Validation of automated post-adjustments of HDR prostate brachytherapy treatment plans by quantitative measures and oncologist observer study.

Purpose: The aim was to evaluate a postprocessing optimization algorithm's ability to improve the spatial properties of a clinical treatment plan while preserving the target coverage and the dose to the organs at risk. The goal was to obtain a more homogenous treatment plan, minimizing the need for manual adjustments after inverse treatment planning.

Materials And Methods: The study included 25 previously treated prostate cancer patients.

Technical note: Evaluation of a spatial optimization model for prostate high dose-rate brachytherapy in a clinical treatment planning system.

Background: Spatial properties of a dose distribution, such as volumes of contiguous hot spots, are of clinical importance in treatment planning for high dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR BT). We have in an earlier study developed an optimization model that reduces the prevalence of contiguous hot spots by modifying a tentative treatment plan.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to incorporate the correction of hot spots in a standard inverse planning workflow and to validate the integrated model in a clinical treatment planning system.

An audit of high dose-rate prostate brachytherapy treatment planning at six Swedish clinics.

Purpose: High dose-rate prostate brachytherapy has been implemented in Sweden in the late 1980s and early 1990s in six clinics using the same schedule: 20 Gy in two fractions combined with 50 Gy in 25 fractions with external beam radiation therapy. Thirty years have passed and during these years, various aspects of the treatment process have developed, such as ultrasound-guided imaging and treatment planning system. An audit was conducted, including a questionnaire and treatment planning, which aimed to gather knowledge about treatment planning methods in Swedish clinics.

Respiratory gating for proton beam scanning versus photon 3D-CRT for breast cancer radiotherapy.

Background Respiratory gating and proton therapy have both been proposed to reduce the cardiopulmonary burden in breast cancer radiotherapy. This study aims to investigate the additional benefit of proton radiotherapy for breast cancer with and without respiratory gating. Material and methods Twenty left-sided patients were planned on computed tomography (CT)-datasets acquired during enhanced inspiration gating (EIG) and free-breathing (FB), using photon three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) and scanned proton beams.

Analytical anisotropic algorithm versus pencil beam convolution for treatment planning of breast cancer: implications for target coverage and radiation burden of normal tissue.

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the implications of using the analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) for calculation of target coverage and radiation burden of normal tissues. Most model parameters, recommendations and planning guidelines associated with a certain outcome are from the era of pencil beam convolution (PBC) calculations on relatively simple assumptions of energy transport in media. Their relevance for AAA calculations that predict more realistic dose distributions needs to be evaluated.