title: Respiration-induced movement of the upper abdominal organs: a pitfall for the three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment of pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Respiration-induced movement of the upper abdominal organs (pancreas, liver and kidneys) was assessed in 12 subjects using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. The movement of each organ in the cranio-caudal, the lateral and the anterior-posterior direction was deduced from the movement of the center of gravity on two-dimensional images. This center of gravity was computed from the volume delineated on sequential 8-mm slices of both sagittal and coronal dynamic series. The largest movements were noticed in the cranio-caudal direction for pancreas and liver (23.7+/-15.9 mm and 24.4+/-16.4 mm). The kidneys showed smaller movements in the cranio-caudal direction (left kidney 16.9+/-6.7 mm and right kidney 16.1+/-7.9 mm). The movements of the different organs in the anterior-posterior and lateral directions were less pronounced. It is of the greatest importance to be aware of these movements in the planning of a conformal radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bussels
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goethals
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feron
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bielen
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dymarkowski
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suetens
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haustermans
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009068:Movement; D010179:Pancreas / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D012119:Respiration; D013997:Time Factors