Date Approved
8-5-2024
Graduate Degree Type
Project
Degree Name
Medical Dosimetry (M.S.)
Degree Program
Health Professions
First Advisor
Daniel Pham
Second Advisor
Kristen Vu
Academic Year
2023/2024
Abstract
When planning radiation therapy treatments for prostate cancer, the bladder and rectum are important organs at risk (OAR). The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish guidelines for bladder and rectal volumes for men receiving hypofractionated radiation therapy to their prostate and seminal vesicles. Ten patients were included in the study and radiation doses to the bladder and rectum were recorded based on the daily change in the OAR volumes. The bladder and rectal volumes were contoured on each patient’s daily treatment CBCT and those volumes were compared to that on the treatment planning CT. The results showed that it was unlikely for the changes in bladder and rectum volumes to cause a violation of the physician’s clinical goals. Out of the 50 fractions/scans the bladder clinical goal was only violated 1 time and the rectal clinical goals were only violated 7 times. The criteria that was most often met were the clinical goals for the bladder and rectum, while the rectal volume was met the least. However, if the daily volumes were varied beyond a certain point, as compared to the treatment planning CT, holding a patient’s treatment until proper volumes are met or a re-simulation of the patient may be justified.
ScholarWorks Citation
Pape, Joseph, "A quantitative investigation into the daily variation of bladder and rectum volumes among prostate cancer patients receiving radiation and when it violates dose constraints at any given fraction." (2024). Culminating Experience Projects. 488.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/488
