Objective To evaluate the laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment for acute abdominal emergency. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 35 patients with an acute abdomen of unknown causes diagnosed and treated under laparoscope from December 1999 to April 2003 in this hospital. Results Diagnosis was confirmed by laparoscopy in all the 35 cases. Laparoscopic operation was successfully completed in 28 cases, whereas a conversion to open surgery was required in 7 cases, in which the site of incision was under the guidance of laparoscopic observations. No surgery-related deaths or wound-related complications occurred. The mean operative time was 48 min (range, 30~72 min), and the mean hospital stay was 5.8 days (range, 3~9 days). Conclusions Laparoscopy is not only a safe and accurate diagnostic method, but also a good procedure for treatment.

Objective To evaluate the dosimetric differences of one RapidPlan Model on different Radiotherapy devices.Methods A RapidPlan Model was built based on 30 reoptimization IMRT plans of cervical cancer patients on typeA LA.Dosimetric differences of automatic optimized IMRT plans using this model on 4 different type LAs,named respectivelyA,B,C andD,were compared with 12 test cervical cancer cases.These four LAs were well commissioned in the treatment planning system (TPS).Student t test was applied for statistical analysis on dosimetric differences.Results Dosimetric differences between A vs.B,C and D were observed on Dmean,HI,CI of PTV50 and PTV45,as well as on V50,V40,V30 of rectum and bladder.Significant dosimetric differences were observed between A and D (P<0.05).Conclusions Automatic planning with RapidPlan model may result in dosimetric differences on different Radiotherapy devices.These differences should be aware of with caution in its clinical application.

Objective:To explore the dosimetric advantages of 3D printed individualized molds in assisting postoperative three-dimensional brachytherapy (3D BT) for endometrial cancer.Methods:The 3D BT plans of 21 postoperative patients with early-stage endometrial cancer at the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University were retrospectively selected as the individualized mold group (the mold group). On this basis, virtual single-channel cylindrical applicator plans that employed a 3D inverse simulated annealing algorithm were designed for all the patients using the Beijing Colins Planning System (the single-channel group). Comparisons were made between the two groups of plans regarding the minimum doses exposed to 90%, 98%, and 100% of target area ( D90, D98, and D100), conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), and overdose index (OI), as well as the maximum doses exposed to 0.01, 1, 2, and 5 cm 3organs at risk (bladder, rectum, small intestine, and urethra) ( D0.01 cm 3, D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3, and D5 cm 3). Results:Both groups met clinical requirements. For doses to target volumes, there was no significant difference in D90, D98, and D100 between both groups, with the mold group demonstrating superior CI and HI but lower OI compared to the single-channel group ( t = -3.21, -5.99, 6.25, P < 0.05). Concerning the doses exposed to organs at risk, the mold group displayed significantly reduced D1 cm 3, D2 cm 3, and D5 cm 3 for the bladder, rectum, and urethra compared to the single-channel group ( t = 3.18, 3.21, 3.77, 7.97, 8.92, 10.92, 2.54, 3.46, 4.28, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the doses exposed to the small intestine between both groups ( P > 0.05) due to the large distance from the small intestine to the target volumes. Conclusions:3D printed individualized molds exhibit advantages in terms of the homogeneity and conformity indices of target volumes in postoperative three-dimensional brachytherapy for endometrial cancer, accompanied by low doses exposed to the bladder, rectum, and urethra, thereby holding the potential for broader application.

Objective:To identify the dosimetric and radiobiological differences of three radiotherapy techniques of whole breast irradiation with simultaneous integrated boost (WBI-SIB) following breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer (EBC).Methods:The data of 20 patients with early left-sided breast cancer who received radiotherapy following breast-conserving surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Three radiotherapy techniques, namely hybrid intensity-modulated radiotherapy (HIMRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), were redesigned with the same prescription dose and target conditions. Then, doses to target volume (TV) and organs at risk (OAR), along with the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and secondary cancer risk (SCR) for specific organs, were compared.Results:Compared to HIMRT and IMRT, VMAT led to significant decreases in various dosimetric indices of the affected lung and heart and increases in the Dmean doses to the healthy lung and healthy breast and V5 Gy doses to the healthy breast, with the differences being significantly different ( P < 0.05). The average NTCP values of cardiac death, radiation pneumonitis, and pulmonary fibrosis induced by VMAT were 0.41%, 1.62%, and 23.59%, respectively, significantly lower than those caused by other two techniques ( P < 0.05). No statistical differences were found in 10 dosimetric indices of OAR between IMRT and HIMRT, while the NTCP analysis suggested that the risks of cardiac death ( t = 2.70, P < 0.05) and pulmonary fibrosis ( t =4.11, P < 0.05) induced by IMRT were slightly lower than those caused by HIMRT. In addition, the excess absolute risk (EAR) to the healthy lung posed by VMAT was 1.65 and 1.83 times those induced by HIMRT and IMRT, respectively ( z = -3.92, t = -6.43, P < 0.05). In contrast, the EAR to the healthy breast induced by VMAT was 2.79 and 2.65 times those posed by HIMRT and IMRT, respectively ( z = -3.21, -3.70, P < 0.05). Conclusions:Among three intensive-modulated radiotherapy techniques of WBI-SIB for EBC, VMAT provides the optimal protection for the heart and affected lung but leads to the highest SCR to the healthy lung and breast. When VMAT is employed for young EBC patients or those with normal cardiopulmonary function, special attention should be paid to reducing low-dose irradiations to the healthy breast and thereby minimizing SCR. In contrast, VMAT might be more favorable for patients with pronounced cardiopulmonary risks or aged patients.