2Department of Radiation Oncology, Adana Başkent University Hospital, Adana-Türkiye DOI : 10.5505/tjo.2023.4214 OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine the effect of a Foley catheter on bladder fullness and the changes in the doses received by other critical organs (OAR) and target volumes during high-dose rate vaginal cuff brachytherapy (HDR-VBT) with an empty bladder.
METHODS
Twenty patients with a diagnosis of endometrial or cervical cancer underwent post-operative three-dimensional
HDR-VBT between January 2020 and May 2021 and were examined dosimetrically. After the
evacuation of the urine, two simulation CT scans and plans were performed with and without inserting
a Foley catheter. For both plans, the volumes and doses of HRCTV and each critical organ were recorded
separately.
RESULTS
The median age of the patients was 60 years (35?79). HDR-VBT was applied to 16 patients with endometrial
cancer and 4 patients with cervical cancer diagnosis. Median 50.4 Gy (45?50.4 Gy) external
RT was administered to 12 patients with a total of 15 Gy BRT boost in 3 fractions. A total of 27.5 Gy
HDR-VBT in 5 fractions were administered to 8 endometrial cancer patients. No significant difference
was found regarding target and critical organ volumes between the two plans with or without a Foley
catheter. Also, no statistically significant difference was detected in terms of target doses such as D90,
D95, and D98 of HRCTV and D0.1, D1, D2cc, and mean doses of critical organs.
CONCLUSION
It seems simulating and treating the patient by just emptying the urine and using the decay and treat
method is sufficient in terms of OAR and HRCTV dose limits.