On the necessity of specialized knowledge-based models for SBRT prostate treatments plans.

Purpose: Test whether a well-grounded KBP model trained on moderately hypo-fractionated prostate treatments can be used to satisfactorily drive the optimization of SBRT prostate treatments.

Materials And Methods: A KBP model (SBRT-model) was developed, trained and validated using the first forty-seven clinically treated VMAT SBRT prostate plans (42.7 Gy/7fx or 36.

Effectiveness of body size stratification for patient exposure optimization in Computed Tomography.

Purpose: To establish size-dependent DRL and to estimate the effectiveness of the size-dependent DRLs over size-independent DRLs for a CT exposure optimization process.

Methods: The study included 16,933 adult CT body examinations of the most common CT protocols. Acquisitions were included following an image quality assessment.

Fetal dose estimation for Virtual Tangential-fields Arc Therapy whole breast irradiation by optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed tumor in pregnant women and radiation therapy should carefully be weighted up because of the dose to the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate fetal dose in a patient treated with Virtual Tangential-fields Arc Therapy (ViTAT), an innovative technique for whole breast irradiation. Optically stimulated luminescence detectors (OSLDs) were calibrated on a Varian TrueBeam linac, with both a 6X and 6XFFF beam quality, and used for out-of-field measurements.

Size-specific dose estimates for pediatric head CT protocols based on the AAPM report TG-293.

Purpose: To establish the Size Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE) typical values for pediatric head CT examinations based on the AAPM report TG-293; to provide a new stratification based on the water-equivalent diameter (D), given that SSDE is related to the head size.

Methods: 296 Head CT scans of pediatric patients collected using a dose monitoring software were retrospectively analysed. Typical values were derived stratifying data by age in three methods: the first proposed by the European Guidelines on Diagnostic Reference Levels for Pediatric Imaging (RP185), the second by the National Istisan Report 20/22 and a local one related to the clinical protocols (LStrata).

Radiological aspects of CO peripheral DSA: Preliminary analysis on the dedicated protocols.

Objectives: Thanks to its lack of allergic reactions and renal toxicity, CO represents an alternative to iodine as a contrast medium for peripheral subtraction angiography. Since CO has a lower and negative contrast than iodine, postprocessing DSA and stacking are mandatory. So, it seems that higher doses than traditional iodine angiography are required.