Management of radiation oncology patients with implanted cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrilators

Abstract

The increase in life expectancy along with the technological development in the last decades has resulted in an increase in the number of patients requiring pacemaker implants or implantable cardioverter defibrillators worldwide. An increase in the number of patients with implanted cardiac devices in radiotherapy is also expected due to the risk factors in common between heart disease and cancer. In 1994 the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) released    report about the management of radiation oncology patients with implanted cardiac pacemakers. The addition of new technologies, both in radiotherapy units and in the manufacturing process of heart devices, has shown the need for an updated protocol for the management of these patients.

In this work, the most important articles published after the report of the AAPM have been compiled, in order to analyze the effects not previously studied such as dose rate, scattered radiation, electromagnetic interference or random failures produced by neutrons and protons. Additionally, the latest recommendations given by the manufacturers have been analyzed and, finally, some indications are given as an updated guide for the management of radiation oncology patients with pacemakers or cardioverter defibrillators implanted.