Treatment planning for patients with low rectal cancer in a multicenter prospective organ preservation study.

Background: Non-surgical management of rectal cancer relies on (chemo)radiotherapy as the definitive treatment modality. This study reports and evaluates the clinical high dose radiotherapy treatment plans delivered to patients with low resectable rectal cancer in a Danish multicenter trial.

Methods: The Danish prospective multicenter phase II Watchful Waiting 2 trial (NCT02438839) investigated definitive chemoradiation for non-surgical management of low rectal cancer.

Clinical experiences with online adaptive radiotherapy of vulvar carcinoma.

Background And Purpose: Radiotherapy for vulvar carcinoma is challenging due to relatively high risk of locoregional disease recurrence, a technically challenging target, and postoperative lymphocele, and a high risk radiation sequelae. We aim to explore, if it is possible to reduce dose to normal tissue, while maintaining CTV coverage for this patient group with online adaptive radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: 20 patients with vulvar carcinoma (527 fractions) were treated with online adaptation on a Varian Ethos accelerator.

Incorrect dosimetric leaf separation in IMRT and VMAT treatment planning: Clinical impact and correlation with pretreatment quality assurance.

Purpose: Dynamic treatment planning algorithms use a dosimetric leaf separation (DLS) parameter to model the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) characteristics. Here, we quantify the dosimetric impact of an incorrect DLS parameter and investigate whether common pretreatment quality assurance (QA) methods can detect this effect.

Methods: 16 treatment plans with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique for multiple treatment sites were calculated with a correct and incorrect setting of the DLS, corresponding to a MLC gap difference of 0.

Children with autism spectrum disorders who do not develop phrase speech in the preschool years.

There is uncertainty about the proportion of children with autism spectrum disorders who do not develop phrase speech during the preschool years. The main purpose of this study was to examine this ratio in a population-based community sample of children. The cohort consisted of 165 children (141 boys, 24 girls) with autism spectrum disorders aged 4-6 years followed longitudinally over 2 years during which time they had received intervention at a specialized autism center.

Implementing RapidArc into clinical routine: a comprehensive program from machine QA to TPS validation and patient QA.

Purpose: With the increased commercial availability of intensity modulated arc therapy (IMAT) comes the need for comprehensive QA programs, covering the different aspects of this newly available technology. This manuscript proposes such a program for the RapidArc (RA) (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto) IMAT solution.

Methods: The program was developed and tested out for a Millennium120 MLC on iX Clinacs and a HighDefinition MLC on a Novalis TX, using a variety of measurement equipment including Gafchromic film, 2D ion chamber arrays (Seven29 and StarCheck, PTW, Freiburg, Germany) with inclinometer and Octavius phantom, the Delta4 systam (ScandiDos, Uppsala, Sweden) and the portal imager (EPID).

Comparative renal, hepatic, and bone marrow toxicity of Cisplatin and radioactive Cisplatin (191Pt) in Wistar rats.

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility to increase the therapeutic gain of the cytotoxic agent, cisplatin, by incorporation of radioactive platinum. In this study, we investigated how organs at risk (i.e.