We assessed the association of the spatial distribution of dose to the bladder surface, described using dose-surface maps, with the risk of urinary dysfunction. The bladder dose-surface maps of 754 participants from the TROG 03.04-RADAR trial were generated from the volumetric data by virtually cutting the bladder at the sagittal slice, intersecting the bladder center-of-mass through to the bladder posterior and projecting the dose information on a 2-dimensional plane. Pixelwise dose comparisons were performed between patients with and without symptoms (dysuria, hematuria, incontinence, and an International Prostate Symptom Score increase of ≥10 [ΔIPSS10]). The results with and without permutation-based multiple-comparison adjustments are reported. The pixelwise multivariate analysis findings (peak-event model for dysuria, hematuria, and ΔIPSS10; event-count model for incontinence), with adjustments for clinical factors, are also reported. The associations of the spatially specific dose measures to urinary dysfunction were dependent on the presence of specific symptoms. The doses received by the anteroinferior and, to lesser extent, posterosuperior surface of the bladder had the strongest relationship with the incidence of dysuria, hematuria, and ΔIPSS10, both with and without adjustment for clinical factors. For the doses to the posteroinferior region corresponding to the area of the trigone, the only symptom with significance was incontinence. A spatially variable response of the bladder surface to the dose was found for symptoms of urinary dysfunction. Limiting the dose extending anteriorly might help reduce the risk of urinary dysfunction.

To identify dosimetry, clinical factors and medication intake impacting urinary symptoms after prostate radiotherapy. Data describing clinical factors and bladder dosimetry (reduced with principal component (PC) analysis) for 754 patients treated with external beam radiotherapy accrued by TROG 03.04 RADAR prostate radiotherapy trial were available for analysis. Urinary symptoms (frequency, incontinence, dysuria and haematuria) were prospectively assessed using LENT-SOMA to a median of 72months. The endpoints assessed were prevalence (grade ⩾1) at the end of radiotherapy (representing acute symptoms), at 18-, 36- and 54-month follow-ups (representing late symptoms) and peak late incidence including only grade ⩾2. Impact of factors was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models with correction for over-optimism. Baseline symptoms, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, age and PC1 (correlated to the mean dose) impact symptoms at >1 timepoints. Associations at a single timepoint were found for cerebrovascular condition, ECOG status and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake. Peak incidence analysis shows the impact of baseline, bowel and cerebrovascular condition and smoking status. The prevalence and incidence analysis provide a complementary view for urinary symptom prediction. Sustained impacts across time points were found for several factors while some associations were not repeated at different time points suggesting poorer or transient impact.

Background: This study evaluates the role of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablative therapy in treating primary breast cancer. Methods: PubMed and Scopus databases were searched according to the PRISMA guidelines to identify studies from 2002 to November 2022. Eligible studies were selected based on criteria such as experimental study type, the use of HIFU therapy as a treatment for localised breast cancer with objective clinical evaluation, i.e., clinical, radiological, and pathological outcomes. Nine studies were included in this study. Results: Two randomised controlled trials and seven non-randomised clinical trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The percentage of patients who achieved complete (100%) coagulation necrosis varied from 17% to 100% across all studies. Eight of the nine studies followed the treat-and-resect protocol in which HIFU-ablated tumours were surgically resected for pathological evaluation. Most breast cancers were single, solitary, and palpable breast tumours. Haematoxylin and eosin stains used for histopathological evaluation showed evidence of coagulation necrosis. Radiological evaluation by MRI showed an absence of contrast enhancement in the HIFU-treated tumour and 1.5 to 2 cm of normal breast tissue, with a thin peripheral rim of enhancement indicative of coagulation necrosis. All studies did not report severe complications, i.e., haemorrhage and infection. Common complications related to HIFU ablation were local mammary oedema, pain, tenderness, and mild to moderate burns. Only one third-degree burn was reported. Generally, the cosmetic outcome was good. The five-year disease-free survival rate was 95%, as reported in two RCTs. Conclusions: HIFU ablation can induce tumour coagulation necrosis in localised breast cancer, with a favourable safety profile and cosmetic outcome. However, there is variable evidence of complete coagulation necrosis in the HIFU-treated tumour. Histopathological evidence of coagulation necrosis has been inconsistent, and there is no reliable radiological modality to assess coagulation necrosis confidently. Further exploration is needed to establish the accurate ablation margin with a reliable radiological modality for treatment and follow-up. HIFU therapy is currently limited to single, palpable breast tumours. More extensive and randomised clinical trials are needed to evaluate HIFU therapy for breast cancer, especially where the tumour is left in situ.

The diffusion tensor imaging technique has been recognized as a neuroimaging tool for in vivo visualization of white matter tracts. However, DTI is not a routine procedure for preoperative planning for brain tumor resection. Our study aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of DTI and the outcomes of surgery. The electronic databases, PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus, were searched for relevant studies. Studies were systematically reviewed based on the application of DTI in pre-surgical planning, modification of operative planning, re-evaluation of preoperative DTI data intraoperatively, and the outcome of surgery decisions. Seventeen studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Most studies agreed that preoperative planning using DTI improves postoperative neuro-deficits, giving a greater resection yield and shortening the surgery time. The results also indicate that the re-evaluation of preoperative DTI intraoperatively assists in a better visualization of white matter tract shifts. Seven studies also suggested that DTI modified the surgical decision of the initial surgical approach and the rate of the GTR in tumor resection surgery. The utilization of DTI may give essential information on white matter tract pathways, for a better surgical approach, and eventually reduce the risk of neurologic deficits after surgery.

Radiotherapy for head and neck cancers exposes small parts of the brain to radiation, resulting in radiation-induced changes in cerebral tissue. In this review, we determine the correlation between cognitive deterioration in patients with head and neck cancer after radiotherapy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes. Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases in February 2021. Studies of head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy and periodical cognitive and MRI assessments were included. Meta-analysis was performed to analyse the correlation of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores to MRI structural and functional changes. Seven studies with a total of 404 subjects (irradiated head and neck patients, n = 344; healthy control, n = 60) were included. Most studies showed the significance of MRI in detecting microstructural and functional changes in association with neurocognitive function. The changes were seen in various brain areas, predominantly the temporal region, which also shows dose dependency (6/7 studies). An effect size (r = 0.43, p < 0.001) was reported on the correlation of MoCA scores to MRI structural and functional changes with significant correlations shown among patients treated with head and neck radiotherapy. However, the effect size appears modest.