Breast-shape changes during radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery.

Background & Purpose: With the introduction of more conformal techniques for breast cancer radiation therapy (RT), motion management is becoming increasingly important. We studied the breast-shape variability during RT after breast-conserving surgery (BCS).

Materials & Methods: Planning computed tomography (CT) and follow-up cone-beam CT (CBCT) scans were available for 71 fractions of 17 patients undergoing RT after BCS.

Image-guided radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer patients: geometrical uncertainty of the heart.

Purpose: To quantify the geometrical uncertainties for the heart during radiotherapy treatment of left-sided breast cancer patients and to determine and validate planning organ at risk volume (PRV) margins.

Methods And Materials: Twenty-two patients treated in supine position in 28 fractions with regularly acquired cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans for offline setup correction were included. Retrospectively, the CBCT scans were reconstructed into 10-phase respiration correlated four-dimensional scans.

Image-guided radiotherapy for breast cancer patients: surgical clips as surrogate for breast excision cavity.

Purpose: To determine the use of surgical clips as a surrogate for localization of the excision cavity and to quantify the stability of the clips' positions during the course of external beam radiotherapy for breast cancer patients, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans.

Methods And Materials: Twenty-one breast cancer patients with surgical clips placed in the breast excision cavity were treated in a supine position with 28 daily fractions. CBCT scans were regularly acquired for a setup correction protocol.

Breast patient setup error assessment: comparison of electronic portal image devices and cone-beam computed tomography matching results.

Purpose: To quantify the differences in setup errors measured with the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and electronic portal image devices (EPID) in breast cancer patients.

Methods And Materials: Repeat CBCT scan were acquired for routine offline setup verification in 20 breast cancer patients. During the CBCT imaging fractions, EPID images of the treatment beams were recorded.

Breast-conserving therapy: radiotherapy margins for breast tumor bed boost.

Purpose: To quantify the interfraction position variability of the excision cavity (EC) and to compare the rib and breast surface as surrogates for the cavity. Additionally, we sought to determine the required margin for on-line, off-line and no correction protocols in external beam radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: A total of 20 patients were studied who had been treated in the supine position for 28 daily fractions.