Inter-institutional variation of implant activity for permanent prostate brachytherapy
Name:
Publisher version
View Source
Access full-text PDFOpen Access
View Source
Check access options
Check access options
Authors
Aronowitz, Jesse N.Crook, Juanita M.
Michalski, Jeff M.
Sylvester, John E.
Merrick, Gregory S.
Mawson, Christie
Pratt, David
Naidoo, Devi
Butler, Wayne M.
Karolczuk, Kathryn
Document Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2008-10-01
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
PURPOSE: Despite the existence of guidelines for permanent prostate brachytherapy, it is unclear whether there is interinstitutional consensus concerning the parameters of an ideal implant. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Three institutions with extensive prostate brachytherapy expertise submitted information regarding their implant philosophy and dosimetric constraints, as well as data on up to 50 radioiodine implants. Regression analyses were performed to reflect each institution's utilization of seeds and implanted activity. RESULTS: Despite almost identical implant philosophy, target volume, and dosimetric constraints, there were statistically significant interinstitutional differences in the number of seeds and total implant activity across the range of prostate volumes. For larger volumes, the variation in implanted activity was 25%; for smaller glands, it exceeded 40%. CONCLUSIONS: There remain wide variations in implanted activity between institutions espousing seemingly identical implant strategies, prescription, and dosimetry constraints. Brachytherapists should therefore be wary of using nomograms generated at other institutions.Source
2008 Sep 10. Link to article on publisher's siteDOI
10.1016/j.brachy.2008.07.002Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/46491PubMed ID
18786866Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMedae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1016/j.brachy.2008.07.002