Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
An Analysis of Predictors of Cardiac Sparing using Deep Inspiratory Breath Hold for Left Sided Breast Cancer Patients
Abhinav Dewan1, Lalit Kumar2, Kundan Singh Chufal1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, India.
Objective:
To analyse the dosimetric benefit achieved with Deep inspiratory breath hold (DIBH) for left sided breast irradiation and to identify the factors impacting it.
Methods:
Between 1st January'2023 to 31st December' 2023, 100 consecutive patients with left sided breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiotherapy and fulfilling the inclusion/exclusion criteria were enrolled in a prospective study conducted at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi. Two radiotherapy plans (DIBH/Free breathing (FB)) were generated and evaluated for each patient. Plans were evaluated using dose-volume histogram (DVH). Anatomical and treatment parameters predicting cardiac sparing were generated.
Result:
DIBH led to improvement in dosimetry for lung and cardiac structures for all group of patients. Breathhold technique showed a significant increase in the circumference of the chest, separation and heart height. An approximately 45% increase in ipsilateral lung volume was seen with DIBH. It led to a reduction in the heart volume by 17.67%. After placement of the tangential fields, a decrease in maximum heart distance (MHD) and heart volume in treatment field (HVIF) was seen in the DIBH phase.
Conclusion:
DIBH appears to be a useful tool for limiting cardiac and pulmonary dose in all the patients with left sided breast cancer, potentially reducing long-term complications.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:
Assessment of Respiration
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD,...
Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Assessment of Ventilation II: Respiratory Depth and Rhythm
Respiratory depth measures the volume of air inhaled or exhaled during a breath. It can vary from shallow to deep and typically remains consistent when a person is at rest or asleep. Occasionally, individuals will automatically inhale deeply, known as sighing, which inflates the lungs with more air than normal breathing.
To assess respiratory depth, observe the degree of chest excursion or movement:
Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Inspection
Chest Configuration
The chest configuration can...

