Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T23:19:07.770Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Implementation of a lateral total body irradiation technique with 6 MV photons: The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2010

Francisco Mesa
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Guanajuato University, Leon, Guanajuato 37150, México Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo 10110, Dominican Republic
Tony Y. Eng*
Affiliation:
Cancer Therapy & Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Carlos Esquivel
Affiliation:
Cancer Therapy & Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Clifton D. Fuller
Affiliation:
Cancer Therapy & Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Niko Papanikolaou
Affiliation:
Cancer Therapy & Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
Modesto Sosa
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Guanajuato University, Leon, Guanajuato 37150, México
*
Correspondence to: Tony Y. Eng, M.D., Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, UTHSCSA/Cancer Therapy and Research Center, 7979 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Purpose: Total body irradiation (TBI) involves delivery of marrow-ablative or suppressive dose to the entirety of the marrow habitus. In its current practice, TBI often involves positioning the patient in an uncomfortable upright body position for extended periods of time while delivering radiation dose via anteroposterior/posterioanterior (AP/PA) fields. In an effort to maximize reproducibility and patient comfort, especially for paediatric patients, a supine lateral total body irradiation (LTBI) protocol was implemented as preparatory regimen for bone marrow transplant.

Methods and Materials: One hundred and forty-five patient charts were reviewed. Patients were treated in supine position with hands clasped over the upper abdomen in a comfortable position. They were placed in a methylcrylate body box and irradiated with opposed lateral fields at extended distance of 350 cm to the midplane of the patient. Each field delivered 100 cGy with a midplane dose of 200 cGy per fraction. Dose regimes varied from 200 to 1,200 cGy total doses. Custom lead compensating filters were utilized. A 6 MV photon beam produced by a Varian Clinac 600c linear accelerator was applied. In vivo thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) readings were taken for anatomical regions of interest (ROI). TLDs were placed in each ROI under a 1.5-cm-thick bolus for maximum dose build-up.

Results and Conclusion: The resulting data demonstrate a dosimetric variability of anatomical ROI from reference prescription dose of less than 3%. LTBI has been used for more than ten years in our institution and produced favourable results for more than 100 patients. We suggest this LTBI approach to facilitate successful treatment of children who require TBI while maintaining dose uniformity as recommended by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report 17.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

AAPM Report No 17: The physical aspects of total and half body photon irradiation. Radiation Therapy Committee Task Group #29. American Association of Physics in Medicine. Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, WI. 1986:55Google Scholar
Thomas, E, Storb, R, Clift, RA, Fefer, A, Johnson, FL, Neiman, PE, Lerner, KG, Glucksberg, H, Buckner, CD. Bone-marrow transplantation (first of two parts). N Engl J Med 1975; 292:832843.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ban, N, Sawai, S, Aoki, Y, Nakagawa, K, Kusama, T.Dose evaluation of patients receiving total body irradiation for the pre-treatment of bone marrow transplantation. Radiat Protect Dosimet 1997; 71:6164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilson, D, Taylor, RE. Total body irradiation. Report on a meeting organized by the BIR Oncology Committee, held at The Royal Institute of British Architects, London, 28 November 1996. Br J Radiol 1997; 70:12011203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dessauer, F. A new design for radiotherapy. Arch Phys Med 1907; 2:218223.Google Scholar
Wheldon, TE, Barrett, A. Radiobiological modelling of the treatment of leukaemia by total body irradiation. Radiother Oncol 2001; 58:227233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, D, Rieke, JW, Madsen, BL, Hafermann, MD. An isocentrically mounted stand for total body irradiation. Br J Radiol 2000; 73:776779.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vrtar, M. Total body irradiation dosimetry of low dose rate Co-60 gamma field. Fizika B (Zagreb) 2001; 10:255268.Google Scholar
Sarfaraz, M, Yu, C, Chen, DJ, Der, L. A translational couch technique for total body irradiation. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2001; 2:201209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harden, SV, Routsis, DS, Geater, AR, Thomas, SJ, Coles, C, Taylor, PJ, Marcus, RE, Williams, MV. Total body irradiation using a modified standing technique: a single institution 7 year experience. Br J Radiol 2001; 74:10411047.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abraham, D, Colussi, V, Shina, D, Kinsella, T, Sibata, C. TBI treatment planning using the ADAC pinnacle treatment planning system. Med Dosim 2000; 25:219224.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hugtenburg, RP, Turner, JR, Baggarley, SP, Pinchin, DA, Oien, NA, Atkinson, CH, Tremewan, RN. Total-body irradiation on an isocentric linear accelerator: a radiation output compensation technique. Phys Med Biol 1994; 39:783793.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, JR, Suntharalingam, N, Kenney, GN. Thermoluminescent dosimetry. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 150–177, 1968.Google Scholar
Pacyna, LG, Darby, M, Prado, K. Use of thermoluminescent dosimetry to verify dose compensation in total body irradiation. Med Dosim 1997; 22:319324.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirby, TH, Hanson, WF, Johnston, DA. Uncertainty analysis of absorbed dose calculations from thermoluminescence dosimeters. Med Phys 1992; 19:14271433.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dutreix, A, Bridier, A. Total body irradiation techniques and dosimetry. Pathol Biol 1979; 27:373378.Google ScholarPubMed
Oysul, K, Dirican, B, Beyzadeoglu, M, Sürenkok, S, Arpaci, F, Pak, Y. Evaluation of dose homogenization and radiation carcinogenesis risk in total body irradiation for bone marrow transplantation. Neoplasma 2003; 50:372376.Google ScholarPubMed
Hui, SK, Das, RK, Thomadsen, B, Henderson, D. CT-based analysis of dose homogeneity in total body irradiation using lateral beam. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2004; 5:7179.Google ScholarPubMed
Anghel, R, Matache, G, Vasile, M et al. Total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation–the experience of the Institute of Oncology Prof. Dr. Al. Trestioreanu Bucharest. J BUON 2006; 11:167174.Google ScholarPubMed
Lancaster, CM, Crosbie, JC, Davis, SR. In-vivo dosimetry from total body irradiation patients (2000–2006): results and analysis. Australas Phys Eng Sci Med 2008; 31:191195.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quast, U., Physical problems of total body irradiation. Strahlenther Onkol 1986; 162:233236.Google ScholarPubMed
Doughty, D, Lambert, GD, Hirst, A, Marks, AM, Plowman, PN. Improved total-body irradiation dosimetry. Br J Radiol 1987; 60:269278.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirby, TH, Hanson, WF, Cates, DA. Verification of total body photon irradiation dosimetry techniques. Med Phys 1988; 15:364369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miralbell, R, Rouzaud, M, Grob, E, Nouet, P, Bieri, S, Majno, SB, Botteron, P, Montero, M, Precoma, JC. Can a total body irradiation technique be fast and reproducible? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1994; 29:11671173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vrtar, M, Kovacevic, N. A model of in vivo dosimetry and quality assurance analysis of total body irradiation in Zagreb. Acta Med Croatica 1998; 52:1526.Google Scholar
Dossou, J, Lartigau, E, M’Kacher, R, Légal, JD, Bridier, A, Guichard, M, Eschwege, F, Parmentier, C. Biological dosimetry after total body irradiation (TBI) for hematologic malignancy patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2000; 46:123129.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vrtar, M. A dosimetric method of total body irradiation. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2002; 7:337340.Google ScholarPubMed
Gocheva, L. Total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation; some aspects of fifty year experience. J BUON 2004; 9:147160.Google ScholarPubMed
Su, FC, Shi, C, Papanikolaou, N. Clinical application of GAFCHROMIC EBT film for in vivo dose measurements of total body irradiation radiotherapy. Appl Radiat Isot 2008; 66:389394.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christ, G. Description of the TBI procedure for bone-marrow transplantation at the University of Tübingen. Strahlenther Onkol 1986; 162:254255.Google ScholarPubMed
Hui, SK, Kapatoes, J, Fowler, J, Henderson, D, Olivera, G, Manon, RR, Gerbi, B, Mackie, TR, Welsh, JS. Feasibility study of helical tomotherapy for total body or total marrow irradiation. Med Phys 2005; 32:32143224.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Glasgow, GP, Wang, S, Stanton, J. A total body irradiation stand for bone marrow transplant patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1989; 16:875877.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed