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*

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*

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*

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

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*

The first successful bone transplantation carried out in 1688 by Van Meek'ren, a Dutch surgeon. The ideal bone substitute should be biocompatible, osteoinductive or at least osteoconductive, available in unlimited quantity, low cost and have satisfactory mechanical properties. To accomplish these goals, autografts are still preferred material. However, bone harvesting procedures have been focused to solve the following problems; necessity of a second surgical site, morbidity and potential deformity of the donor site, an increased operative time, donor availability limitations, and resorption of autogenic bone grafts.Ten adult white New Zealand rabbits, three, 10 mm in diameter, full layer skull defects were made in the frontoparietal bone. Two bone defects were filled with hydroxyapatite and powdered eggshell, the other defect was not filled(control). All animals were sacrified at 10 weeks, the specimens were examined macroscopically to test for graft mobility. The graft with surrounding bone was then harvested and studied by histology. The results were as follows: 1. Control: Bone regeneration occurred nearly complete. 2. Hydroxyapatite: Macroscopically - No encapsulation. Despite a gross delineation between implant and bone, imlant was firmly united to bone. Histology - Bony trabeculae surrounded by proliferated connective tissue are observed in the defect site and implant. Osteoblastic rimming is noted along the bone fragments 3. Powdered eggshell:Macroscopically - Grafted site was encapsulated by proliferated connective tissue and palpable softer than the surrounding bone. Histology - The presence of eggshell particles encapsulated by fibrous connective tissue. Partial bone regeneration from the defect margin was noticed, but the bone healing was never complete. In conclusion, the use of safe and inexpensive material is recommended for filling limited bone defects in non-weight bearing areas. The use of powdered eggshell for bone substitute may also be considered, after further studies, to access its long term stability, porosity and biocompatibility.
Adult ; Animals ; Autografts ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes* ; Bone Transplantation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Connective Tissue ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Operative Time ; Osteoblasts ; Porosity ; Rabbits ; Skull ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Total 55 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer treated with radiation therapy at Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yeungnam University Hospital, between May-1 1986 and April-30 1993 were retrospectively analyzed by clinical characteristics, failure patterns follow up duration and survival ratio according to prognostic factors. Obtained results were as follows : 1. Male to female ratio was 17.3 2. Sixth and seventh decades were predominant age group. 3. The patients were 8 in stage I-II, 34 in stage IIIA, 13 in stage IIIb, respectively. 4. Forty five patients out of 55 were squamous cell carcinoma. 5. Primary tumor were originated from upper lobe bronchi predominantly. 6. The size of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement and the degree of differentiation were important in evaluation of prognosis. 7. In conclusion, for patients with poor prognostic factors systemic chemotherapy and multidisciplinary approach were recommended for better treatment outcome and improvement of survival.
Bronchi ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Prognosis ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Using same TDE factors, the authors studied the effects of whole abdominal irradiation on body weight and peripheral blood picture in 30±3 day old mice. Fractions of 100 and 200 cGy were given five times a week to the final TDF factors 17, 33, and 49. Total 80 mice were irradiated with orthovoltage x-ray machine. Our results can be summarized as follows: There were no significant differences by sex. Body weight was progressively decreased by the duration for irradiation, but no remarkable difference by fractional dose. Hemoglobin level showed no remarkable change by fractional dose or TDF factors. Leukopenic changes showed that severity of decrease seems to be more related to TDF factors. There were no significant changes of differential count by TDF factors of total doses.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Mice*