Impact of breathing motion on whole breast radiotherapy: a dosimetric analysis using active breathing control.

Purpose: The active breathing control (ABC) apparatus was used to quantify the effect of breathing motion on whole breast radiotherapy (RT) with standard wedges and intensity-modulated RT (IMRT).

Methods And Materials: Ten patients with early-stage breast cancer underwent routine free-breathing (FB) CT simulations for whole breast RT. An ABC apparatus was used to obtain two additional CT scans with the breath held at the end of normal inhalation and normal exhalation.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation using 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT).

Purpose: We present a novel three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) technique to treat the lumpectomy cavity, plus a 1.5-cm margin, in patients with early-stage breast cancer and study its clinical feasibility.

Methods And Materials: A 3D-CRT technique for partial-breast irradiation was developed using archived CT scans from 7 patients who underwent an active breathing control study.

The dose-volume relationship of acute small bowel toxicity from concurrent 5-FU-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy for rectal cancer.

Purpose: A direct relationship between the volume of small bowel irradiated and the degree of acute small bowel toxicity experienced during concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemoradiotherapy for rectal carcinoma is well recognized but poorly quantified. This study uses three-dimensional treatment-planning tools to more precisely quantify this dose-volume relationship.

Methods And Materials: Forty patients receiving concurrent 5-FU-based chemotherapy and pelvic irradiation for rectal carcinoma had treatment-planning CT scans with small bowel contrast.