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A three-dimensional system for radiation planning of remote gamma-therapy has been developed. The system is of a modular type, and it might be of interest to various specialists (radiologists, roentgenologists, oncologists, undergraduate and postgraduate students, etc.). The system allows archiving of stored information about patients and display of roentgenograms, computer tomograms, and magnetic resonance images. It also provides metric analysis of acquired data.

The paper presents a procedure of teleradiotherapy in patients with stages III-IV cancer of the cervix uteri with significant concurrent pathology. Control patients with the similar disease stages underwent combined radiation therapy. If there are contraindications to combined radiation therapy, teleradiotherapy is possible and required as an independent treatment that prolongs and improves the patients' like quality irrespective of the extent of a tumorous process.

The outcomes of radiation treatment of 70 patients with Stage I-II vulvar cancer are analyzed. Combined treatment was used in 10 patients (3 and 7 patients had Stage I and II, respectively), combined radical radiation therapy was applied in 21 patients (Stage II), split-course gamma-teletherapy was employed in 28 patients (6 and 22 patients with Stages II and III, respectively) and 3 females had short-range X-ray therapy. Palliative radiation therapy was performed in 8 patients with Stage III tumors. Complete clinical tumor resolution was achieved in 16 (57%) patients receiving gamma-teletherapy, 15 (71.4%) and in all three women having short-range X-ray therapy. It is recommended that patients with vulvar cancer should receive split-course radiation, which yields good late treatment results and prevents from significant local radiation reactions and complications. Early diagnosis and timely use of combined treatment provide best treatment results in patients with vulvar cancer and in those with other malignant neoplasms.

X-Ray diagnosis of secondary involvement of the vertebrae in Hodgkin's disease is difficult because pathognomonic shadow symptoms are absent. Interpretation of roentgenograms is still more difficult when a soft-tissue component which may simulate a "cold abscess" appears in the paravertebral area. Differential diagnosis is based on the clinical and x-ray correlations and histologic findings.

The authors a sum of the principal proofs, phenomena and facts that confirm the high efficacy of radiotherapy in acute and chronic inflammatory processes, degenerative dystrophic and hyperplastic diseases. The authors analyze the causes responsible for the unjustified rejection of the method in practical medicine and prove its efficacy in therapy of nontumorous diseases.

The hypophysis was studied by MR tomography in 148 patients with the most prevalent diseases of the hypothalamohypophyseal system and in 13 ones with primary hypothyrosis. The findings evidence a great variety of changes in the MRT picture in the examinees. The method permits a reliable diagnosis of hypophyseal macroadenoma and of an 'empty' sella turcica. Qualitative and quantitative criteria for MRT diagnosis of these conditions are suggested. The diagnostic value of MRT for the detection of macroadenomas is still to be researched. The method was effectively used for a dynamic follow-up of the hypophyseal status in the course of pathogenetic therapy; the formation of an 'empty' sella turcica is possible against the background of dopamine agonist therapy and substitution therapy of primary hypothyrosis.

The authors compare the incidence of bladder carcinoma recurrences and dissemination after long-distance gamma-beam therapy, carried out according to a traditional method, and in an accelerated hyperfractionation mode combined with metronidazole therapy. The recurrences were most frequently detected at the site of the primary tumor (62-67% of cases) in 6 to 18 months after the treatment. They come to a conclusion that accelerated hyperfractionation and local metronidazole radio-modification were conducive to a reduction of the incidence of recurrences from 45 to 28% as against the traditional split radiotherapy course in the classical fractionation mode.

The paper is devoted to analysis of the potentialities of radionuclide renography as a method for assessment of the effectiveness of radiotherapy of bladder cancer. The results obtained suggested close correlation between change of renal function and the results of irradiation. Normal renal function was observed in 3 patients, improvement--in 16 patients, and deterioration--in 8 patients whereas a complete effect of radiotherapy brought about the following figures: 5, 11 and 3, respectively. A conclusion was made of a high significance of renography parameters in objective assessment of the results of radiotherapy of bladder cancer in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.

The paper is devoted to analysis of the potentialities of radionuclide renography as a method for assessment of the effectiveness of radiotherapy of bladder cancer. The results obtained suggested close correlation between change of renal function and the results of irradiation. Normal renal function was observed in 3 patients, improvement--in 16 patients, and deterioration--in 8 patients whereas a complete effect of radiotherapy brought about the following figures: 5, 11 and 3, respectively. A conclusion was made of a high significance of renography parameters in objective assessment of the results of radiotherapy of bladder cancer in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.

The authors presented short-term and immediate results of radiation therapy of bladder cancer by a conventional method and optimized program, combining accelerated hyperfractionation and local radiomodification with metronidazole. A variant, proposed by the authors, included the use of a single focal dose of 1.4 Gy twice a day with a 4-hour interruption up to a total dose of 39.2 Gy. It was followed by a dose of 6 Gy once a week with preliminary administration of 2 g of metronidazole in 30-40 ml of 50 per cent dimexide solution in the bladder. A total of 2 large fractions of irradiation combined with metronidazole were used. This method was used for the treatment of 89 cancer patients. Better local control and survival in anemic patients with poorly differentiated cancer were observed.

The experience of the world leading hospitals confirms the high efficacy and appropriateness of radiation therapy of nontumorous diseases. The authors consider the general principles of the organization of radiotherapeutic service, discuss reasons that have led to a decrease in the use of this method for therapy of nontumorous diseases in this country. They also emphasize the fact that radiation therapy must have its place among therapeutic modalities used for nontumorous diseases.

Moving sectoral irradiation was given to 40 patients with primary (23) and recurring (17) rectal tumors. The patients received treatment 3 times a week by 2 daily fractions of 2.5 Gy with 4 h intervals. Better short-term results in primary and recurring tumors and the reduction of therapy duration were shown in comparing these patients with the control group of patients who were irradiated for 5 days a week by a single dose of 2 Gy.

The paper is devoted to the description of the combined methods of radiotherapy of urinary bladder cancer and the local use of metronidazole. At the 1st stage of therapy a dose of 140 cGy twice a day with 5-6 h interruption was delivered up to a summary dose of 43 Gy on conversion to small fractionation by the TDF factor. Then two fractions at a single dose of 6 Gy once a week were given. Altogether 36 patients were treated by this method. The control group of patients was given radiation therapy in a split course in the regimen of routine fractionation. Short-term therapeutic results were analyzed for both groups. The total positive effect was higher in the study group (81.25% versus 66.7%). A conclusion is that this method holds promise.

Since 1963 to 1975 one hundred and eighty eight patients were subjected to surgery with preoperative irradiation, using a betatron of 25 M. e. v. Irradiation was carried on during 2--3 weeks from 2 or 3 fields daily. A total focal dose ranged within the limits from 2500 to 4500 rad. Radical operations were performed in 159 patients, the mortality being 6.7%. The survival over 3 years--in 69.1%, over 5 years--in 57.3%. Postoperative irradiation using a betatron of 25 M. e. v. is found to contribute to an improvement of general condition in lung cancer patients and to render a positive effect on clinical and roentgenological signs of the disease. A comparative morphological study of diagnostic biopsy specimens and lung preparations, removed following irradiation, indicates various degree of cancer pathomorphosis up to tumor disappearrance and development of radiation sclerosis.

Preoperatively, 105 patients with cancer of the colon were subjected to radiation therapy with a braking beam from 25 MeV Betatron. The colon was examined roentgeno-endoscopically in all these cases. As a result of the radiation treatment a marked clinical effect was noted in 94 patients, while in 12 cases locally-unresectable tumors were rendered resectable. 77 patients were radically operated upon, and a morphological assay of the operation specimens indicated significant changes arising in the tumor tissue due to the effect of ionizing radiation. The results of the combined therapy of colonic cancer patients prove the rationale of employing high-energy radiation therapy preoperatively.

Analysis of a 3-6-year follow-up of 565 patients with deforming arthrosis, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, spondylarthrosis and calcareous bursitis indicates the efficacy of the proposed standardized complex of topometric and roentgenotherapeutic methods. Medical and social rehabilitation was achieved in most of the patients. The quantitative assessment of the therapeutic results makes it possible to interpret them objectively and unambiguously.