Proof-of-concept of real-time electromagnetic guidance for gynecologic interstitial catheters in high dose rate brachytherapy.

Background And Purpose: The addition of interstitial needles to intracavitary gynecologic (GYN) high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy has been shown to improve target coverage and organs-at-risk (OAR) sparing. However, no commercial solution allows real-time guidance of interstitial catheter placement. This phantom study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an electromagnetic (EM) tracking system guidance workflow for GYN HDR brachytherapy treatment in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and real-time transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion scenario.

US-guided EM tracked system for HDR brachytherapy: A first in-men randomized study for whole prostate treatment.

Purpose: An electromagnetic tracking device (EMT) has been integrated in an HDR 3D ultrasound guidance system for prostate HDR. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of HDR workflows with and without EM tracking.

Methods And Materials: A total of 58 patients with a 15 Gy HDR prostate boost were randomized in two arms and two operation room (OR) procedures using: (1) the EMT investigational device, and (2) the Oncentra prostate system (OCP).

Commissioning of an intra-operative US guided prostate HDR system integrating an EM tracking technology.

Purpose: Ultrasound-based planning for high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy is commonly used in the clinic, mainly because it offers fast real-time image-guided capability at a relatively low cost. The main difficulty with US planning is the catheter reconstruction due to artefacts (from multiple catheters) and echogenicity. Electromagnetic tracking (EMT) system offers a fast and accurate solution for automatic reconstruction of catheters using the EMT technology.

Dosimetric evaluation of three adaptive strategies for prostate cancer treatment including pelvic lymph nodes irradiation.

Purpose: The movements of the prostate relative to the pelvic lymph nodes during intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment can limit margin reduction and affect the protection of the organs at risk (OAR). In this study, the authors performed an analysis of three adaptive treatment strategies that combine information from both bony and gold marker registrations. The robustness of those treatments against the interfraction prostate movements was evaluated.