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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
Radiotherapy-induced Early ECG Changes and Their Comparison with Echocardiography in Patients with Early-stage Breast
Suvi Sirkku Tuohinen1,2,3, Konsta Keski-Pukkila2,3, Tanja Skyttä2,4
1Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital and Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland suvi.tuohinen@fimnet.fi.
Background:
Early electrocardiogram (ECG) changes after breast cancer radiotherapy (RT) have been reported, but their characteristics and associated factors are largely unknown. This study aimed to explore early RT-induced ECG changes and to compare them with echocardiography changes.
Materials And Methods:
Sixty eligible patients with chemotherapy-naïve left-sided and 20 with right-sided breast cancer were evaluated with echocardiography, blood samples and ECG before and after RT.
Results:
RT-induced ECG changes in the anterior leads. T-Wave changes were most frequent. T-Wave decline was associated independently with patient age (β=-0.245, p=0.005), mean heart radiation dose (β=1.252, p=0.001) and global systolic strain rate change (β=7.943, p=0.002). T-Wave inversion was associated independently with mean heart radiation dose (β=0.143, p<0.001), global longitudinal strain change (β=0.053, p=0.017) and posterior calibrated integrated backscatter (β=-0.022, p=0.049).
Conclusion:
RT-induced ECG changes were prevalent and associated with functional and structural changes in echocardiography. ECG could be used for post-RT cardiac screening.
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