Planning of radiotherapy for patients with hip prosthesis.
The effects of a hip prosthesis on the dose distribution when treating pelvic cancer have been evaluated. A prosthesis of titanium alloy in a water phantom was used as a model. Photon radiation beams with energies of 6, 20, and 50 MV and with a focus phantom distance of 100 cm were directed against the prosthesis. The dose profiles at different depths were measured with the RFA-7 system. The sphere of the prosthesis was inhomogeneous. The dose in a beam behind the prosthesis was reduced with the order of 10-40% and the largest distortion was behind the shaft. Using an opposed four-field technique with the same weight on all the fields, the dose reduction was as large as 7-12% in a string across the target behind the end of the shaft. With 50% weight on the lateral fields, the dose reduction was 4-8% of the average dose. Such an uneven dose distribution may decrease the curability, and a treatment technique not including the prosthesis should be preferred. Finally, a local increase of the dose close to the prosthesis seems to be of limited practical concern even at the highest energies.
Erlanson
M
M
Department of Oncology, University of Umeå, Sweden.
Franzén
L
L
Henriksson
R
R
Littbrand
B
B
Löfroth
P O
PO
D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008961:Models, Structural; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D014025:Titanium; D014867:Water
D014867:Water; D014025:Titanium