Response of pancreatic tumor to intraoperative radiotherapy: medical imaging and pathologic system approach

For analyzing the local reaction of pancreatic carcinoma to electron intraoperative radiotherapy, successive computed tomography scanning for tumor volumetry was employed, together with surgical clip localization for tumor area using orthogonal x-rays. Soon after radiotherapy the tumor volume and clipped tumor region began to decrease. After a certain interval, computed tomography volumetry revealed that the irradiated tumor had started to increase in size again, whereas the clipped area had not. Autopsies demonstrated that the increase related chiefly to cancer regrowth outside the primary radiation field.