Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice

Table of Contents - 2000 - Volume 2, Issue 02  


Original Article

Towards an evidence based treatment technique in prostate radiotherapy

K. Langmack a1c1 and D. Routsis a2
a1 Medical Physics Department, Lincoln County Hospital, Lincoln
a2 Oncology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK

Article author query
langmack k   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
routsis d   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

There is a large evidence base around prostate cancer. Most of this concentrates on which stages of the disease to treat with which modality. The purpose of this study is to try and determine from the literature an evidence based radiotherapy treatment technique. The evidence is examined on prostate and patient motion, the effect of bladder and rectum filling, patient positioning and error detection with portal imaging. The technique derived is patient supine or prone with empty bladder and bowel. A simple leg immobilisation device is recommended, with set-up to couch height. The required margins are 13.2 mm laterally, 18 mm anterior-posteriorly and 21.3 mm cranio-caudally using a three-dimensional margin recipe. It is shown that an intensive portal imaging routine is required to demonstrate that systematic set-up errors are below 5 mm.

(Published Online August 21 2006)


Key Words: Prostate radiotherapy technique; evidence based medicine; portal imaging.

Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence to: K. Langmack, D.Phil., Medical Physics Department, Lincoln County Hospital, Lincoln LN1 1FT, UK; E-mail: keith.langmack@ulh.nhs.uk

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