Quality of interstitial PDR-brachytherapy-implants of head-and-neck-cancers: Predictive factors for local control and late toxicity?

Using interstitial PDR-brachytherapy in head-and-neck-tumors the probability of local control and of the development of soft tissue necrosis or osteoradionecrosis is dependent on dose and volume parameter like the volume of the reference isodose, the high and peak dose values, on the homogeneity of the dose distribution, quantified by the quality index or the volume gradient ratio as well on the minimal tube distance.