Interobserver Agreement on Intracranial Hemorrhage on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Ischemic Stroke.

Background: The Heidelberg Bleeding Classification, developed for computed tomography, is also frequently used to classify intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on magnetic resonance imaging. Additionally, the presence of any ICH is frequently used as (safety) outcome measure in clinical stroke trials that evaluate acute interventions. We assessed the interobserver agreement on the presence of any ICH and the type of ICH according to the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification on magnetic resonance imaging in patients treated with reperfusion therapy.

Applicator visualization using ultrashort echo time MRI for high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy.

Purpose: The individual channels in an endorectal applicator for high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy are not visible on standard MRI sequences. The aim of this study was to test whether an ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI sequence could be used to visualize the individual channels to enable MR-only treatment planning for rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: We used a radial three-dimensional (3D) UTE pulse sequence and acquired images of phantoms and two patients with rectal cancer.

Radiotherapy quality assurance for mesorectum treatment planning within the multi-center phase II STAR-TReC trial: Dutch results.

Background: The STAR-TReC trial is an international multi-center, randomized, phase II study assessing the feasibility of short-course radiotherapy or long-course chemoradiotherapy as an alternative to total mesorectal excision surgery. A new target volume is used for both (chemo)radiotherapy arms which includes only the mesorectum. The treatment planning QA revealed substantial variation in dose to organs at risk (OAR) between centers.

Feasibility of Gold Fiducial Markers as a Surrogate for Gross Tumor Volume Position in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy of Rectal Cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of fiducial markers as a surrogate for gross tumor volume (GTV) position in image-guided radiation therapy of rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: We analyzed 35 fiducials in 19 patients with rectal cancer who received short-course radiation therapy or long-course chemoradiation therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed before and after the first week of radiation therapy, and daily pre- and postirradiation cone beam computed tomography scans were acquired in the first week of radiation therapy.

MRI visibility of gold fiducial markers for image-guided radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

Background And Purpose: A GTV boost is suggested to result in higher complete response rates in rectal cancer patients, which is attractive for organ preservation. Fiducials may offer GTV position verification on (CB)CT, if the fiducial-GTV spatial relationship can be accurately defined on MRI. The study aim was to evaluate the MRI visibility of fiducials inserted in the rectum.

Benefit of adaptive CT-based treatment planning in high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy for rectal cancer.

Purpose: In this planning study, we investigated the dosimetric benefit of repeat CT-based treatment planning at each fraction vs. the use of a single CT-based treatment plan for all fractions for high-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy (HDREBT) for rectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: We included 11 patients that received a CT scan with applicator in situ for all three fractions.