Objective: To quantify the effect of bladder volume on the dose distribution of intracavitary brachytherapy in computed tomography-based treatment planning for cervical cancer.
Methods: Ten patients with cervical cancer were treated with high-dose rate radiation brachytherapy. For the three-dimensional analysis, pelvic computed tomographic scans were obtained from patients with indwelling catheters in place and from patients who received 50, 100, 150 and 200 cc injections of sterile water into their bladders ('200 cc' was defined as a full bladder). Additionally, scans were made in the prone position with the full bladder.
Results: Bladder fullness significantly affected the dose to the small bowel and bladder. The median of maximal doses to the small bowel was significantly greater with an empty bladder in all factors of hot spot (480 vs. 256 cGy on D-2cc). Although dosimetry revealed lower doses for larger volumes of bladder (D-50 and V-25%), the median maximal dose to the bladder was significantly greater with a full bladder (420 vs. 775 cGy on D-2cc). The rectosigmoid doses were not affected by bladder distension (476 vs. 467 cGy on D-2cc). After changing to the prone position, the hot spot dose of small bowel did not change but that of the bladder significantly decreased, although this procedure was very difficult.
Conclusions: An increase in bladder volume resulted in a significant reduction in the hot spot dose of the small bowel at the expense of an increase in that of the bladder without changing the dose distribution of the rectosigmoid.