Prospective Analysis of Radiation-Induced Contrast Enhancement and Health-Related Quality of Life After Proton Therapy for Central Nervous System and Skull Base Tumors.

Purpose: Intracerebral radiation-induced contrast enhancement (RICE) can occur after photon as well as proton beam therapy (PBT). This study evaluated the incidence, characteristics, and risk factors of RICE after PBT delivered to, or in direct proximity to, the brain and its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods And Materials: Four hundred twenty-one patients treated with pencil beam scanning PBT between 2017 and 2021 were included.