Evaluation of radiation-induced changes to parotid glands following conventional radiotherapy in patients with nasopharygneal carcinoma

Xerostomia is a common post-radiotherapy (post-RT) complication in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. This study evaluated the relation of post-RT parotid gland changes with the dose received. Data from 18 NPC patients treated by radiotherapy between 1997 and 2001 were collected. Parotid gland...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of radiology 2011-09, Vol.84 (1005), p.843-849
Main Authors: WU, V. W. C, YING, M. T. C, KWONG, D. L. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Flow Velocity
Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
Female
Humans
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - physiopathology
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Organ Size
Parotid Gland - diagnostic imaging
Parotid Gland - pathology
Parotid Gland - physiopathology
Parotid Gland - radiation effects
Radiography
Radiotherapy Dosage
Vascular Resistance
Xerostomia - diagnostic imaging
Xerostomia - etiology
Xerostomia - pathology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Xerostomia is a common post-radiotherapy (post-RT) complication in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. This study evaluated the relation of post-RT parotid gland changes with the dose received. Data from 18 NPC patients treated by radiotherapy between 1997 and 2001 were collected. Parotid gland volumes were measured and compared between their pre-RT and post-RT CT images; both sets of CT were conducted with the same scanning protocol. Doppler ultrasound was used to assess the haemodynamic condition of the glands after radiotherapy. Doppler ultrasound results were compared against 18 age-matched normal participants. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the patients' comments of xerostomia condition. Radiotherapy treatment plans of the participants were retrieved from the Eclipse treatment planning system from which the radiation doses delivered to the parotid glands were estimated. The correlations of parotid gland doses and the post-RT changes were evaluated. The post-RT parotid glands were significantly smaller (p
ISSN:0007-1285
1748-880X
DOI:10.1259/bjr/55873561