A comparison of organs at risk doses in GYN intracavitary brachytherapy for different tandem lengths and bladder volumes

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concurrent effects of tandem length and bladder volume on dose to pelvic organs at risk (OARs) in HDR intracavitary brachytherapy treatment of cervical cancer. Twenty patients with locally advanced cervical cancer were selected for brachytherapy using Rotterdam applicators. The patients were CT scanned twice with empty and full bladder. Two treatment plans were prepared on each of the image sets. Patients were categorized into two groups; those treated with a tandem length of 4 cm or smaller [Formula: see text] and those with tandem length larger than 4 cm ([Formula: see text]). Only one tandem tip angle of 30° was studied. Dose‐volume histograms (DVHs) of OARs were calculated and compared. Bladder dose was significantly affected by both bladder volume and tandem physical length for [Formula: see text]. This was reflected on the values obtained for [Formula: see text] , [Formula: see text] , and [Formula: see text] for both empty and full bladder cases. When [Formula: see text] , no correlation could be established between variations in bladder dose and bladder volume. Rectum dose was generally lower when the bladder was empty and [Formula: see text]. Dose to sigmoid was increased when [Formula: see text]; this increase was larger when the bladder was full. Our results suggest that, for tandems longer than 4 cm, keeping the bladder empty may reduce the dose to rectum and sigmoid. This is contrary to cases where a shorter than 4 cm tandem is used in which a full bladder (about 50–120 cm(3)) tends to result in a lower dose to rectum and sigmoid. Attention should be given to doses to sigmoid with long tandem lengths, as a larger tandem generally results in a larger dose to sigmoid. PACS number(s): 87.53.Jw