title: An easy irradiation technique (partial half-beam) to reduce renal dose in radiotherapy of cervical cancer including paraaortic lymph nodes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  : For radiation treatment of patients with cervical cancer and a high risk for paraaortic lymph node involvement, an easy three-dimensional (3-D) conformal irradiation technique (partial half-beam [PHB]) for protection of organs at risk, especially of renal tissue, was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  : In five consecutive female patients a computed tomography scan was performed. Dose-volume histograms of the renal tissue and other organs at risk were analyzed for PHB, three other 3-D conformal techniques, and an intensitymodulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : The PHB technique reduced the renal volume and volumes of other organs at risk exposed to radiation doses when comparing all patients to the other 3-D conformal techniques. With use of the IMRT technique more renal tissue volume received very low radiation doses (</= 6.8 Gy) whereas the D(10)was lower than with the PHB technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : In female patients with cervical cancer and high risk for paraaortic lymph node involvement, the use of the PHB technique is recommended to reduce renal radiation exposure, if no IMRT technique should be applied. The PHB technique is very easily and fast applicable.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, University Hospital Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37099, Göttingen, Germany. h.vorwerk@med.uni-goettingen.de
authors.forename: Hilke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vorwerk
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Clemens Friedrich
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Robert Michael
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015182:Lymphatic Irradiation; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D010388:Pelvis / Q000528:radiation effects; D000091402:Prohibitins; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D012307:Risk Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*