[Investigation of a Bladder Filling Protocol for Stabilizing Bladder Volume in Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer]

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics

Context:

• Bladder filling is crucial for consistent prostate cancer radiation therapy.
• Previous methods struggled with achieving reproducible bladder volumes.
• Accurate bladder volume is essential for precise radiation targeting.

Purpose:

• To develop and evaluate a novel bladder filling protocol for prostate cancer radiation therapy.
• To overcome the challenges of inconsistent bladder volumes with the prior method.
• To improve the reproducibility of bladder filling for treatment planning and delivery.

Summary:

• A new protocol involves drinking 200ml water 2 hours prior, voiding, then drinking 200ml water 1 hour prior to treatment.
• Ultrasound measurements showed the new method achieved more consistent bladder volumes (201.5±33.0ml at planning CT, 192.6±37.2ml during treatment) compared to the old method (247.4±99.6ml, 315.7±158.2ml).
• The new protocol successfully maintained bladder volumes within the 100-250ml range.

Impact:

• The new protocol offers improved bladder volume reproducibility during prostate cancer radiation therapy.
• Enhanced consistency is expected to improve treatment accuracy and potentially reduce side effects.
• This optimized protocol may streamline patient preparation and improve workflow efficiency in radiation oncology departments.