Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42293291›Full record

ReviewEJC paediatric oncology2026

Contouring and dose extraction of the maxilla, mandible and teeth on head and neck cancer radiotherapy planning scans.

Emma C Foster-Thomas, Koen B Krommenhoek, Shermaine Pan, Craig W Barclay, Angela Davey, Lucy S C Davies, Peter Sitch, Smile Consortium, Thomas Melichar, Marinka L F Hol and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in EJC paediatric oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Emma C Foster-ThomasDepartment of Restorative Dentistry, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, M15, 6FH, United Kingdom.
Koen B KrommenhoekDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Academic Centre Dentistry Amsterdam, (ACTA), 1081 LA, the Netherlands.
Shermaine PanDepartment of Proton Beam Therapy, Christie Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Manchester M20, 4BX, United Kingdom.
Craig W BarclayDepartment of Restorative Dentistry, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, M15, 6FH, United Kingdom.
Angela DaveyDivision of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
Lucy S C DaviesDivision of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
Peter SitchDepartment of Proton Beam Therapy, Christie Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Manchester M20, 4BX, United Kingdom.
Smile ConsortiumSMILE Consortium.
Thomas MelicharDivision of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
Marinka L F HolPrincess Máxima Centre for Paediatric Oncology, Utrecht, 3584 CS, the Netherlands.
Marianne AznarDivision of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Despite their vulnerability to radiation-induced damage, the maxilla and dentition are not routinely contoured in head and neck (HN) radiotherapy (RT), preventing accurate dose assessment and establishment of dose-effect relationships. This literature review aimed to: (1) identify published dentofacial contouring approaches, (2) synthesise current methods, and (3) where feasible, compare practices in paediatric and adult RT. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE and Embase were searched for studies that contoured the maxilla, mandible, or teeth in HN RT. Reference lists were manually screened. Results: Thirty-one (2003-2025) papers met inclusion criteria. Manual contouring predominated (77.4%), with substantial heterogeneity across all structures. Only seven studies (22.6%) contoured the maxilla. Tooth contouring varied from individual segmentation to variable groupings. Eight studies (25.8%) reported dental professional involvement. Conclusion: Dentofacial contouring lacks standardisation and predominantly relies on manual techniques. This variability impedes dose assessment and cross-study comparisons. Standardised international guidelines for the contouring of the maxilla, mandible and teeth are necessary to ensure uniformity and enable comparability between studies.

Indexed as

ContouringDental structuresDose extractionFacial structure delineationPaediatric CancerRadiotherapySegmentationTeethTooth delineation

Identifiers

PMID42293291
PMCPMC13254503

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.