1Research Scholar, Dept. of Radiological Science, Hanseo University, Korea
2Professor, Dept. of Radiological Science, Hanseo University, Korea
*Corresponding Author: Hong-Ryang Jung Professor, Dept. of Radiological Science, Hanseo University, Korea Phone: +82-041-660-1057, E-mail: hrjung@hanseo.ac.kr
Online published on 27 February, 2018.
In this study, the effects were evaluated on radiation dose reduction in the lung and heart using a cardiac shielding block in 20 breast cancer patients.
CT images of the radiotherapy patients were transferred through threedimensional treatment planning, and physical wedges were used to obtain optimal dose distributions using a 6 MV photon beam in a linear accelerator; the prescribed dose was 50.4 Gy. The effects on the heart and lung were compared and analyzed based on the use of a Lipowitz alloy cardiac shielding block.
The data for the left lung showed decreases of 1.1% in D5 and 18.41% in V20 from using the heart-shielding material and decreases of 78.9% in D5 and 76.6% in V18 for the heart. Additionally, with the use of the heart-shielding material, the mean dose in the left lung decreased by 11.7%, and that in the heart decreased by 51.7%.
The results of this study show the possibility of minimizing the left breast radiation therapy exposure doses in the left lungs and hearts of breast cancer patients by using a cardiac shielding block in the initial treatment.
Radiotherapy, CT, Dose, Breast cancer, Heart-shielding material
