A novel perineal shield for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy.

Purpose: To study the impact on radiation exposure to staff through the use of an original perineal shield during low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy.

Material And Methods: We designed a 1 mm thick stainless steel shield that duplicates and is able to slide directly over a standard commercialized prostate brachytherapy grid. We then analyzed the post-procedure exposure in 15 consecutive patients who underwent Iodine-125 seed placement.

Assessment of risk of late rectal bleeding for patients with prostate cancer started on anticoagulation before or after radiation treatment.

Aim: To evaluate the risk of late rectal bleeding and its association with the timing and type of anticoagulation use in patients receiving dose-escalated radiation therapy (RT) (≥ 7,560 cGy) for prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: Between 2003-2010, 465 patients were treated at our Institution with dose-escalated RT and included in this analysis. Patients were placed into the following categories: no anticoagulation use, aspirin during RT, clopidogrel/warfarin during RT, aspirin after completion of RT, clopidogrel/warfarin after completion of RT.

Evaluation of the eclipse electron Monte Carlo dose calculation for small fields.

Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, CA) has implemented the Monte Carlo electron dose calculation algorithm (eMC) in the Eclipse treatment planning system. Previous algorithms for electron treatment planning were limited in their calculation ability for small field depth doses and monitor units. An old rule of thumb to approximate the limiting cutout size for an electron field was determined by the lateral scatter equilibrium and approximated by E (MeV)/2.

Synchrotron-based infrared and X-ray imaging shows focalized accumulation of Cu and Zn co-localized with beta-amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the misfolding and plaque-like accumulation of a naturally occurring peptide in the brain called amyloid beta (Abeta). Recently, this process has been associated with the binding of metal ions such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). It is thought that metal dyshomeostasis is involved in protein misfolding and may lead to oxidative stress and neuronal damage.