Training and temporally validating an NTCP model of acute toxicity after whole breast radiotherapy, including the impact of advanced delivery techniques.

Purpose: The aim is to train and validate a multivariable Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) model predicting acute skin reactions in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant Radiotherapy (RT).

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively reviewed 1570 single-institute patients with breast cancer treated with whole breast irradiation (40 Gy/15fr). The patients were divided into training (n = 878, treated with 3d-CRT, from 2009 to 2017) and validation cohorts (n = 692, treated from 2017 to 2021, including advanced RT techniques).

Comparing Performances of Predictive Models of Toxicity after Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Using Different Machine Learning Approaches.

Purpose: Different ML models were compared to predict toxicity in RT on a large cohort (n = 1314).

Methods: The endpoint was RTOG G2/G3 acute toxicity, resulting in 204/1314 patients with the event. The dataset, including 25 clinical, anatomical, and dosimetric features, was split into 984 for training and 330 for internal tests.

Real-world validation of Artificial Intelligence-based Computed Tomography auto-contouring for prostate cancer radiotherapy planning.

Background And Purpose: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based auto-contouring for treatment planning in radiotherapy needs extensive clinical validation, including the impact of editing after automatic segmentation. The aims of this study were to assess the performance of a commercial system for Clinical Target Volumes (CTVs) (prostate/seminal vesicles) and selected Organs at Risk (OARs) (rectum/bladder/femoral heads + femurs), evaluating also inter-observer variability (manual vs automatic + editing) and the reduction of contouring time.

Materials And Methods: Two expert observers contoured CTVs/OARs of 20 patients in our Treatment Planning System (TPS).

Extended nodal radiotherapy for prostate cancer relapse guided with [11C]-choline PET/CT: ten-year results in patients enrolled in a prospective trial.

Aims: To report long-term outcomes of relapsed prostate cancer (PC) patients treated in a prospective single-arm study with extended-nodal radiotherapy (ENRT) and [11C]-choline positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT)-guided simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to positive lymph nodes (LNs).

Methods: From 12/2009 to 04/2015, 60 PC patients with biochemical relapse and positive LNs only were treated in this study. ENRT at a median total dose (TD) = 51.

CT radiomic predictors of local relapse after SBRT for lung oligometastases from colorectal cancer: a single institute pilot study.

Objectives: To assess the potential of radiomic features (RFs) extracted from simulation computed tomography (CT) images in discriminating local progression (LP) after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in the management of lung oligometastases (LOM) from colorectal cancer (CRC).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients with 70 LOM treated with SBRT were analyzed. The largest LOM was considered as most representative for each patient and was manually delineated by two blinded radiation oncologists.

Knowledge-based automatic plan optimization for left-sided whole breast tomotherapy.

Background/purpose: Tomotherapy may deliver high-quality whole breast irradiation at static angles. The aim of this study was to implement Knowledge-Based (KB) automatic planning for left-sided whole breast using this modality.

Materials/methods: Virtual volumetric plans were associated to the dose distributions of 69 Tomotherapy (TT) clinical plans of previously treated patients, aiming to train a KB-model using a commercial tool completely implemented in our treatment planning system.

Toxicity of Hypofractionated Whole Breast Radiotherapy Without Boost and Timescale of Late Skin Responses in a Large Cohort of Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients.

Aim: To report toxicity of hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy in a large cohort of early-stage breast cancer (BCaients.

Materials And Methods: From 02/2009-05/2017, 1325 consecutive BCa patients were treated with 40.05 Gy/15 fractions, without boost.

Breast radiotherapy with kilovoltage photons and gold nanoparticles as radiosensitizer: An in vitro study.

Purpose: We investigated the dose enhancement and internalization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) used as a radiosensitizer agent for rotational radiotherapy of breast cancer using a kilovoltage (kV) X-ray beam.

Methods: Human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 were incubated with or without 100 μg/mL (4.87 nM) or 200 μg/mL (9.

Ten Year Results of Extensive Nodal Radiotherapy and Moderately Hypofractionated Simultaneous Integrated Boost in Unfavorable Intermediate-, High-, and Very High-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Aims: To report 10-year outcomes of WPRT and HD moderately hypofractionated SIB to the prostate in UIR, HR, and VHR PCa.

Methods: From 11/2005 to 12/2015, 224 UIR, HR, and VHR PCa patients underwent WPRT at 51.8 Gy/28 fractions and SIB at 74.

Replacing Manual Planning of Whole Breast Irradiation With Knowledge-Based Automatic Optimization by Virtual Tangential-Fields Arc Therapy.

Purpose: To implement Knowledge Based (KB) automatic planning for right and left-sided whole breast treatment through a new volumetric technique (ViTAT, Virtual Tangential-fields Arc Therapy) mimicking conventional tangential fields (TF) irradiation.

Materials And Method: A total of 193 clinical plans delivering TF with wedged or field-in-field beams were selected to train two KB-models for right(R) and left(L) sided breast cancer patients using the RapidPlan (RP) tool implemented in the Varian Eclipse system. Then, a template for ViTAT optimization, incorporating individual KB-optimized constraints, was interactively fine-tuned.

Development and in vivo assessment of a novel MRI-compatible headframe system for the ovine animal model.

Background: The brain of sheep has primarily been used in neuroscience as an animal model because of its similarity to the human brain, in particular if compared to other models such as the lissencephalic rodent brain. Their brain size also makes sheep an ideal model for the development of neurosurgical techniques using conventional clinical CT/MRI scanners and stereotactic systems for neurosurgery.

Methods: In this study, we present the design and validation of a new CT/MRI compatible head frame for the ovine model and software, with its assessment under two real clinical scenarios.

Residual intra-fraction error in robotic spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy without immobilization devices.

Background And Purpose: Spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) involves large dose gradients and high geometrical accuracy is therefore required. The aim of this work was to assess residual intra-fraction error with a tracking robotic system for non-immobilized patients. Shifts from the first alignment (i.

Impact of molecular subtype on 1325 early-stage breast cancer patients homogeneously treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy without boost: Should the indications for radiotherapy be more personalized?

Aim: We report molecular subtype impact on 1325 early breast cancer (BCa) patients treated with whole breast hypofractionated (WBH) adjuvant forward-planned intensity modulated radiotherapy (F-IMRT) without boost.

Methods And Materials: From 02/2009-05/2017 1325 patients with pTis-pT3, pNx-N1aM0 BCa who underwent breast conservation surgery were treated with WBHF-IMRT in our institute, to a total dose of 40 Gy/15 fractions, without boost. Median age: 62 (interquartile range-IQR-:51.

Clinical Implementation of Knowledge-Based Automatic Plan Optimization for Helical Tomotherapy.

Purpose: To implement knowledge-based (KB) automatic planning for helical TomoTherapy (HTT). The focus of the first clinical implementation was the case of high-risk prostate cancer, including pelvic node irradiation.

Methods And Materials: One hundred two HTT clinical plans were selected to train a KB model using the RapidPlan tool incorporated in the Eclipse system (v13.

Virtual Tangential-fields Arc Therapy (ViTAT) for whole breast irradiation: Technique optimization and validation.

Purpose: To test the performances of a volumetric arc technique named ViTAT (Virtual Tangential-fields Arc Therapy) mimicking tangential field irradiation for whole breast radiotherapy.

Methods: ViTAT plans consisted in 4 arcs whose starting/ending position were established based on gantry angle distribution of clinical plans for right and left-breast. The arcs were completely blocked excluding the first and last 20°.

Highly pathogenic Bovine Respiratory Syncytial virus variant in a dairy herd in Italy.

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is an economically significant pathogen in cattle production worldwide. Usually, it is detected in outbreaks of respiratory disease, most often during the winter period. During the middle of October 2018, a serious outbreak of respiratory disease occurred in a cattle farm comprising about 300 heads located in Central Italy.

Simultaneous detection of Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus luchuensis and Lichtheimia sp. in a bovine abortion.

Abortion in dairy cattle may be caused by infectious (viruses, fungi and protozoa) and non-infectious causes mostly related to bad management practices and genetic factors. Recently, the significant contribution of mycotic infection to bovine abortion has been recognized. This report describes an abortion case in a Chianina cow due to Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus luchuensis and Lichtheimia sp.

A straightforward multiparametric quality control protocol for proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Validation and comparison of various 1.5 T and 3 T clinical scanner systems.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to propose and validate across various clinical scanner systems a straightforward multiparametric quality assurance procedure for proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).

Methods: Eighteen clinical 1.5 T and 3 T scanner systems for MRS, from 16 centres and 3 different manufacturers, were enrolled in the study.

Integration of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Tractography into tomotherapy radiation treatment planning for high-grade gliomas.

Introduction: Fractionated radiotherapy in brain tumors is commonly associated with several detrimental effects, largely related to the higher radiosensitivity of the white matter (WM) with respect to gray matter. However, no dose constraints are applied to preserve WM structures at present. Magnetic Resonance (MR) Tractography is the only technique that allows to visualize in vivo the course of WM eloquent tracts in the brain.

Characterization of Pasteurella multocida involved in rabbit infections.

In rabbit, P. multocida is considered a predominant pathogenic agent; despite this, few data on the molecular epidemiology are available so far. The aim of this work was to characterize P.

Prostate-specific antigen percentage: An early predictive tool after iodine-125 interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer.

Background: After interstitial prostate iodine-125 brachytherapy (BT), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) evolution in time could predict overall biochemical relapse, but, considering the single patient, it is influenced by the presentation PSA amount and by the prostatic volume. It is also challenging to differentiate a PSA bounce from a biochemical relapse.

Purpose: To determine the usefulness of PSA percentage (PP) defined as the rate between PSA presented by a patient at time "t" and the PSA that the same patient had presented at the time of diagnosis (t0) assumed as 100% in predicting biochemical relapse and in differentiating them from PSA Bounces.