Activation of Collimators Irradiated With Clinical Proton Beams and Development of a Semiempirical Model for Activity Calculation.

Patient-specific collimators used in proton therapy are activated after use. The aim of this work is to assess the residual activity in brass collimators considering clinical beams, so far studied only for monoenergetic beams, and to develop a model to calculate the activity. Eight brass collimators irradiated with different clinical and monoenergetic beams were included in the study.

Choroidal melanoma and pregnancy.

Purpose: Choroidal melanoma is a rare tumour in adults. The mean age at diagnosis is 60, but the tumour can affect women of childbearing age. A negative effect of pregnancy on patients' survival has not been formally excluded to date.

Treatment of uveal melanoma by accelerated proton beam.

Proton beam irradiation of uveal melanoma has great advantages compared to brachytherapy because of the homogenous dose delivered to the tumor and the possibility of sparing normal tissue close to the tumor. We describe the technique of proton beam therapy including the surgical technique of clip positioning, the radiotherapy delivery technique and the dose administered (60 Gy cobalt relative biological effectiveness in 4 fractions). Indications of proton beam are given and the follow-up procedure is described.

Long-term results of low-dose proton beam therapy for circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and outcome of low-dose proton beam irradiation in the treatment of symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective review of 71 patients with symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas treated by proton beam irradiation between September 1994 and October 2002 using a total dose of 20 Cobalt Gray Equivalent.

Results: The median follow-up was 52 months (8-133 months).

Proton beam radiotherapy for uveal melanoma: results of Curie Institut-Orsay proton therapy center (ICPO).

Purpose: This study reports the results of proton beam radiotherapy based on a retrospective series of patients treated for uveal melanoma at the Orsay Center.

Methods And Materials: Between September 1991 and September 2001, 1,406 patients with uveal melanoma were treated by proton beam radiotherapy. A total dose of 60 cobalt Gray equivalent (CGE) was delivered in 4 fractions on 4 days.

Low-dose proton beam therapy for circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of proton beam therapy for complicated circumscribed choroidal hemangiomas.

Methods: The study was a retrospective nonrandomized investigation. Seventeen consecutive patients, referred to the Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France, for circumscribed choroidal hemangioma associated with serous retinal detachment were studied.