Assessment and implication of rectal filling on vaginal motion in postoperative carcinoma endometrium patients during image guided radiotherapy.

AIM: While delivering radiotherapy it is utmost important to minimize target motion to decrease margins in postoperative gynaecological patients. Hence certain bladder and rectum filling protocols are followed by each institute. During cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) verification, we observed that this motion was more affected by rectal filling. To verify, we retrospectively analysed the vaginal movement and its relation with bladder and rectum filling.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We evaluated CBCTs of 15 patients of carcinoma endometrium. Bladder and rectum both were contoured offline on each scan. To assess the motion of vagina, two reference points were selected. Posterior movement of bladder and anterior movement of rectum were noted on these points on each scan.

RESULTS

Total 150 scans (135 KV-CBCT scans and 15 planning computed tomography) of 15 patients were studied. Stepwise regression analysis reported that bladder wall changes has a nonsignificant relationship with bladder volume among all the individuals. The significant rectal wall changes both at Point X and Y were observed in six patients and only at Point X in three patients. Rest of the patients showed no significant relationship in their CBCT scans. Thus 60% patients showed significant relation between rectal volume and rectal wall changes.

CONCLUSION

Hence we suggest to advice our patients more regarding volume of rectum to decrease vaginal motion. Bladder volume is needed to decrease the dose to small intestine. However prospective data with large number of patients in the study is required to confirm these findings.