Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Performed at one institution, Observational, Retrospective, Cancer, Radiation therapy / Oncology, Radiation effects, Nuclear medicine conventional, Oncology, Nuclear medicine, Oncologic Imaging
Authors:
V. M. Rhodes1, T. Toma2; 1Southend/UK, 2SOUTHEND ON SEA/ESSEX/UK
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2020/C-00070
Background
SeHCAT scans have been used since the early 1980’s to diagnose bile acid malabsorption (BAM). Since then the frequency of referrals for SeHCAT scans has continued an upward trend as BAM has become increasingly recognized as an important cause of severe chronic diarrhea. (Stacey et.al 2015)
Pelvic radiotherapy treatment has been used as an effective cancer treatment for many years. However although PRT maybe successful at treating the cancer, it is impossible to prevent collateral damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
This damage can then result in long term health issues for the patient. The small intestine is known to be particularly susceptible to late effects of radiation damage and the effect of this on the patients quality of life can be significant.
On reviewing the radiotherapy fields , we noted that the radiotherapy field for treating gynaecologica cancer is larger than the prostate or colonic cancer radiation fields and covers more proportion of the small bowel loops. (Fig 1-3)
In addition to BAM the patient may suffer from Radiation Proctopathy, Radiation Enteritis (acute/chronic) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth from exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue after Radiotherapy treatment. (Phillips et.al 2015)