RESUMEN
The immobilization of patients with a bite block (BB) carries the risk of interpersonal infection, particularly in the context of pandemics such as COVID-19. Here, we compared the intra-fractional patient setup error (intra-SE) with and without a BB during fractionated intracranial stereotactic irradiation (STI). Fifteen patients with brain metastases were immobilized using a BB without a medical mask, while 15 patients were immobilized without using a BB and with a medical mask. The intra-SEs in six directions (anterior-posterior (AP), superior-inferior (SI), left-right (LR), pitch, roll, and yaw) were calculated by using cone-beam computed tomography images acquired before and after the treatments. We analyzed a total of 53 and 67 treatment sessions for the with- and without-BB groups, respectively. A comparable absolute mean translational and rotational intra-SE was observed (P > 0.05) in the AP (0.19 vs 0.23 mm with- and without-BB, respectively), SI (0.30 vs 0.29 mm), LR (0.20 vs 0.29 mm), pitch (0.18 vs 0.27°), roll (0.23 vs 0.23°) and yaw (0.27 vs 22°) directions. The resultant planning target volume (PTV) margin to compensate for intra-SE was <1 mm. No statistically significant correlation was observed between the intra-SE and treatment times. A PTV margin of <1 mm was achieved even when patients were immobilized without a BB during STI dose delivery.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Irradiación Craneana , Fraccionamiento de la Dosis de Radiación , Inmovilización/instrumentación , Máscaras/efectos adversos , Pandemias , Posicionamiento del Paciente/instrumentación , Radiocirugia , Errores de Configuración en Radioterapia , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias Encefálicas/radioterapia , Neoplasias Encefálicas/secundario , COVID-19/prevención & control , Diseño de Equipo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Planificación de la Radioterapia Asistida por Computador/métodos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos XRESUMEN
Managing respiratory status of patients with COVID-19 is a high resource, high risk healthcare challenge. Interventions that decrease need for invasive respiratory support and utilization of bedside staff would benefit patients and healthcare personnel alike. Proning has been established as optimal positioning that may reduce the need for escalation of respiratory support. We propose a new application of a wearable device to decrease supine positioning and ameliorate these risks.