hattori hidekazu

Background: Radiation pneumonitis (RP) and organizing pneumonia (OP) are the two main types of lung damage that can occur after lung irradiation. The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between RP and OP after irradiation for breast cancer. Methods: Four hundred and twenty-eight patients who underwent radiotherapy for breast cancer were identified. The whole breast was irradiated with two tangential photon beams. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan were performed when patients showed any symptoms that were suspicious for pneumonitis. Results: Five patients (1.2%) were diagnosed with OP. All five patients showed ground glass opacities and consolidation of the border of the lesion of RP in the radiation fields. Infiltration of OP spread from the site of RP to the hilum of the ipsilateral lung. Between RP and OP, a free region space (FRS) could be detected. Conclusions: OP is closely related to RP. All OP lesions developed near the site of RP.

Purpose: The incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in 2011 has again raised concerns with the public regarding radiation exposure, especially so in medical workers and patients undergoing treatment involving the use of radiation. Radioisotopes are currently used during sentinel node navigation surgery (SNNS) in operating rooms without radiation monitoring. To re-evaluate the safety issues, the potential effective dose (E poten) from 99mTc-tin (-Sn) colloid in breast cancer surgery was estimated and personal dose equivalents, H p(10) and H p(0.07), were measured during SNNS. Materials and methods: Seventeen breast cancer patients were enrolled. One day before SNNS, 99mTc-Sn colloid was injected around the tumor and radiation exposure rates were measured using survey meters. Personal dose equivalents for the surgical workers were measured. H p(10) and H p(0.07) for the body and H p(0.07) for the hands were recorded using semiconductor detectors and ring-type glass dosimeters. Results: The maximum E poten was 29 μSv per 74 MBq injection. The maximum H p(10) for the primary and assisting surgeons, nurse, and anesthetist was 3.7, 1.4, 0.3 and 0.6 μSv per SNNS, respectively. The maximum H p(0.07) for the hands was 100 μSv. Maximum radiocontamination 20 times higher than background (0.05 μSv/h) was detected in bloody gauze. Conclusion: The workers' radiation dose exposure from SNNS was not high, although radiation management such as a temporary cooling off period may be required. © Ejiri et al.

Purpose: Environmental pollution induced by lost radioactive seeds is an important social problem. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the time and place where lost seeds were found and to develop a method to prevent the loss of seeds from the time of insertion to the discharge of the patient from the hospital. Materials and Method: A total of 121 cases (7718 seeds) who received permanent insertion treatment from July 2006 to Dec 2007 were evaluated. During this period, the time and place of lost seeds was estimated from the place where the seeds were found. Results: A total of 43 seeds were found before discharge for a rate of 0.56% (43/7718). Four seeds were found in the operating room. Two seeds were found in the in-patient room before the balloon catheter was removed. Five seeds were removed from the bladder by surgery using cystoscopy. In addition, 32 seeds were found in the room when surveying the room for patient discharge. Five seeds were brought from the patient's house after discharge. Conclusion: To prevent the loss of seeds from the patients' room, which is the best way prevent environmental pollution, careful monitoring and careful surveys of the room are needed.