Comparison of Acute Toxicities, Overall Treatment Time and Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated with IMRT and Helical Tomotherapy.

Introduction: Technical innovations in radiation therapy treatment planning and delivery over the last two decades have changed the practice of radiation therapy dramatically. The benefit of improved dose homogeneity and better sparing of critical structures in helical tomotherapy compared with conventional linac-based IMRT has been reported. This study was conducted to compare acute toxicities (skin, mucous membrane, salivary gland and hematological) during treatment and overall treatment time in Head and Neck Cancer patients treated with IMRT and Helical Tomotherapy and to assess the quality of life of patients during treatment between two groups.

An experimental investigation on the effect of beam angle optimization on the reduction of beam numbers in IMRT of head and neck tumors.

In static intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the fundamental factors that determine the quality of a plan are the number of beams and their angles. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of beam angle optimization (BAO) on the beam number in IMRT. We used six head and neck cases to carry out the study.

A hybrid algorithm for instant optimization of beam weights in anatomy-based intensity modulated radiotherapy: A performance evaluation study.

The study aims to introduce a hybrid optimization algorithm for anatomy-based intensity modulated radiotherapy (AB-IMRT). Our proposal is that by integrating an exact optimization algorithm with a heuristic optimization algorithm, the advantages of both the algorithms can be combined, which will lead to an efficient global optimizer solving the problem at a very fast rate. Our hybrid approach combines Gaussian elimination algorithm (exact optimizer) with fast simulated annealing algorithm (a heuristic global optimizer) for the optimization of beam weights in AB-IMRT.

An algorithm for fast beam angle selection in intensity modulated radiotherapy.

Purpose: This article aims to introduce a novel algorithm for fast beam angle selection in intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Methods: The algorithm models the optimization problem as a beam angle ranking problem and chooses suitable beam angles according to their rank. A new parameter called "beam intensity profile perturbation score (BIPPS)" is used for ranking the beam angles.

Performance evaluation of an algorithm for fast optimization of beam weights in anatomy-based intensity modulated radiotherapy.

This study aims to evaluate the performance of a new algorithm for optimization of beam weights in anatomy-based intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). The algorithm uses a numerical technique called Gaussian-Elimination that derives the optimum beam weights in an exact or non-iterative way. The distinct feature of the algorithm is that it takes only fraction of a second to optimize the beam weights, irrespective of the complexity of the given case.

Dose escalation in image-guided, intensity-modulated radiotherapy of carcinoma prostate: initial experience in India.

Background: Increasing incidence and significant stage migration from distant metastases to a localized disease, due to screening application of PSA, is taking place in carcinoma prostate. Also, role of radiotherapy is increasing in carcinoma prostate due to rapid strides in technology.

Aim: The present retrospective study, evaluates escalating the dose in the treatment of localized carcinoma prostate using integration of multiple advanced techniques.