进行对比,并利用实验测得数据验证蒙特卡罗模拟结果.结果 单颗粒子周围剂量分布的蒙特卡罗模拟结果与TG43-U1计算和实验结果差值分别在±3%和±5%以内.多颗粒子的蒙特卡罗模拟结果对比TG43-U1线性叠加结果,粒子间剂量衰减为3.8%~13.2%,平均剂量衰减为7.2%,实验所得结果与蒙特卡罗模拟结果差值在6%以内.结论 空间中存在多颗放射性¹²⁵I粒子时,由于粒子间的相互影响导致7%左右的剂量衰减,其最大值可超过13%,在人体组织中剂量衰减值会更大.因此,利用TG43-U1方法进行线性叠加计算临床中的剂量分布不够精确.     

宫颈癌后装放疗时膀胱直肠小肠受照剂量探讨

目的 探讨宫颈癌腔内放疗时不同体积的膀胱、直肠与危及器官受照剂量的关系。方法 选取宫颈癌患者共47例,给予剂量点处方剂量600 cGy的高剂量率腔内后装治疗,用剂量体积直方图(DVH)评价标准计划下不同体积的膀胱、直肠和小肠对相应受照剂量的影响。将膀胱按体积大小分成<80 cm³组、80~120 cm³组和>120 cm³组,直肠按体积大小分成>60 cm³ 组和≤60 cm³组,分析其体积与剂量分布的关系。采用方差分析和t检验方法分析D_{1 cm³}、D_{2 cm³}、D_30%和D_50%。结果 与膀胱体积<80 cm³组相比,80~120 cm³组和>120 cm³组的膀胱D_30%、D_50%受照剂量增高(F=5.074、5.088,P<0.05),小肠D_{1 cm³}和D_{2 cm³}值差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);与直肠体积>60 cm³ 组相比,≤60 cm³组的直肠D_{1 cm³}受照剂量减小(t=-2.045,P<0.05)。结论 宫颈癌近距离放疗时,保持膀胱的适当充盈,直肠体积的减少,可使直肠、膀胱和小肠的受照射剂量均相对降低,从而减少放疗的不良反应。     

Analysis of monotherapy prostate brachytherapy in patients with prostate cancer. Initial PSA and Gleason are important for recurrence?

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical outcome of a cohort of localized prostate cancer patients treate with 125-I permanent brachytherapy at the São José Hospital – CHLC, Lisbon.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out on 429 patients with low and intermediate-risk of prostate adenocarcinoma, according to the recommendations of the EORTC, who underwent 125I brachytherapies in intraoperative dosimetry “real-time” system between September 2003 and September 2013.

Results

The mean follow-up was 71.98 months. Biochemical relapse of disease by rising PSA (Phoenix criterion) was observed in 18 patients (4.2%). Through the application of Kaplan-Meier survival curves in this sample, the rate of survival at 6 years without biochemical relapse was higher than 95%. By Iog rank test comparing biochemical relapse with initial PSA (15-10 and <10) and Gleason values (7 and <7), there was no statistical difference (P=0.830) of the initial PSA in the probability of developing biochemical relapse. In relation to Gleason score, it was noted a statistical difference (P<0.05), demonstrating that patients with Gleason 7 are more likely to develop biochemical relapse.

Conclusions

Brachytherapy as monotherapy is at present an effective choice in the treatment of localized prostate adenocarcinoma. Biochemical relapses are minimal. The initial PSA showed no statistically difference in the rate of relapses, unlike the value Gleason, where it was demonstrated that patients with Gleason 7 have a higher probability of biochemical relapse. Cases with PSA bounce should be controlled before starting a salvage treatment.     

Quality of life after high-dose-rate brachytherapy monotherapy for prostate cancer

Purpose

There is little information in the literature on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) changes due to high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy monotherapy for prostate cancer.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a prospective study of HRQOL changes due to HDR brachytherapy monotherapy for low risk or favorable intermediate risk prostate cancer. Sixty-four of 84 (76%) patients who were treated between February 2011 and April 2013 completed 50 questions comprising the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) before treatment and 6 and/or 12 months after treatment.

Results

Six months after treatment, there was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in EPIC urinary, bowel, and sexual scores, including urinary overall, urinary function, urinary bother, urinary irritative, bowel overall, bowel bother, sexual overall, and sexual bother scores. By one year after treatment, EPIC urinary, bowel, and sexual scores had increased and only the bowel overall and bowel bother scores remained significantly below baseline values.

Conclusions

HDR brachytherapy monotherapy is well-tolerated in patients with low and favorable intermediate risk prostate cancer. EPIC urinary and sexual domain scores returned to close to baseline 12 months after HDR brachytherapy.     

Dosimetric comparison of vaginal vault brachytherapy vs applicator-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy with volumetric modulated arc therapy and helical tomotherapy for endometrium cancer patients

We performed this dosimetric study to compare a nonstandard volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (HT) techniques with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BRT) plan of vaginal vault in patients with postoperative endometrial cancer (EC). Twelve postoperative patients with early stage EC were included in this study. Three plans were performed for each patient; dosimetric and radiobiological comparisons were made using dose-volume histograms and equivalent dose for determining the planning target volume (PTV) coverages in brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, and organs-at-risk (OARs) doses between three different delivery techniques. All the plans achieved adequate dose coverage for PTV; however, the VMAT plan yielded better dose conformity, and the HT plan showed better homogeneity for target volume. With respect to the OARs, the bladder D_2cc was significantly lower in the BRT plan than in the VMAT and HT plans, with the highest bladder D_2cc value being observed in the HT plan. However, no difference was observed in the rectum D_2cc of the three plans. Other major advantages of the BRT plan over the VMAT and HT plans were the relatively lower body integral doses and femoral head doses as well as the fact that the integral doses were significantly lower in the BRT plan than in the VMAT and HT plans. This is the first dosimetric comparison of vaginal vault treatment for EC with BRT, VMAT, and HT plans. Our analyses showed the feasibility of stereotactic body radiotherapy technique as an alternative to HDR-BRT for postoperative management of EC patients.     

Dosimetric and radiobiological investigation of permanent implant prostate brachytherapy based on Monte Carlo calculations

PurposePermanent implant prostate brachytherapy plays an important role in prostate cancer treatment, but dose evaluations typically follow the water-based TG-43 formalism, ignoring patient anatomy and interseed attenuation. The purpose of this study is to investigate advanced TG-186 model-based dose calculations via retrospective dosimetric and radiobiological analysis for a new patient cohort.Methods and MaterialsA cohort of 155 patients treated with permanent implant prostate brachytherapy from The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre is considered. Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations are performed using tissue-based virtual patient models. Dose–volume histogram (DVH) metrics (target, organs at risk) are extracted from 3D dose distributions and compared with those from calculations under TG-43 assumptions (TG43). Equivalent uniform biologically effective dose and tumor control probability are calculated.ResultsFor the target, D₉₀ (V₁₀₀) is 136.7 ± 20.6 Gy (85.8% ± 7.8%) for TG43 and 132.8 ± 20.1 Gy (84.1% ± 8.2%) for MC; D₉₀ is 3.0% ± 1.1% lower for MC than TG43. For organs at risk, MC D_1cc = 104.4 ± 27.4 Gy (TG43: 106.3 ± 28.3 Gy) for rectum and 80.8 ± 29.7 Gy (TG43: 78.4 ± 28.4 Gy) for bladder; D_1cc = 185.9 ± 30.2 Gy (TG43: 191.1 ± 32.0 Gy) for urethra. Equivalent uniform biologically effective dose and tumor control probability are generally lower when evaluated using MC doses. The largest dosimetric and radiobiological discrepancies between TG43 and MC are for patients with intraprostatic calcifications, for whom there are low doses (cold spots) in the vicinity of calcifications within the target, identified with MC but not TG43.ConclusionsDVH metrics and radiobiological indices evaluated with TG43 are systematically inaccurate by upward of several percent compared with MC patient-specific models. Mean cohort DVH metrics and their MC:TG43 variances are sensitive to patient cohort and clinical practice, underlining the importance of further retrospective MC studies toward widespread clinical adoption of advanced model-based dose calculations.