Background and purpose: In this article the conversion of the dosimetry of three different kinds of IMBT (intensity modulated brachytherapy) implants into ICRU-58 formalism is presented. The results allow an inter-study comparison of relative reference doses between different sites.
Patients and methods: The evaluation included 76 patient plans: (a) 31 pelvic recurrences, (b) 30 base of tongue tumors, and (c) 15 orbita tumors were analysed retrospectively and the mean central doses (MCD) and relative reference doses were evaluated.
Results: The reference doses D(ref) normalized to the mean central doses of three subgroups resulted in (a) 66%, (b) 68%, and (c) 52%. This is in contrast to the generally proposed standard reference dose of 85% of the Paris system.
Conclusions: Reduction of the reference dose yields to higher dose inhomogeneities and affects the positive local tumor control. It was found that in IMBT implants the 85% reference dose of the Paris system is suitable for reporting purposes but not necessarily for dose prescription. Consequently, in IMBT implants the prescription dose of 85% should be critically used.