Symmetry, separation, and stability: Physical properties for effective dosimetric space with a stabilized hyaluronic acid spacer.

Background: The proximity of the rectum to the prostate in radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer presents a significant dosimetric challenge, leading to high rectal doses and resulting in detrimental side effects. Perirectal tissue spacing reduces rectal dose and gastrointestinal toxicities by mechanically separating these organs. A variety of materials have been explored for use as rectal spacers, most recently, a stabilized hyaluronic acid (HA) gel, which can be formed into deliberate a shape, and retains the definition of that shape, while remaining flexible, unlike polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels.

Evaluating the Quality-of-Life Effect of Apical Spacing with Hyaluronic Acid Prior to Hypofractionated Prostate Radiation Therapy: A Secondary Analysis.

Purpose: Recently, a randomized trial demonstrated that a hyaluronic acid (HA) spacer placed before prostate hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy improved rectal dosimetry and reduced acute grade 2+ gastrointestinal toxicity. However, 26.5% of patients receiving the spacer experienced a minimal clinically important decline (MCID) in bowel quality-of-life (QOL).

Stereotactic radiotherapy for wet age-related macular degeneration (INTREPID): influence of baseline characteristics on clinical response.

Purpose: To determine which patients respond best to stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Participants (n = 230) receiving intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration enrolled in a randomized, double-masked sham-controlled trial comparing 16 Gray, 24 Gray, or Sham SRT. In a post hoc analysis, participants were grouped according to their baseline characteristics, to determine if these influenced SRT efficacy.

ITAR: A modified TAR method to determine depth dose distribution for an ophthalmic device that performs kilovoltage x-ray pencil-beam stereotaxy.

Purpose: New technology has been developed to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using 100 kVp pencil-beams that enter the patient through the radio-resistant sclera with a depth of interest between 1.6 and 2.6 cm.