Risk Factors for Type 1 Diabetes Recurrence in Immunosuppressed Recipients of Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplants.

Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who are recipients of pancreas transplants are believed to rarely develop T1D recurrence in the allograft if effectively immunosuppressed. We evaluated a cohort of 223 recipients of simultaneous pancreas-kidney allografts for T1D recurrence and its risk factors. With long-term follow-up, recurrence was observed in approximately 7% of patients. Comparing the therapeutic regimens employed in this cohort over time, lack of induction therapy was associated with recurrence, but this occurs even with the current regimen, which includes induction; there was no influence of maintenance regimens. Longitudinal testing for T1D-associated autoantibodies identified autoantibody positivity, number of autoantibodies, and autoantibody conversion after transplantation as critical risk factors. Autoantibodies to the zinc transporter 8 had the strongest and closest temporal association with recurrence, which was not explained by genetically encoded amino acid sequence donor-recipient mismatches for this autoantigen. Genetic risk factors included the presence of the T1D-predisposing HLA-DR3/DR4 genotype in the recipient and donor-recipient sharing of HLA-DR alleles, especially HLA-DR3. Thus, T1D recurrence is not uncommon and is developing in patients treated with current immunosuppression. The risk factors identified in this study can be assessed in the transplant clinic to identify recurrent T1D and may lead to therapeutic advances.

Feasibility of tumour-focused adaptive radiotherapy for bladder cancer on the MR-linac.

Bladder tumour-focused magnetic resonance image-guided adaptive radiotherapy using a 1.5 Tesla MR-linac is feasible. A full online workflow adapting to anatomy at each fraction is achievable in approximately 30 min. Intra-fraction bladder filling did not compromise target coverage with the class solution employed.

Three dimensional printed electron beam modifier for total skin electron treatments.

Total Skin Electron Beam (TSEB) treatment, despite its proven effectiveness in skin malignancies, is a rather exhausting irradiation method, especially for feeble patients. In an effort to reduce treatment time by creating a clinically acceptable single TSEB field, various beam modifiers of different materials and shapes were tested. Using the TSEB immobilization device of our department and 3D printing technology, aluminum and thermoplastic modifiers were designed and constructed, according to the resulting profiles at treatment distance. Electron beam characteristics were measured and calculated both at SSD = 100 cm and at treatment level. Aluminum scatterers of the same thickness caused different modification according to the area of blocking. Aluminum modifiers reduced significantly central dose deposition for the same amount of MUs and therefore they expanded treatment time in undesirable levels. Plastic modifiers offer a good combination of field dimensions and treatment time. The final 3D printed modifier shaped the electron beam as desired resulting to a clinically acceptable 6 MeV field of 176 × 70 cm field with 10% inhomogeneity in vertical and 3% in the lateral dimension with adequate skin coverage at SSD = 400 cm. This modification offered approximately a two-minute treatment time reduction compared to the current technique. Underdosed areas appear near the edge of the field, but in regions that are far from the torso of the patient. Bremsstrahlung radiation was kept at clinically accepted levels (< 5%). This modification of the original six dual-field technique of our hospital could probably benefit fragile patients who could not easily tolerate a twenty-minute standing position without compromising the quality of their treatment.

First application of total skin electron beam irradiation in Greece: setup, measurements and dosimetry.

Total Skin Electron Beam (TSEB) irradiation is considered as the treatment of choice for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma internationally, for either curative purposes or palliative care. An attempt for the first application of this external radiation therapy technique in Greece took place at the Radiation Therapy Unit of 2(nd) Department of Radiology of University of Athens at University General Hospital "Attikon". TSEB modality was developed on a linear accelerator VARIAN Clinac 2100C. To create a uniform and sufficiently large field (≈200 cm × 80 cm) at SSD=380 cm, two symmetrical 6 MeV electron beams are combined with 17.5° tilts concerning the horizontal direction. An immobilization system was constructed to support patient during treatment and to modulate the composite electron field. Irradiation procedure demands a standing patient that takes, in total, six treatment positions. For the confirmation of treatment suitability and the determination of physical features of the clinical electron field, specific measurements were carried out using a parallel-plate ionization chamber and TLDs at water equivalent plastic and anthropomorphic phantoms. Measurements at the referred conditions showed a homogeneous total field with intensity variation of ±2% in the longitudinal axis and ±4% at horizontal axis. The mean energy of the composite field (E¯(o)) is 3.4 MeV, the most probable energy (E(p,0)) is 4.4 MeV and the half-value depth in water (R(50)) is 1.5 g/cm(2). The maximum X-ray background of the TSEB field is 2.1% at head and feet. The above results lead us to conclude that TSEB treatment using "Six-dual-field" technique can be applied in our department safely.

Radiation protection of staff in 111In radionuclide therapy--is the lead apron shielding effective?

(111)In (Eγ = 171-245 keV, t1/2 = 2.83 d) is used for targeted therapies of endocrine tumours. An average activity of 6.3 GBq is injected into the liver by catheterisation of the hepatic artery. This procedure is time-consuming (4-5 min) and as a result, both the physicians and the technical staff involved are subjected to radiation exposure. In this research, the efficiency of the use of lead apron has been studied as far as the radiation protection of the working staff is concerned. A solution of (111)In in a cylindrical scattering phantom was used as a source. Close to the scattering phantom, an anthropomorphic male Alderson RANDO phantom was positioned. Thermoluminescent dosemeters were located in triplets on the front surface, in the exit and in various depths in the 26th slice of the RANDO phantom. The experiment was repeated by covering the RANDO phantom by a lead apron 0.25 mm Pb equivalent. The unshielded dose rates and the shielded photon dose rates were measured. Calculations of dose rates by Monte Carlo N-particle transport code were compared with this study's measurements. A significant reduction of 65 % on surface dose was observed when using lead apron. A decrease of 30 % in the mean absorbed dose among the different depths of the 26th slice of the RANDO phantom has also been noticed. An accurate correlation of the experimental results with Monte Carlo simulation has been achieved.

Clinical implementation of total skin electron beam (TSEB) therapy: a review of the relevant literature.

Total skin electron beam therapy has been in medical service since the middle of the last century in order to confront rare skin malignancies. Since then various techniques have been developed, all aiming at better clinical results in conjunction with less post-irradiation complications. In this article every available technique is presented in addition to physical parameters of technique establishment and common dose fractionation. This study also revealed the preference of the majority of institutes the last 20 years in "six dual field technique" at a high dose rate, which is a safe and effective treatment.