In order to avoid additional dose to patients caused by portal imaging with megavoltage x-rays, portal monitor units (MUs) are frequently subtracted from the actual treatment MUs. This study examines the usefulness of portal MU subtraction in radiation therapy. For 11 prostate cancer patients treated with 23 MV photons, dose to prostate due to portal filming with 6 MV photons was determined. In all 11 patients subtraction of portal MU values from the actual treatment MUs resulted in a small underdosing of the prostate with an average treatment error of -0.5%. Portal filming without MU subtraction would cause small overdosing of the prostate with an average treatment error of 1.2%. The results of this study indicate that the benefits of portal MU subtraction are in doubt if (a) the energy of treatment x-rays is much higher than that of the portal x-rays and/or (b) when radiotherapy is performed with physical wedges. Based on the obtained results, we argue against unconditional use of the portal MU subtraction method to eliminate the dose from portal imaging.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/48/15/304DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

portal subtraction
12
portal
11
portal monitor
8
subtraction radiation
8
radiation therapy
8
portal imaging
8
actual treatment
8
treatment mus
8
portal filming
8
prostate average
8

Similar Publications

Unlabelled: Accurate estimation of the Lung Shunt Fraction (LSF) is a standard of care in yttrium-90 ( Y) radioembolization treatment planning to prevent excessive lung irradiation due to arterio-venous shunting in the liver. LSF is assessed using Tc macroaggregated albumin ( Tc-MAA) imaging, but this approach adds risk, complexity, and expense to the treatment planning. This study investigates the potential of Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography (CECT) as a non-invasive alternative for LSF estimation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Case Report: Type Ib Abernethy malformation.

Arab J Gastroenterol

January 2025

Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address:

Congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt, also known as Abernethy malformation, is a rare anatomic vascular malformation. Patients with Abernethy malformation may present with abdominal pain, abnormal liver function tests, hepatopulmonary syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, and/or portosystemic encephalopathy. Accurate identification of the shunt and portal vein and effective management of complications is vital in these patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

BACKGROUND Arterioportal fistulas (APFs) are abnormal connections between the arterial and portal venous systems, leading to portal hypertension (PH) and symptoms such as gastrointestinal bleeding, splenomegaly, and hepatic pain. Symptoms typically appear by the age of 2 years in about 75% of cases. CASE REPORT A 7-year-old boy with an asymptomatic APF developed life-threatening complications following a Clostridium difficile infection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fine-Needle Portosystemic Pressure Gradient as a Reference for Portal Hypertension in Patients with Intrahepatic Venovenous Shunt: A Prospective Study.

J Vasc Interv Radiol

December 2024

Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; National Clinical Research Center for Interventional Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University; Shanghai Institution of Medical Imaging, Fudan University. Electronic address:

Purpose: To evaluate the consistency and agreement between portal venous pressure measured by fine-needle (F), portal vein catheterization (D), and hepatic vein balloon-occlusion (W) in decompensated cirrhotic patients with intrahepatic venovenous shunts (IHVS).

Materials And Methods: 156 consecutive patients planning to receive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in our center were screened for study participation. The F/D/W were assessed for consistency by Pearson coefficient (r), linear regression coefficient (R), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and for disagreement (error exceeding 20% of D) by Bland-Altman method.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Re-Establishment of Vascular Access After Superior Vena Cava Occlusion in Hemodialysis Patients].

Sichuan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban

September 2024

/ ( 610041) Department of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.

Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how effective percutaneous right atrial puncture and tunneled cuffed catheter insertion are for hemodialysis patients with superior vena cava occlusion (SVCO), and to explore options for patients with limited vascular access.
  • Methods involved enrolling SVCO patients and allowing them to choose between catheterization or establishing peripheral arteriovenous (AV) access, followed by specific procedures to restore vascular access based on imaging guidance.
  • Results showed that 45 patients participated, with 21 receiving catheters and 24 receiving AV access, and the researchers tracked demographic info, clinical outcomes, and complications related to each intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!