Clinical estimation of bladder and rectal doses from high dose rate intracavitary irradiation in carcinoma of the cervix uteri has been initiated on a routine basis in an effort to obtain the optimum radiotherapeutic dose. Simulation films with contrast media are used to image the bladder and rectum, and dose rates are estimated at various interesting points with the aid of treatment planning computer, NEC Therac-2300. Fifty-three patients have been reviewed in order to ascertain the correlation between radiation dose at interesting points in the bladder and rectum and the dose at Point A and B. The dose ratio between doses at Point A and interesting points in an important clinical factor in evaluating the treatment planning. This also serves as documentation of the dose to normal structures within the treatment volume. Authors conclude that obtained data are within acceptable ranges and routine simulation films of the bladder and rectum after administration of contrast media with dose calculations at interesting points provide important information for optimizing radiotherapy planning in the treatment of cervical carcinoma without increased time and effort or patient's discomfort.
Cervix Uteri ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Rectum ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Total 21 patients with airway obstruction from lung cancer treated with radiotherapy at Department of Therapeuctic Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, between April 1986 and December 1988 are retrospectively analyzed by means of roentgenologic findings. Obtained results are as follows. 1. 15 out of 21 patients (71%) showed complete or partial response. 2. Patients with small cell lung cancer showed 100% response in spite of low dose (30 GY/10 fractions.) 3. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with 50 GY or over showed better response than below 45 GY or below. 4. There is no relationship between the response and site of airway obstruction. These date suggested that high dose irradiation is more effective in the management of airway obstruction from lung cancer and meticulous radiotherapy planning with appropriate protection of normal lung and critical organs should be investigated in order to maximize radiation effect and minimize side effect, complication or sequelae.
Airway Obstruction* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Radiation Effects* ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

In recent years there has been a growing interest in total body, hemibody, total lymphoid irradiation. For refractory leukemia or lymphoma patients, various techniques and dose regimens were introduced, including high dose total body irradiation for destruction of leukemic or bone marrow cells and immunosuppression prior to bone marrow transplantation, and low dose total body irradiation for treatment of lymphocytic leukemias or lymphomas. Accurate provision for specified dose and the desired homogeneity are essential before clinical total body irradiation. Purposes of this paper are to discuss calibrating Cobalt Unit in 3m distance using Rando Phantom, to compare calculated dose, calibrated dose, and compensating filters for homogeneous dose distribution in the head and neck, the lung and the pelvis. Results were following. 1. Measured dose on the lung was 6% higher than on the abdomen. Measured dose on the head (10%) and neck (18%) were higher than the abdomen because of thinness. Pelvic dose was measured 12% less than the abdomen. Those date suggest that compensating filter was essential. 2. Measured dose according to distance was 3% less than calculated dose which suggest that all doses in clinical use should be compared with calculated dose for minimizing error.
Abdomen ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Cobalt ; Head ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Lymphoid ; Lung ; Lymphatic Irradiation ; Lymphoma ; Neck ; Pelvis ; Thinness ; Whole-Body Irradiation*

Radiotherapeutically, nasopharyngeal caner is an important disease in Korea. Because of its blind anatomic location, early detection is relatively uncommon. Clinically, most of cases are locally advanced and nodal involvements are common. Recently better understanding of nature of the disease and improvement of radio – therapy technique permit better treatment result, including locoregional control and survival rate, and minimal normal tissue damages comparing with previously published date. We analyzed 31 patients of pathologically proven and previously untreated naso – pharyngeal carcinoma with different treatment techniques, retrospectively. Minimal and maximal follow up period of the survivor is 6 months and 68 months, respectively. Thirteen patients with squamous cell carcinoma are included in this analysis. The median age is 49 years (range from 20 to 64 years). Twenty two patients are stage III. Eleven patients are treated with radiotherapy alone and 20 are treated with combined modalities treatment. The degree of response after radiotherapy are categorized by 3-classes, i,e. complete response, partial response. In spite of similarities of complete response rate and 1-year survival rate between two different treatment techniques, those patients with undifferentiated carcinoma appear to benefit from the adjuvant chemotherapy. In addition, systemic failure is more suggest that adjuvant therapy in the radiotherapeutic management of nasopharyngeal cancer needs additional research according to histologic types and future extensive clinical trials.
Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms* ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Survivors

Since discovery of X-rays, radiotherapy has evolved into one of the most scientific branches of medicine and has established its role as the primary line or the secondary line of attack, after surgery,. in the treatment of malignant cancers. Nowadays its importance is illustrated by the fact that as many as 70 per cent of all pastients with cancer will receive radiation therapy at sometime during their disease process. Biologic effects-of X-rays began to be apparant soon after the discovery by Roentgen in 1895. In clinical radiotherapy, the biologic endpoint of most importance is loss of cellular reproductive ability or clonogenicity. One of the commonest ;nays to assess cell survival is to use an in vitro plating assay. We analyzed radiation effect on colony formation of HaLa. S3(SC) cell line and obtained results are as follows The plating efficiency is 0.464. The shape of cell survival curve is similar to multi-target plus single hit component model. Estimated values of Do, Dq, and extrapolation number are 150 cGy, 80 cGy and 1.7 respectively. We reported these experimental data with review of literature.
Cell Line* ; Cell Survival ; Radiation Effects ; Radiotherapy

Scatter-air ratios are used for the purpose of calculating scattered dose in the medium. The computation of the primary and the scattered dose separately is particularly useful in the dosimetry of irregular fields with shielding block in radiation field, dose distribution of scattered radiation using 18MeV Linear accelerator and Co-60 teletherapy measured. The effect of scattered radiation dose by protecting block was been ignored in radiation therapy, 2-3% of scattered radiation may be 90-200cGy which could be influence vital complication such as cataract, oligospermia or sterility. So that exact calculate scattered radiation by protecting block exactly for irregular field c small protection of vital organ is very important. The purpose of this article is to calculate scattered radiation by protecting block exactly for irregular field c Linac or Co-60 irradiation and to applicate these data in clinical radiation field. Authors could obtain following results. 1. The lesser angle between shielding block showed more scattered radiation. 2. With decreasing distance between shielding blocks, the dependent of scattered radiation were increased. 3. Output of 18 MeV Linear accelerator and Co-60 was related linear proportion on field size, but independent according to the size of shielding block in 18 MeV Linear accelerator.
Cataract ; Infertility ; Male ; Oligospermia ; Particle Accelerators

The basic strategy of irradiation is to deliver a dose to the cancer that is high enough to make cancer cells incapable of reproduction, while keeping the doses to the various healthy tissues below tolerable levels. In order to improve local control and survival, as a boost therapy after external radiotherapy, high dose rate transcatheteric irradiation using remote control after loading system (RALSTRON-20B) was used for twelve patients with head and neck cancers. Present results showed complete remission of cancer in 9 out of 112 patients without treatment related complications. Although this procedure is easy to operate, well trained skillful hand in essential for good results. Furthermore out experience suggested that meticulous treatment planning should be developed for better results.
Hand ; Head and Neck Neoplasms* ; Head* ; Humans ; Neck ; Radiotherapy ; Reproduction

Uterine cervical cancer is the most common malignancy in Korean women. In spite of recent development of early diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, about 40% of treated patient will develop relapse. So more aggressive local treatment such as more extensive surgery and higher radiation dose and administration of systemic chemotherapy will promote the curability but treatment related complications cannot be avoidable. We used 22 cases of early cervical cancer, treated with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy, clinical data of these patients were analyzed to determine relationship between clinical parameters and final outcome. Three out of 22 cases revealed relapse and one patient showed rectovaginal fistula and another patient showed small bowel obstruction and the other patient showed rectal obstruction. Two out of three recurrence were stage IIa and the other one case was stage Ib adenocarcinoma with lymphovascular involvement. Nineteen out of 22 cases were followed without remarkable side effect or treatment related complication or sequelae. We concluded that out treatment policy was safe and effective to eradicate high risk postoperative cervical cancer with acceptable side effects or complication.
Adenocarcinoma ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Radiotherapy* ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

The stereotactic radiosurgery using ionizing radiation of high energy is a technique for exadicating intracranial small tumors, which are inaccessible or unsuitable for open surgical technique. For such a small field radiosurgery, TLD or film dosimetry is essential. The three dimensional dose planning of radiosurgery was performed with dose planning computer system (Therac 2300). The target dose distribution and its error according to patient position were discussed. And were measured of circular cone which specially designed in our Hospital. The position error of Rando Phantom compared with CT were 0.4 mm in the AP-LAT section and in the AP-VERT section, 1.0 mm in the AP-VERT 45°section. The ratio of accuracy of the gantry and couch rotation were 1.5 mm diameter for central axis of 18MeV linear accelerator. Our study suggested that radiosurgery of small field in out department will be appropriate for clinical application.
Computer Systems ; Film Dosimetry ; Humans ; Particle Accelerators ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Radiosurgery*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of MRI in the management of cervical cancer treated by conventional four-field whole pelvic irradiation. METHOD AND MATERIAL: Between 1993-march and 1994-february, 20 patients(4 Stage I B, 3 Stage U A, 13 Stage U B) with invasive cervical cancer were eligible for evaluation of accuracy of conventionally designed lateral treatment field without MRI determination. RESULTS: 5 out of 20 Patients had inadequate margin without MRI. The position of uterine fundus was more important than cervix in correction of field size and the center of treatment field. CONCLUSION: This Preliminary date show MRI determination of uterine position prior to radiotherapy planning is essential in the case of four-field whole pelvic irradiation technique.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Radiotherapy* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*