General selection criteria for safety and patient benefit [XⅢ]: Comparing the formulation characteristics of brand-name and generic bifonazole creams.

A comparative evaluation of the brand-name drug Mycospor and six generic drugs (IWAKI, Bifonol, F, YD, Sawai, and TEVA), all comprising a cream formulation containing the antifungal drug bifonazole, was performed based on physicochemical measurements. The pH of the various formulations was significantly higher for the generics Bifonol (pH 7.1), Sawai (pH 6.

Source position measurement by Cherenkov emission imaging from applicators for high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

Purpose: We developed a novel and simple method to measure the source positions in applicators directly for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy based on Cherenkov emission imaging, and evaluated the performance.

Methods: The light emission from plastic applicators used in cervical cancer treatments, irradiated by an Ir γ-ray source, was captured using a charge-coupled device camera. Moreover, we attached plastics of different shapes, including tapes, tubes, and plates to a metal applicator, to use as screens for the Cherenkov imaging.

Imaging Cherenkov emission for quality assurance of high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

With advances in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, the importance of quality assurance (QA) is increasing to ensure safe delivery of the treatment by measuring dose distribution and positioning the source with much closer intervals for highly active sources. However, conventional QA is time-consuming, involving the use of several different measurement tools. Here, we developed simple QA method for HDR brachytherapy based on the imaging of Cherenkov emission and evaluated its performance.

Dosimetric factors associated with long-term patient-reported outcomes after definitive radiotherapy of patients with head and neck cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between dosimetric parameters of organs at risk and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) after radiotherapy of patients with head and neck cancer.

Methods: PRO data of 53 patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy were prospectively collected. These data concerned health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and were collected using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and head and neck cancer module (QLQ-H&N35).

Automated source tracking with a pinhole imaging system during high-dose-rate brachytherapy treatment.

The transportation accuracy of sealed radioisotope sources influences the therapeutic effect of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. We have developed a pinhole imaging system for tracking an Ir-192 radiation source during HDR brachytherapy treatment. Our system consists of a dual-pinhole collimator, a scintillator, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera.