Combined (18)F-FDG-PET/CT Imaging in Radiotherapy Target Delineation for Head-and-Neck Cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of the use of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in radiotherapy target delineation for head-and-neck cancer compared with CT alone. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 38 consecutive patients with head-and-neck cancer were included in this study. The primary tumor sites were as follow: 20 oropharyngeal tumors, 4 laryngeal tumors, 2 hypopharyngeal tumors, 2 paranasal sinuses tumors, 9 nasopharyngeal tumors, and 1 parotid gland tumor. The FDG-PET and CT scans were performed with a dedicated PET/CT scanner in one session and then fused. Subsequently, patients underwent treatment planning CT with intravenous contrast enhancement. The radiation oncologist defined all gross tumor volumes (GTVs) using both the PET/CT and CT scans. RESULTS: In 35 (92%) of 38 cases, the CT-based GTVs were larger than the PET/CT-based GTVs. The average total GTV from the CT and PET/CT scans was 34.54 cm(3) (range, 3.56-109) and 29.38 cm(3) (range, 2.87-95.02), respectively (p < 0.05). Separate analyses of the difference between the CT- and PET/CT-based GTVs of the primary tumor compared with the GTVs of nodal disease were not statistically significant. The comparison between the PET/CT-based and CT-based boost planning target volumes did not show a statistically significant difference. All patients were alive at the end of the follow-up period (range, 3-38 months). CONCLUSION: GTVs, but not planning target volumes, were significantly changed by the implementation of combined PET/CT. Large multicenter studies are needed to ascertain whether combined PET/CT in target delineation can influence the main clinical outcomes

Combined F-18-FDG-PET/CT imaging in radiotherapy target delineation for head-and-neck cancer

Purpose To evaluate the effect of the use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in radiotherapy target delineation for head-and-neck cancer compared with CT alone. Methods and Materials A total of 38 consecutive patients with head-and-neck cancer were included in this study. The primary tumor sites were as follow: 20 oropharyngeal tumors, 4 laryngeal tumors, 2 hypopharyngeal tumors, 2 paranasal sinuses tumors, 9 nasopharyngeal tumors, and 1 parotid gland tumor. The FDG-PET and CT scans were performed with a dedicated PET/CT scanner in one session and then fused. Subsequently, patients underwent treatment planning CT with intravenous contrast enhancement. The radiation oncologist defined all gross tumor volumes (GTVs) using both the PET/CT and CT scans. Results In 35 (92%) of 38 cases, the CT-based GTVs were larger than the PET/CT-based GTVs. The average total GTV from the CT and PET/CT scans was 34.54 cm3 (range, 3.56–109) and 29.38 cm3 (range, 2.87–95.02), respectively (p < 0.05). Separate analyses of the difference between the CT- and PET/CT-based GTVs of the primary tumor compared with the GTVs of nodal disease were not statistically significant. The comparison between the PET/CT-based and CT-based boost planning target volumes did not show a statistically significant difference. All patients were alive at the end of the follow-up period (range, 3–38 months). Conclusion GTVs, but not planning target volumes, were significantly changed by the implementation of combined PET/CT. Large multicenter studies are needed to ascertain whether combined PET/CT in target delineation can influence the main clinical outcomes

An innovative method to predict Nodal (N) status using an Artificial Intelligence approach in the low risk prostate cancer patients (pts): beyond the Roach formula?

To present an innovative approach based on the methods of Artificial Intelligence to better predict N status in low risk prostate cancer pts, integrating some important clinical and herapeutic parameters (Gleason Score/sum, age, initial PSA, neoadjuvant or neoadjuvant/concomitant hormonal therapy vs no hormonal therapy), known before radiotherapy (RT)

Predictors of 32P h brachytherapy failure in patients with high-risk in-stent restenosis

Background: The effectiveness of coronary radiation therapy for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) has been established in several randomized clinical trials. The efficacy of this treatment in the general population is less well established. Methods and materials: We report our experience in 118 consecutive patients with nonselected high-risk ISR who had undergone successful percutaneous coronary intervention and brachytherapy with 32P h-irradiation and who were prospectively enrolled in a quantitative angiographic and clinical follow-up protocol at 7 months after the index procedure. The aim of this study was to investigate the independent predictor of angiographic restenosis after 32P brachytherapy treatment. Results: Of the patients, 28.8% were diabetics. The mean lesion and mean radiated lengths were, respectively, 30.1F17.2 and 43.8F16.9 mm. The ISR pattern was diffuse in 96% of the treated lesions; in particular, 22.1% presented an occlusive pattern and 37.1% a proliferative pattern. At follow-up angiographic, restenosis and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rates were, respectively, 20.8% and 29.6%. The univariate predictors of angiographic restenosis were procedural geographic miss, pattern IV ISR, manual pullback maneuver of the radiation source, preprocedural lesion percentage stenosis and preprocedural lesion MLD. At logistic regression analysis, only geographic miss and pattern IV ISR were independent predictors of post intracoronary radiation therapy (IRT) angiographic restenosis. Conclusion: These data indicate that 7-month angiographic restenosis after 32P IRT in complex patients with ISR is not a frequent event and is predicted mainly by an occlusive lesion at baseline and by procedural geographical miss