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Survey of high‐dose‐rate prostate brachytherapy practice in A ustralia and N ew Z ealand, 2010–2011
Author(s) -
Nieuwenhuysen Jane,
Waterhouse David,
Bydder Sean,
Joseph David,
Ebert Martin,
Caswell Nikki
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/1754-9485.12101
Subject(s) - medicine , brachytherapy , prostate cancer , dose rate , medical prescription , clinical practice , nuclear medicine , prostate , urology , medical physics , modalities , cancer , radiology , radiation therapy , family medicine , pharmacology , social science , sociology
A survey was designed to establish a baseline data set for the current routine practice of high‐dose‐rate prostate brachytherapy ( HDR‐PB ) in A ustralia and N ew Z ealand. Existing treatment protocols and clinical implementations are not generally known. Methods The survey, for the 2010 and 2011 calendar years, collected data including number of patients treated; equipment used; imaging modalities; applicator verification and correction methods; dose prescriptions and normal tissue dose constraints. The number of HDR‐PB patients treated was compared with the most recently published prostate cancer incidence data in A ustralia and in N ew Z ealand. Total biologically equivalent doses in 2.0 Gy fractions ( EQD2 ) were calculated for each prescription regime reported. Results There were reductions, of 25–60%, in patients treated with HDR‐PB from 2010 to 2011 in four departments. Prostate cancer patients are two to six times more likely to be prescribed HDR‐PB in Western A ustralia than elsewhere in the region. There were 12 different treatment prescriptions, with EQD2 doses ranging from 73.5 to 97.6 Gy , among the 18 reported by survey respondents. Normal tissue definition methodology and dose constraints varied, and 13 of 15 departments reported that no particular published external guidelines were followed in full. Conclusion The high survey response rate, 15 of 17 departments, has provided a representative baseline data set of contemporary HDR‐PB practice in A ustralia and N ew Z ealand that may assist government and professional bodies, such as the A ustralasian B rachytherapy G roup, in formulating recommendations, setting standards and future planning.