Browsing by Author "Dolek, Yemliha"

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Dosimetric Analysis of Testicular Doses in Prostate Intensity-Modulated and Volumetric-Modulated Arc Radiation Therapy at Different Energy Levels
(2016) Onal, Cem; ArsIan, Gungor; Dolek, Yemliha; Efe, Esma; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 27623736; D-5195-2014
The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidental testicular doses during prostate radiation therapy with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) at different energies. Dosimetric data of 15 patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer who were treated with radiotherapy were analyzed. The prescribed dose was 78 Gy in 39 fractions. Dosimetric analysis compared testicular doses generated by 7-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy and volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy with a single arc at 6, 10, and 15 MV energy levels. Testicular doses calculated from the treatment planning system and doses measured from the detectors were analyzed. Mean testicular doses from the intensity-modulated radiotherapy and volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy per fraction calculated in the treatment planning system were 16.3 +/- 10.3 cGy vs 21.5 +/- 11.2 cGy (p = 0.03) at 6 MV, 13.4 +/- 10.4 cGy vs 17.8 +/- 10.7 cGy (p = 0.04) at 10 MV, and 10.6 +/- 8.5 cGy vs 14.5 +/- 8.6 cGy (p = 0.03) at 15 MV, respectively. Mean scattered testicular doses in the phantom measurements were 99.5 +/- 17.2 cGy, 118.7 +/- 16.4 cGy, and 193.9 +/- 14.5 cGy at 6, 10, and 15 MV, respectively, in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans. In the volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy plans, corresponding testicular doses per course were 90.4 +/- 16.3 cGy, 103.6 +/- 16.4 cGy, and 139.3 +/- 14.6 cGy at 6, 10, and 15 MV, respectively. In conclusions, this study was the first to measure the incidental testicular doses by intensity-modulated radiotherapy and volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy plans at different energy levels during prostate-only irradiation. Higher photon energy and volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy plans resulted in higher incidental testicular doses compared with lower photon energy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans. (C) 2016 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists.
Dosimetric comparison of vaginal vault brachytherapy vs applicator-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy with volumetric modulated arc therapy and helical tomotherapy for endometrium cancer patients
(2019) Yildirim, Berna Akkus; Dolek, Yemliha; Guler, Ozan Cem; Arslan, Gungor; Onal, Cem; 0000-0001-6908-3412; 0000-0001-6661-4185; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 30551844; AAC-5654-2020; D-5195-2014
We performed this dosimetric study to compare a nonstandard volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (HT) techniques with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BRT) plan of vaginal vault in patients with postoperative endometrial cancer (EC). Twelve postoperative patients with early stage EC were included in this study. Three plans were performed for each patient; dosimetric and radiobiological comparisons were made using dose-volume histograms and equivalent dose for determining the planning target volume (PTV) coverages in brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, and organs-at-risk (OARs) doses between three different delivery techniques. All the plans achieved adequate dose coverage for PTV; however, the VMAT plan yielded better dose conformity, and the HT plan showed better homogeneity for target volume. With respect to the OARs, the bladder D-2cc was significantly lower in the BRT plan than in the VMAT and HT plans, with the highest bladder D-2cc value being observed in the HT plan. However, no difference was observed in the rectum D-2cc of the three plans. Other major advantages of the BRT plan over the VMAT and HT plans were the relatively lower body integral doses and femoral head doses as well as the fact that the integral doses were significantly lower in the BRT plan than in the VMAT and HT plans. This is the first dosimetric comparison of vaginal vault treatment for EC with BRT, VMAT, and HT plans. Our analyses showed the feasibility of stereotactic body radiotherapy technique as an alternative to HDR-BRT for postoperative management of EC patients. (C) 2018 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Effects of vaginal cylinder position on dose distribution in patients with endometrial carcinoma in treatment of vaginal cuff brachytherapy
(2017) Ozdemir, Yurday; Dolek, Yemliha; Onal, Cem; 0000-0002-2218-2074; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 28725246; AAG-5629-2021; D-5195-2014
Purpose: To investigate the impact of different cylinder positions on dosimetry of critical structures in patients with endometrial carcinoma undergoing three-dimensional image-based vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCB). Material and methods: We delivered VCB at a dose of 4 Gy to a depth of 5 mm in the vaginal cuff of 15 patients using three different cylinder positions (neutral [N], parallel [P], and angled [A]) according to the longitudinal axis of the patient. We analyzed the dose-volume distribution and volumetric variability of the rectum and bladder. We converted the total doses to equivalent doses in 2 Gy (EQD(2)) using a linear-quadratic model (a/b = 3 Gy). Results: The mean rectum volume for the N, P, and A positions was 68.2 +/- 22.7 cc, 79.3 +/- 33.7 cc, and 74.2 +/- 29.6 cc, respectively. The mean rectum volume for the P position was significantly larger than that for the N position (p = 0.03). Relative to the N position, the A position resulted in a lower total EQD(2) in the highest irradiated 2 cc (D-2cc; p = 0.001), 1 cc (D-1cc; p = 0.004), and 0.1 cc (D-0.1cc; p = 0.047) of the rectum. Similarly, the P position resulted in a lower EQD(2) in the D-2cc (p = 0.018) and D-1cc (p = 0.024) of the rectum relative to the N position. In the bladder, the P position resulted in a higher EQD(2) in the D-2cc, relative to the N position (p = 0.02). There was no dosimetric difference between the P and A positions in either the rectum or the bladder. Conclusions: Vaginal cuff brachytherapy in the P and A positions is significantly superior to that in the N position in terms of rectum dosimetry. The bladder dose in the N position is considerably lower than that in the other positions.
The İmpact of Androgen Deprivation Therapy on Setup Errors During External Beam Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
(2017) Onal, Cem; Dolek, Yemliha; Ozdemir, Yurday; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 0000-0002-2218-2074; 28409246; HOC-5611-2023; AAG-5629-2021
Purpose To determine whether setup errors during external beam radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer are influenced by the combination of androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) and RT. Materials and methods Data from 175 patients treated for prostate cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment was as follows: concurrent ADT plus RT, 33 patients (19%); neoadjuvant and concurrent ADT plus RT, 91 patients (52%); RT only, 51 patients (29%). Required couch shifts without rotations were recorded for each megavoltage (MV) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan, and corresponding alignment shifts were recorded as left-right (x), superior-inferior (y), and anterior-posterior (z). The nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used to compare shifts by group. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure the correlation of couch shifts between groups. Mean prostate shifts and standard deviations (SD) were calculated and pooled to obtain mean or group systematic error (M), SD of systematic error (Sigma), and SD of random error (sigma). Results No significant differences were observed in prostate shifts in any direction between the groups. Shifts on CBCT were all less than setup margins. A significant positive correlation was observed between prostate volume and the z-direction prostate shift (r = 0.19, p = 0.04), regardless of ADT group, but not between volume and x- or y-direction shifts (r = 0.04, p = 0.7; r = 0.03, p = 0.7). Random and systematic errors for all patient cohorts and ADT groups were similar. Conclusion Hormone therapy given concurrently with RT was not found to significantly impact setup errors. Prostate volume was significantly correlated with shifts in the anterior-posterior direction only.
Incidental testicular doses during volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients
(2020) Onal, Cem; Bozca, Recep; Dolek, Yemliha; Guler, Ozan Cem; Arslan, Gungor; 0000-0001-6908-3412; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 32125635; AAC-5654-2020; D-5195-2014
Purpose To compare the incidental testicular doses during volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in patients receiving prostate-only and pelvic lymphatic irradiation. Materials and methods Testicular doses in 40 intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients were determined on treatment planning system (TPS) using the VMAT technique at 6 MV. Scattered testicular doses were also measured by MOSFET detectors placed on testis surface. The testicular doses of patients treated with prostate-only and pelvic field irradiation were compared. Results The median testicular doses measured per 200 cGy fraction by TPS and MOSFET detectors were 1.7 cGy (0.7-4.1 cGy) and 4.8 cGy (3.6-8.8 cGy), respectively. The TPS doses and MOSFET readings showed a significant strong correlation (Pearson r = 0.848, p < 0.001). The testicular doses measured by TPS (1.34 +/- 0.36 cGy vs. 2.60 +/- 0.95 cGy; p < 0.001) and MOSFET (4.52 +/- 0.64 cGy vs. 6.56 +/- 1.23 cGy; p < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients with prostate-only irradiation than in those with pelvic field irradiation. The mean cumulative scattered dose for prostate-only field delivering 78 Gy was 1.8 Gy and that for pelvic field irradiation was 2.6 Gy, consistent with the reported findings. Conclusions The patients with prostate-only irradiation received lower testicular doses than those with additional pelvic field irradiation possibly due to the increased scattered doses in large field irradiation using the VMAT technique. The clinical response to increased incidental testicular doses due to pelvic field irradiation remains unknown, and it warrants further investigation.
Is It Essential to Use Fiducial Markers During Cone-Beam CT-Based Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer Patients?
(2017) Yildirim, Berna A.; Onal, Cem; Dolek, Yemliha; 0000-0001-6661-4185; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 27730453; V-5717-2017; D-5195-2014; HOC-5611-2023
To compare soft-tissue cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT-P) and fiducial marker (CBCT-FM)-based image guided radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients. Sixteen prostate cancer patients were treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy. Manual alignment using CBCT-P and CBCT-FM was performed for each patient. Couch shifts were calculated and compared between methods in the left-right (x), superior-inferior (y), and anterior-posterior (z) directions. CBCT-P and CBCT-FM alignments were compared using 252 scans from the 16 patients. Mean displacement from zero was 2.4 +/- 1.3, 1.7 +/- 1.2, and 1.8 +/- 1.1 mm for CBCT-P and 2.3 +/- 1.3, 1.7 +/- 1.1 and 1.8 +/- 1.1 mm for CBCT-FM in the x, y and z directions, respectively. There was no difference in median displacement between CBCT-P and CBCT-FM; however, there was a significant positive correlation between CBCT-P- and CBCT-FM-based displacements in the x (r = 0.881; p < 0.001), y (r = 0.789; p < 0.001) and z (r = 0.856; p < 0.001) directions by linear regression analysis. Systematic deviations within each group were < 1 mm; however, random and systematic errors were similar in the x and y directions but larger in the z direction. Our study demonstrated that CBCT-FM was not superior to CBCT-P for image-guided radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients.
Role of 68-Ga-PSMA-PET/CT in pelvic radiotherapy field definitions for lymph node coverage in prostate cancer patients
(2020) Onal, Cem; Ozyigit, Gokhan; Guler, Ozan Cem; Hurmuz, Pervin; Torun, Nese; Tuncel, Murat; Dolek, Yemliha; Yedekci, Yagiz; Oymak, Ezgi; Tilki, Burak; Akyol, Fadil; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 0000-0001-6908-3412; 32861704; AAE-2718-2021; D-5195-2014; AAC-5654-2020
Purpose: To evaluate the distribution of metastatic lymph nodes (LN) detected on Ga-68-PSMA-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in treatment-naive prostate cancer (PC) patients and to analyze the LN coverage rates of the pelvic fields defined in the GETUG trial and RTOG guidelines and a pelvic field extending superiorly from the L4/L5 interspace. Materials and methods: Ga-68-PSMA-PET/CT images obtained at diagnosis of 138 PC patients were retro-spectively analyzed. The number and locations of Ga-68-PSMA-positive LNs were co-registered with one single-planning CT. The numbers, locations, and sizes of LNs located outside the three pelvic volumes were investigated for the entire cohort and for patients with LN metastasis in the pelvic area only. Results: A total of 441 PSMA-PET-positive LN metastases were identified. The most frequent metastatic LNs were internal iliac LNs (25.2%). Para-aortic and presacral LNs outside the three pelvic fields were present in 20 (14.5%) and 22 patients (15.9%), respectively. The LN coverage rates according to the GETUG trial, the RTOG guidelines, and the pelvic field extending superiorly from L4/L5 were 44.2%, 52.2%, and 71, respectively, in the entire cohort and 51.7%, 61 and 83.1%, respectively, in patients with only pelvic LN metastasis. The number of metastatic LNs was a predictive factor for LNs located outside the three pelvic fields. Conclusions: Extending the cranial margin of the pelvic field from L5/S1 to L4/L5 increases the accuracy of pelvic field irradiation in approximately 20% of patients, highlighting the importance of proximal common iliac irradiation, particularly in patients with multiple LN metastasis. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The role of delineation education programs for improving interobserver variability in target volume delineation in gastric cancer
(2017) Onal, Cem; Cengiz, Mustafa; Guler, Ozan C.; Dolek, Yemliha; Ozkok, Serdar; 0000-0002-2742-9021; 0000-0001-6908-3412; 28339289; D-5195-2014; AAC-5654-2020
Objective: To assess whether delineation courses for radiation oncologists improve interobserver variability in target volume delineation for post-operative gastric cancer radiotherapy planning. Methods: 29 radiation oncologists delineated target volumes in a gastric cancer patient. An experienced radiation oncologist lectured about delineation based on contouring atlas and delineation recommendations. After the course, the radiation oncologists, blinded to the previous delineation, provided delineation for the same patient. Results: The difference between delineated volumes and reference volumes for pre-and post-course clinical target volume (CTV) were 19.8% (-42.4 to 70.6%) and 12.3% (-12.0 to 27.3%) (p = 0.26), respectively. The planning target volume (PTV) differences pre-and post-course according to the reference volume were 20.5% (-40.7 to 93.7%) and 13.1% (-10.6 to 29.5%) (p = 0.30), respectively. The concordance volumes between the pre-and post-course CTVs and PTVs were 467.1 +/- 89.2 vs 597.7 +/- 54.6cm(3) (p < 0.001) and 738.6 +/- 135.1 vs 893.2 +/- 144.6 cm(3) (p < 0.001), respectively. Minimum and maximum observer variations were seen at the cranial part and splenic hilus and at the caudal part of the CTV. The kappa indices compared with the reference contouring at pre- and post-course delineations were 0.68 and 0.82, respectively. Conclusion: The delineation course improved interobserver variability for gastric cancer. However, impact of target volume changes on toxicity and local control should be evaluated for further studies. Advances in knowledge: This study demonstrated that a delineation course based on current recommendations helped physicians delineate smaller and more homogeneous target volumes. Better target volume delineation allows proper target volume irradiation and preventing unnecessary normal tissue irradiation.
Uterine Perforation During 3-Dimensional Image-Guided Brachytherapy in Patients With Cervical Cancer Baskent University Experience
(2014) Onal, Cem; Guler, Ozan Cem; Dolek, Yemliha; Erbay, Gurcan; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2742-9021; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6908-3412; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1706-8680; 24407583; HOC-5611-2023; AAC-5654-2020; AAK-5370-2021
Objectives This study aimed to determine the incidence and characteristics of uterine perforation at our department using 3-dimensional computed tomography (CT)-based brachytherapy (BRT). The characteristics of the patients presenting with perforation and impact of the perforation on the treatment course were also analyzed. Materials and Methods The clinical and radiologic data of 200 patients with biopsy-proven cervical cancer treated using CT-based BRT were retrospectively evaluated. All patients had undergone tandem-based intracavitary BRT, and 67 patients had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before BRT. Results Of the 200 patients, 17 (8.5%) had uterine perforation. Of the 626 applications with CT images, 30 (4.8%) resulted in uterine perforation. The median age of patients with perforation was higher (68 years; range, 44-89 years) than that of the patients without perforation (59 years; range, 21-87 years), and the mean (SD) tumor size at diagnosis was larger in patients with perforation (7.0 [1.5] cm) than in patients without perforation (5.0 [1.5] cm). The most frequent perforation site was the posterior uterine wall (8 patients), followed by the fundus (5 patients) and anterior wall (4 patients). Of the 7 patients with a retroverted uterus, 4 had uterine perforation during BRT. In 67 patients with MRI delivered before BRT, only 3 (4%) had uterine perforation, and 2 of the 3 patients with uterine perforation had a retroverted uterus. However, of the 133 patients with no MRI evaluation before BRT, 14 (11%) had uterine perforation. No life-threatening complications or signs of intraperitoneal tumor cell seeding were observed. Conclusions Older age, larger tumors, a retroverted uterus, and a stenotic cervical os were all predisposing factors for uterine perforation during BRT. Preoperative MRI is a feasible and safe method to decrease the risks of uterine perforation and could be used preoperatively in centers where intraoperative ultrasonography is not used in routine practice.