Comparison of volume doses from conventional two-dimensional brachytherapy with corresponding doses from three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging-based brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the doses delivered to the brachytherapy (BT) target volume and organs at risk from two-dimensional X-ray-based plans on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to compare these doses with the corresponding doses from the image-based optimized plans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation and BT were included in this study. All patients had two sets of treatment plans generated for the first fraction of BT. Volume doses resulting from MRI-based optimized plans were compared with the corresponding doses from standard "Point A" prescription plans. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference between the two planning modalities for the mean high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) D90 doses (P = 0.0014) although mean D2cc of bladder (P = 0.1667) and rectum (P = 0.051) was not different. Standard plans with a prescription dose of 7 Gy to Point A delivered a mean HRCTV D90 of 10.07 Gy in patients with no gross residual disease at the time of BT, which was very similar to the mean dose from MR-based plans (MRI 10.02 Gy and standard 10.07 Gy). The only factor seen affecting dose distribution in this group was the applicator geometry. Standard plans failed to deliver HRCTV D90 doses of >8.5 Gy in all patients with gross residual disease. The doses were <7.00 Gy to the HRCTV in three patients who had maximum residual diseases at the time of BT. CONCLUSION: Conventional X-ray-based plans with moderate Point A doses deliver HRCTV D90 comparable to MRI-based plans in patients with no residual disease, and centrally placed residual disease, provided proper applicator placement and ideal geometry can be ensured. Soft-tissue image-based BT dose optimization ought to be considered in all patients with gross residual disease at the time of brachytherapy.

Elementary school enrolment and its determinants among children with cerebral palsy in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India.

CONTEXT: There is enough documented evidence to prove the benefits of early and appropriate initiation of education among children with cerebral palsy (CP). AIM: To find out the proportion of children with CP who are enrolled for some kind of formal education and to study the determinants of the same. SETTING AND DESIGN: This cross sectional study was done among children, attending the special clinics at government medical college, Thiruvananthapuram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children between 3 and 12 years of age diagnosed with CP were subjects for the study. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Enrollment for any form of formal education was the major outcome variable. The factors associated with initiation of formal education were tested using Chi-square test or Fischer's exact test. Independent association of each factor was evaluated through binary logistic Regression analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The mean (SD) age of the children (n = 86) was 5.7 (2.3) years with forty-six (53.5%) of them being girls. Diplegia was the commonest limb abnormality found. Fifty-two (60.5%) children were undergoing some kind of schooling. Those children who were less dependent physically and those who had achieved better language development were regular school goers. After binary logistic regression the ability of a child to speak in sentences (P = 0.008) and ambulatory level of the child (P = 0.019) were factors which favored, whereas delay in attaining the adaptive developmental milestone of transferring objects from one hand to another (P = 0.014) was found to be detrimental for school enrollment.