title: [Change of Taste during and after IM- /IG-Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer Patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Taste dysfunction is a common side effect during irradiation of head and neck. Our aim was to determine the time-dependent course and a possible dependency of this side effect to the radiation-dose during irradiation with helical tomotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  31 patients with malignant tumours in the region of head and neck received an IG-/IM-radiotherapy (helical tomotherapy).The median total dose was 63 Gy (range 30-66 Gy). For all patients the subjective taste dysfunction was documented and correlated to the median (D50) tongue dose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A subjective taste dysfunction was registered by the patients themselves after 9 BT (days of radiotherapy) (median). This correlates to a mean dose (D50) of 15.3 Gy (back third of tongue (back ZD)), 11.3 Gy (middle ZD), 8.2 Gy (front ZD). A subjective ageusia occurred after 15 BT (median) (28.9 Gy (back ZD), 22.2 Gy (middle ZD), 17.7 Gy (front ZD)). A starting recovery was registered by 77% of the patients in the first 6-8 weeks after the end of radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The time-dependent course of taste dysfunction during radiotherapy and the following recovery is predictable. A dependency of taste dysfunction to radiation-dose exists. Based on the collected data a targeted dose reduction to the tongue with a view to minimize the taste dysfunction is thinkable and aim of further studies.
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leitzen
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herberhold
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilhelm-Buchstab
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garbe
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müdder
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schoroth
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bootz
authors.affiliation: Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schüller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D061089:Radiotherapy, Image-Guided / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014059:Tongue / Q000528:radiation effects