Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39915305›Full record

ArticleStrahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al]2026

Assessment of needle bending and tracking requirements for optimized needle placement in combined intracavitary/interstitial gynecologic brachytherapy.

Andre Karius, Vratislav Strnad, Michael Lotter, Stephan Kreppner, Ricarda Merten, Rainer Fietkau, Christoph Bert, Claudia Schweizer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al], 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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.

Andre KariusDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany. andre.karius@uk-erlangen.de.ORCID 0000-0002-3842-1375
Vratislav StrnadDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Michael LotterDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Stephan KreppnerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Ricarda MertenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Rainer FietkauDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Christoph BertDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
Claudia SchweizerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Universitätsstraße 27, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeNeedle tracking using external prediction techniques such as optical tracking is a modern approach aimed at improving implantation accuracy in gynecologic brachytherapy. This study aims to investigate the corresponding impact of needle bending in situ and to analyze needle path deviations from the intended locations occurring in our current clinical workflow that only considers ultrasound imaging without tracking.

methodsWe developed a semi-automated approach for reconstructing brachytherapy needles based on planning CTs and compared the respective accuracy to the also determined intra-observer variability of manual reconstructions. Based on this, we measured needle bending in situ for 89 patients and calculated the Euclidean distances between actual needle tips and needle tip predictions both longitudinally and laterally to the insertion direction. Furthermore, we compared actual and intended spacings between inserted needles to estimate implantation uncertainties with respect to our current clinical workflow.

resultsOur developed reconstruction featured an accuracy of 0.17 ± 0.08 mm, which was improved compared to the intra-observer variability of 0.21 ± 0.11 mm. Needle bending depended strongly on needle length and ranged from 3.6 ± 2.1 mm for 100-120 mm needles up to 7.9 ± 3.0 mm for 200-220 mm needles. Deflections in the transverse direction were substantially higher than tip deviations in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, we found deviations from an equidistant spacing between needle paths of 1.4 ± 1.2 mm in the transverse direction.

conclusionInserting brachytherapy needles can be substantially affected by transverse needle bending in situ, which should therefore be corrected for in prediction approaches such as optical tracking.

Indexed as

BrachytherapyGenital Neoplasms, FemaleNeedlesRadiotherapy, Image-GuidedRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedFemaleHumansTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdaptive brachytherapyImage guidanceIntraoperative navigationNeedle displacementOptical infrared tracking

Identifiers

PMID39915305
PMCPMC12819550

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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.