Work

Three-Dimensional Gel Dosimetry in a Simulated Postmastectomy with Expandable Prosthesis Radiotherapy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) is an adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Some mastectomized women undergoing PMRT can have breast reconstruction with expander implant reconstruction. However, the expander implant contains a magnetic metal port for its inflation, and in patients with a high risk of recurrence, the PMRT is performed before the expander replacement. The difficulties in radiation treatment near high-Z metals are mainly due to dose alterations around them. Therefore, this study proposes using a realistic breast phantom and gel dosimetry to investigate the effects of the metallic parts of the expandable prosthesis on the 3D delivery of the treatment. A conformal radiation treatment was planned and delivered to the gel phantom with the metal port. MAGIC-f gel was used with magnetic resonance imaging for dose assessment. The treatment plan dose distribution was compared to the measured dose distribution by gamma analysis (3%/3 mm/15% threshold). A significant gamma fail region was found near the metal port, corresponding to a dose reduction of approximately 5%. This underdose is within the tolerance threshold for dose heterogeneity established by the International Commission on Radiation Units (ICRU), but should be considered when treating these patients.

Source: Gels

DOI: 10.3390/gels11050335

Authors: Juliana Fernandes Pavoni, Jessica Caroline Lizar, Leandro Frederiche Borges, Patricia Nicolucci, Yanai Krutman, Oswaldo Baffa

Institutions: Universidade de São Paulo, Clinics Hospital of Ribeirão Preto, Soroka Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques

Subfield: Radiation

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534