Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32877418›Full record

ArticlePloS one2020

MRI- and CT-determined changes of dysphagia / aspiration-related structures (DARS) during and after radiotherapy.

Steffi U Pigorsch, Chaline May, Kerstin A Kessel, Simone Graf, Henning Bier, Fridtjof Nüsslin, Birgit Waschulzik, Stephanie E Combs

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Steffi U PigorschDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Chaline MayDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Kerstin A KesselDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6544-8151
Simone GrafDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Henning BierDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Fridtjof NüsslinDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Birgit WaschulzikInstitute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-6365-7972
Stephanie E CombsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Technical University of Munich · DEHelmholtz Zentrum München · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe concept of dysphagia/aspiration-related structures (DARS) was developed against the background of severe late side effects of radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). DARS can be delineated on CT scans, but with a better morphological discrimination on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Swallowing function was analyzed by use of patient charts and prospective investigations and questionnaires.

methodSeventeen HNC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) ± chemotherapy between 5/2012 - 8/2015 were included. Planning CT (computed tomography) scans and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) prior, during 40 Gray (Gy) radiotherapy and posttreatment were available and co-registered to delineate DARS. The RT dose of each DARS was calculated. Five patients were investigated posttreatment for swallowing function and assessed by means of various questionnaires for quality of life (QoL), swallowing, and voice function.

resultsBy retrospective comparison of DARS volume, a significant change in four of eight DARS was detected over time. Three increased and one diminished. The risk of posttreatment dysphagia rose by every 1Gy above the mean dose (D mean) of RT to DARS. 7.5 was the risk factor for dysphagia in the first 6 months, reducing to 4.7 for months 6-12 posttreatment. For all five patients of the prospective part of swallowing investigations, a function disturbance was detected. These results were in contrast to the self-assessment of patients by questionnaires. There was neither a dose dependency of D mean DARS volume changes over time nor of dysphonia and no correlation between volume changes, dysphagia or dysphonia.

conclusionDelineation of DARS on MRI co-registered to planning CT gave the opportunity to differentiate morphology better than by CT alone. Due to the small number of patients with complete MRI scans over time, we failed to detect a dose dependency of DARS and swallowing and voice disorder posttreatment.

Indexed as

Magnetic Resonance ImagingSuctionTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdultAgedDeglutitionDeglutition DisordersFemaleHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSurveys and QuestionnairesVoiceYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID32877418
PMCPMC7467287
OpenAlexW3082715832

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.