Treatment Planning and Delivery of Whole Brain Irradiation with Hippocampal Avoidance in Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite the clinical benefit of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), patients and physicians are concerned by the long-term impact on cognitive functioning. Many studies investigating the molecular and cellular impact of WBRT have used rodent models. However, there has not been a rodent protocol comparable to the recently reported Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocol for WBRT with hippocampal avoidance (HA) which is intended to spare cognitive function. The aim of this study was to develop a hippocampal-sparing WBRT protocol in Wistar rats.

Methods

The technical and clinical challenges encountered in hippocampal sparing during rat WBRT are substantial. Three key challenges were identified: hippocampal localization, treatment planning, and treatment localiz

SUBMITTER: Cramer CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4670078 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature