Faculty Collaboration Database

Image Guided Cervical Brachytherapy: 2014 Survey of the American Brachytherapy Society. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2016 Mar 01;94(3):598-604

Date

02/13/2016

Pubmed ID

26867888

DOI

10.1016/j.ijrobp.2015.11.024

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84963744163 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   110 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an update of the 2007 American brachytherapy survey on image-based brachytherapy, which showed that in the setting of treatment planning for gynecologic brachytherapy, although computed tomography (CT) was often used for treatment planning, most brachytherapists used point A for dose specification.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: A 45-question electronic survey on cervical cancer brachytherapy practice patterns was sent to all American Brachytherapy Society members and additional radiation oncologists and physicists based in the United States between January and September 2014. Responses from the 2007 survey and the present survey were compared using the χ(2) test.

RESULTS: There were 370 respondents. Of those, only respondents, not in training, who treat more than 1 cervical cancer patient per year and practice in the United States, were included in the analysis (219). For dose specification to the target (cervix and tumor), 95% always use CT, and 34% always use MRI. However, 46% use point A only for dose specification to the target. There was a lot of variation in parameters used for dose evaluation of target volume and normal tissues. Compared with the 2007 survey, use of MRI has increased from 2% to 34% (P<.0001) for dose specification to the target. Use of volume-based dose delineation to the target has increased from 14% to 52% (P<.0001).

CONCLUSION: Although use of image-based brachytherapy has increased in the United States since the 2007 survey, there is room for further growth, particularly with the use of MRI. This increase may be in part due to educational initiatives. However, there is still significant heterogeneity in brachytherapy practice in the United States, and future efforts should be geared toward standardizing treatment.

Author List

Grover S, Harkenrider MM, Cho LP, Erickson B, Small C, Small W Jr, Viswanathan AN

Author

Beth A. Erickson MD Professor in the Radiation Oncology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Brachytherapy
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Organs at Risk
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
Radiation Oncology
Radiotherapy Dosage
Radiotherapy, Image-Guided
Societies, Medical
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
United States
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms