[ RadSafe ] Energies used in Breast Irradiation

[Ahmad Al-Ani]

A customized treatment plan will be calculated on specialized computers called 
treatment planning systems. These plans are done for every patient. As the 
depth, size and location of tumor differs from one patient to other. CT scan 
images are used to digitally reconstruct the patient and tumor in that computer. 
The objective of these plans is to deliver a uniform dose distribution to the 
volume area, and minimum dose to adjacent areas.

Currently, most breast patients are treated with 6MV x-rays in a two opposite 
beam directions, medial and lateral. Typically, a superficial dose is delivered 
afterwards to the scar of the tumor bed via electron beam.

Ahmad Al-Ani
ABR Certified Medical Physicist




----- Original Message ----
From: "Rees, Brian G" <brees at lanl.gov>
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List 
<radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Mon, January 24, 2011 11:44:31 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Energies used in Breast Irradiation

I have a friend that had Milk Duct In Situ Carcinoma (breast cancer), she had a 
lumpectomy and is now going to have breast irradiation.  Since I had the 
opportunity for her to ask, I had her ask about the treatment.  The energy of 
the x-rays will be 6 and 18 Mev, these seem awfully high since the probability 
of interaction is pretty low for an 18 Mev x-ray in tissue... can somebody help 
me to understand this?  They also mentioned a "boost" of 10 Gy, what does that 
refer to? ("whole breast dose is reached at 4256 cGy, boost delivers an 
additional 1000 cGy")

Thanks,
Brian Rees, CHP, RRPT
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