Calculating Curved Needles Deformation in Automated High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy Operations

Nikolai A Gryaznov,Andrey N Korenkov,Olga V Velichko,Konstantin Yu Senchik,Galina S Kireeva

doi:10.3844/ajassp.2016.335.343

Abstract

The article outlines the approach to applying the mechatronic technologies and robotic systems in carrying out the brachytherapy operations. To calculate the elastic state of the flexible needles of different geometry in the prostate model, a mathematical model of the flexible needle deformation has been applied which took into account the medium reaction and was based on the theory of flexible and elastic rods. The numeric calculations for different types of needles have been introduced for the first time. Also for the first time the advantages of applying flexible needles for brachytherapy procedure have been mathematically justified.

Highlights

Over a span of many decades the basic and, as it was, the only one available method of treatment for those suffering from prostate cancer used to be the surgical approach, implicating complex traumatizing operations often resulting in various side-effects: In 1945% of cases leading to serious urination problems, in 60-93% of cases resulting in evident sexual dysfunction (D’Amico et al, 1998; Kupelian et al, 1997; Oesterling et al, 1995; Gleason and VACURG, 1977; Lee et al, 1995)
The task of delivering high tumoricidal doses into the prostate and to the tumor, which is located inside it, with considerably less radiation load on the surrounding tissues, is successfully solved by means of modern methods of interstitial brachytherapy, a version of which is represented by High-Dose Brachytherapy (HDB) (Fig. 1) (Kanayev and Novikov, 2013; Khmelyovskiy et al, 2008; Bracarda et al, 2005; Jereczek-Fossa and Orecchia, 2007; Kovacs et al, 2005; Martinez et al, 2011)
An important advantage of this method is that when performing high-dose brachytherapy there are favorable conditions for the intrastat needles introduction beyond the prostate capsule, which facilitates radiating the seminal vesicle and the periprostatic area

Summary

Introduction

Over a span of many decades the basic and, as it was, the only one available method of treatment for those suffering from prostate cancer used to be the surgical approach, implicating complex traumatizing operations often resulting in various side-effects: In 1945% of cases leading to serious urination problems, in 60-93% of cases resulting in evident sexual dysfunction (D’Amico et al, 1998; Kupelian et al, 1997; Oesterling et al, 1995; Gleason and VACURG, 1977; Lee et al, 1995). For the patients with localized-type prostate cancer the radiation therapy is considered to be either a good alternative or an important supplement to the surgical treatment. A serious disadvantage to the existing technique of implanting the radioactive seeds is the direct trajectory of the needle targeting, which is done manually

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion