title: Gastric lymph node contouring atlas: A tool to aid in clinical target volume definition in 3-dimensional treatment planning for gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a contouring atlas of the gastric lymph node stations to be used in defining and planning clinical target volumes in 3-dimensional treatment planning for gastric cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four physicians, including 2 radiation oncologists, a diagnostic radiologist, and a surgical oncologist specialized in gastric cancer, convened over the course of multiple meetings. Four patients were identified as representative cases, including 3 gastric cancer patients treated with differing surgical approaches (total gastrectomy, Ivor-Lewis esophagogastrectomy, and distal gastrectomy) and 1 patient with intact gastric anatomy. Radiographic delineation of lymph node stations was established for each case to highlight differences between intact anatomy and different postoperative anatomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consensus was achieved among physicians in order to create a computed tomographic-based contouring atlas of gastric lymph node stations. Detailed radiographic lymph node station delineation for both intact gastric anatomy and post-surgical anatomy are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report serves as a template for the delineation of gastric lymph node stations to aid in the definition of elective clinical target volumes to be used in conformal treatment planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: jwo@partners.org.
authors.forename: Jennifer Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Sam S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Alexander R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Guimaraes
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolfgang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Harvey J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Mamon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Theodore S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Hong