Radiation Medicine and Protection最新文献

{"title":"Advances in low-dose spectral computed tomography imaging for colorectal cancer","authors":"Jingyi Zhang,&nbsp;Dongdong Song","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This systematic review examines the technological principles and clinical applications of low-dose spectral computed tomography (CT) in colorectal cancer (CRC). Although spectral CT provides significant functional and quantitative insights beyond conventional anatomical imaging, the associated high radiation exposure necessitates the development of low-dose imaging protocols. This review synthesizes the current evidence on methods used to achieve acceptable image quality with reduced radiation dose, using techniques such as automatic tube current modulation and high-pitch scanning. A summary of the reviewed studies indicates that these low-dose protocols can maintain adequate diagnostic performance for key clinical tasks in CRC, including vascular visualization, tumor delineation, and the development of radiomics and deep learning-based diagnostic models. The emerging use of advanced reconstruction techniques—particularly artificial intelligence-based iterative reconstruction and deep learning image reconstruction algorithms—shows promise in supporting substantial dose reduction without compromising diagnostic confidence. In addition to advances in reconstruction algorithms, photon-counting CT represents a promising future direction owing to its inherently higher dose efficiency and spatial resolution. Continued research in radiomics and deep learning models is also pivotal to the future of medical imaging, as these approaches hold strong potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy, support individualized treatment planning, and advance precision medicine in CRC imaging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 321-326"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of boiling time on radionuclide concentration in seafood","authors":"Xiaolei Shen ,&nbsp;Yue Feng ,&nbsp;Yuyang Yao ,&nbsp;Feng Tian ,&nbsp;Peng Dang ,&nbsp;Qinghua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To reveal the effect of boiling time on radionuclide concentrations in seafood by investigating boiling-represented cooking practices, in order to fill the knowledge gap on how boiling time affects human radiation exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 13 seafood species of four categories (fish, crustacean, mollusk and algae) were collected from the coastal areas of China and analyzed for radionuclide contents left after boiling at 5, 10, 20 and 40 ​min under 100°C. Gross α and β, ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ¹³⁷Cs were measured using the low background α and β counter and the gamma-spectrometer.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The contents of radionuclides decreased significantly with the increasing boiling time. The average retention rate of α-emitting radionuclide in in fish, crustacean, mollusk, and algae decreased to 64.47%, 53.34%, 84.12% and 62.63% after 5 ​min of boiling, respectively, and then to 15.46%, 14.21%, 71.94%, and 27.27% after 40 ​min, respectively. The average retention rate of β-emitting radionuclide in in fish, crustacean, mollusk, and algae decreased to 64.89%, 43.43%, 66.55% and 63.30% after 5 ​min, respectively, and then to 47.90%, 29.01%, 45.96%, and 53.24% after 40 ​min. The greatest loss of solubility was observed for ⁴⁰K with the average retention rate of 47.16% after 10 ​min, and higher retention rate of 87.86% and 90.03% in ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Boiling is effective in reducing the radionuclide content, with the committed effective dose (CED) reduction of 44.6% achieved by boiling for 10 ​min, mainly due to the reduction in ⁴⁰K. A full assessment will also be needed to incorporate more radionuclides (²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁸Ra) into the calculations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 343-350"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial intelligence in radiobiology: Bridging mechanisms and data analysis","authors":"Yahe Wang ,&nbsp;Wenfeng Li ,&nbsp;Nanxin Xu ,&nbsp;Dafei Xie ,&nbsp;Xin Huang ,&nbsp;Ping-Kun Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is profoundly transforming research paradigms in radiobiology. By integrating multimodal data, AI models have significantly enhanced both the efficiency and accuracy of elucidating complex radiobiological mechanisms and biomarker discovery. This review provides an in-depth examination of the critical roles of artificial intelligence in mechanism-based radiosensitivity prediction, biomarker discovery, and multi-dimensional data integration. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in bridging fundamental research and clinical practice, thereby broadening the scope of discussion. Advances in ethical regulatory frameworks and the accumulation of clinical validation evidence are jointly driving AI to become a key driver in radiobiology research. The review highlights how AI, by establishing a dynamic closed-loop connecting data, models, and mechanisms, enhances the precision, efficiency, and personalization of radiobiology research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 301-311"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145801968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-species radioprotection: insights from tardigrade multi-omics","authors":"Hao Bai ,&nbsp;Shuai Qu ,&nbsp;Junlong Dai ,&nbsp;Shuyu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although the search for appropriate radiation countermeasures has been ongoing for decades, there remains a lack of safe and effective radioprotective pharmaceuticals for preventing, mitigating, or treating acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and other severe radiation injuries, and only a handful of drugs have been approved for clinical use with various side-effects. It has been increasingly recognized that valuable radiation countermeasures can be derived from Earth-based species exhibiting resistance to extremely high levels of ionizing radiation. In the pursuit of the mechanisms that govern radiosensitivity, a groundbreaking study in <em>Science</em> has delved into the radiation tolerance mechanisms of the tardigrade <em>Hypsibius henanensis sp. nov.</em>, revealing cross-species radiation defense strategies by integrating genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomic. Three key findings emerged: The horizontal transfer of the 4,5-DOPA dioxygenase gene from bacteria enhanced antioxidant production. The tardigrade-specific protein TRID1 was crucial for DNA double-strand break repair through liquid-liquid separation. The up-regulation of mitochondrial function-related genes accelerated NAD⁺ regeneration for DNA damage repair. This multi-omics approach not only sheds light on the extraordinary survival strategies of radiotolerant species, but also opens a promising avenue for harnessing cross-species radiation tolerance to develop innovative radioprotective compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 327-331"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiotherapy for metastatic ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate with TP53, FOXA1, and BRCA2 mutations: A case report","authors":"Xuanyu Qin ,&nbsp;Hongzhen Li ,&nbsp;Wei Yu ,&nbsp;Shuai Hu ,&nbsp;Xuhe Liao ,&nbsp;Xin Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To report the multidisciplinary management and favorable outcome of a patient with metastatic Prostate ductal adenocarcinoma (PRAD) who harbors co-mutations in TP53, FOXA1, and BRCA2.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A 70-year-old man presented with dysuria and a high prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (74.58 ​ng/ml). Imaging revealed a large prostatic tumor with seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node involvement, and extensive bone metastases. Biopsy confirmed Gleason score 9 (4 ​+ ​5) adenocarcinoma with ductal and intraductal components. Genetic testing identified pathogenic mutations in TP53, FOXA1, and BRCA2. Initial treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) plus abiraterone and radical prostatectomy achieved biochemical response. However, he later developed symptomatic iliac bone metastasis with a sharply rising carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level despite undetectable PSA, prompting a biopsy that confirmed metastatic PRAD.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The patient received stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to the metastatic iliac and vertebral lesions, delivering a radical biological effective dose (BED₁₀ ​= ​117.6 ​Gy). This was followed by chemotherapy and subsequent maintenance therapy with the Poly (ADP-ribose) Polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib combined with goserelin. The patient achieved sustained biochemical and radiographic remission with no disease progression at the 5-year follow-up.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This case highlights the aggressive nature of PRAD. The combination of high-dose SBRT and PARP inhibitor therapy, tailored to the patient's molecular profile, resulted in prolonged disease control. It underscores the importance of genetic testing and multidisciplinary precision therapy in managing advanced prostate cancer with rare histologic subtypes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 351-355"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145801967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The influence of breast cancer susceptibility genes on radiotherapy efficacy and adverse toxicities","authors":"Junjie Liao ,&nbsp;Yangle Huang ,&nbsp;Lufan Tang ,&nbsp;Jiazuo Cai ,&nbsp;Jing Guo ,&nbsp;Bin Zhou ,&nbsp;Shaoyang Chen ,&nbsp;Jiqun Yi ,&nbsp;Zhibo Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy, with 5%–7% of cases hereditary, attributed to susceptibility gene mutations. Radiotherapy is vital in its treatment, but current guidelines lack consideration for genetic status. This review explored the relationships between breast cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA1/2, CHEK2, ATM, etc. and radiotherapy efficacy and adverse toxicity. Findings showed that BRCA1/2 mutations do not change the therapeutic index of radiotherapy. The impact of CHEK2 mutations on radiotherapy remains uncertain. For ATM, radiotherapy may still be appropriate despite conflicting evidence on efficacy. PALB2 mutation carriers can receive standard adjuvant radiotherapy, while data on BARD1 and radiotherapy are scarce. RAD51 mutations may enhance radiotherapy efficacy with tissue-specific side effects. TP53 mutations are linked to poor radiotherapy outcomes and increased toxicity, suggesting caution in using radiotherapy for related patients. PTEN mutations may decrease tumor response to radiotherapy while increasing normal tissue toxicity. The roles NF1, CDH1, and STK11 play in breast cancer radiotherapy need to be further studied. In summary, breast cancer susceptibility genes exert heterogeneous effects on radiotherapy, underscoring the clinical significance of personalized treatment tailored to genetic profiles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 312-320"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145801979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gap between knowledge and practice: A cross-sectional study on radiation protection among operating room staff in Zanjan Province, Iran","authors":"Kianoosh Aghajany ,&nbsp;Khadijeh Hajimiri ,&nbsp;Hossein Chehre ,&nbsp;Hamed Rezaeejam","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of operating room staff regarding radiation protection in hospitals affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and to identify demographic factors influencing their KAP scores.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted from May 2022 to April 2023. It included 172 non-radiology-designated operating room personnel (including nurses, surgeons, anesthesiologists, anesthesia technicians, and operating room technicians) from six hospitals, achieving a response rate of 75%. Data were collected using a validated 32-item KAP questionnaire, comprising 10 items on knowledge, 7 on attitude, and 15 on practice. All items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, and total scores were categorized as good, moderate, or poor.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>While 40.1% of participants demonstrated good knowledge and 87.2% exhibited a positive attitude, only 32.6 ​% reported good practices. Male staff had significantly higher knowledge scores than females (<em>P</em> ​&lt; ​0.05), but no gender differences were observed in attitude/practice. Age and education level showed positive correlations with KAP scores (<em>P</em> ​&lt; ​0.05), whereas work experience was not significantly associated with knowledge or practice.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Despite adequate awareness and positive attitude, practical adherence to radiation safety protocols among operating room staff remains insufficient. Targeted training programs and systematic monitoring are urgently needed to bridge this gap and enhance occupational safety in operating room settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 337-342"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comparative analysis of setup accuracy between 6D and 3D treatment couches in radiotherapy for lung cancer with brain metastases","authors":"Wei Zhang,&nbsp;Shirui Qin,&nbsp;Lu Hou,&nbsp;Wenbo Zhang,&nbsp;Bofei Liu,&nbsp;Yingwei Wu,&nbsp;Kun Zhang,&nbsp;Fan Liu,&nbsp;Shiyu Wu,&nbsp;Fukui Huan,&nbsp;Wenyang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate the accuracy of six-dimensional (6D) treatment couches in minimizing setup errors compared with three-dimensional (3D) treatment couches during radiotherapy for lung cancer patients with brain metastases.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 40 lung cancer patients with brain metastases who received stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) for brain metastases. The cohort was divided into two groups based on the availability of treatment units at the time of planning: 20 patients were treated using a 3D couch, and 20 patients with a 6D couch. Daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) registration was used to measure residual setup errors in the <em>x</em>, <em>y</em>, and <em>z</em> axes at two key cranial anatomical landmarks, specifically the internal acoustic meatus (IAM) and crista galli (CG), for both groups. The Shapiro-Wilk test was applied to assess the normality of the data, and the Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> test was performed to determine statistical differences between the two groups, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Baseline data indicated that the two groups were well-balanced in terms of gender, age, and distribution of pathological types, number of brain metastases, maximum metastases volume, and relative distance between metastases and isocenter (<em>P</em> ​&gt; ​0.05). Setup error data in all directions (IAM_<em>x</em>/<em>y</em>/<em>z</em>, CG_<em>x</em>/<em>y</em>/<em>z</em>) did not follow a normal distribution (<em>P</em> ​&lt; ​0.05). The Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> test revealed that setup errors in the 6D group were significantly smaller than those in the 3D group across all directions (IAM_<em>x</em>/<em>y</em>/<em>z</em>, CG_<em>x</em>/<em>y</em>/<em>z</em>, all <em>P</em> ​&lt; ​0.001). The mean error reduction exceeded 1 ​mm in all directions, with the most significant difference observed in the CG_X direction: 2.2 (1.3, 3.3) mm in the 3D group versus 0.3 (0.2, 0.5) mm in the 6D group, representing a difference of 1.9 ​mm.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The six-dimensional (6D) treatment couch effectively minimizes residual setup errors, especially rotational ones, in radiotherapy for lung cancer patients with brain metastases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 332-336"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expert consensus on technical and protection standards for digital chest X-ray examination in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area","authors":"Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area Imaging Technology Alliance ,&nbsp;Medical Imaging Technician Branch of Guangdong Medical Doctor Association","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digital chest radiography is a widely used modality for screening and diagnosing respiratory diseases. Within the Guangdong<em>–</em>Hong Kong<em>–</em>Macao Greater Bay Area, however, regional differences in equipment parameters, operating procedures, and radiation-protection standards have hindered medical collaboration, mutual recognition of results, and multicenter research. Meanwhile, although dynamic digital radiography (DDR) has been introduced into clinical practice, unified standards for image acquisition, functional evaluation, and radiation protection remain lacking. To address these challenges and promote high-quality integration of imaging services across the Greater Bay Area, there is an urgent need for a consensus that integrates both static and dynamic chest radiography while accommodating the regulatory frameworks and clinical practices of the three regions. The consensus establishes technical specifications, quality-control standards, and radiation-protection requirements applicable to both conventional and dynamic digital chest radiography. For the first time, it systematically integrates DDR acquisition under quiet breathing, forced breathing, and blood-flow sequences; defines methods for functional parameter extraction and clinical application scenarios; and provides BMI-stratified exposure recommendations with reference dose ranges. In addition, the consensus harmonizes relevant radiation-protection provisions from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, China, and Macao, China, thereby forming a unified and actionable system for quality control and safety management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 6","pages":"Pages 356-360"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145802038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empirical combination networks for head and neck organs at risk segmentation","authors":"Sijuan Huang ,&nbsp;Yuda Lin ,&nbsp;Yixuan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhen Li ,&nbsp;Yuliang Zhu ,&nbsp;Bo Fang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Huang ,&nbsp;Xin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.09.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.radmp.2025.09.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To comprehensively evaluate popular medical segmentation networks on the CSTRO dataset for head and neck organs at risk (H&amp;N OARs) segmentation, identify top performers, and integrate them into a robust hybrid network (Attention W-Net) for superior performance.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>U-Net, Attention U-Net, R2U-Net, UNet-plusplus, and CE-Net were selected and two novel architectures W-Net and SE-U-Net were developed. Using U-Net as the baseline, a first-stage experiment was conducted to evaluate the segmentation performance of these networks. Following initial evaluations, Attention U-Net, SE-U-Net, and W-Net achieved notably strong performance. Representative blocks were identified and extracted from these three networks to construct three hybrid architectures: Attention W-Net, SEW-Net, and Attention SEU-Net. Subsequently, a second-stage experiment was conducted to determine the optimal hybrid architecture.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the first stage, U-Net, Attention U-Net, R2U-Net, UNet-plusplus, CE-Net, W-Net and SEU-Net were tested and achieved 0.712, 0.755, 0.706, 0.710, 0.702, 0.708, 0.767, 0.749 of average dice similarity coefficient (DSC), respectively. Then the best three networks Attention U-Net, SEU-Net, W-Net were selected out. The hybrid networks Attention W-Net, Attention SEU-Net, SEW-Net were tested, and achieved 0.776, 0.768, 0.743 of average (DSC), respectively. In terms of the metric, Attention W-Net is the most effective networks for H&amp;N OAR segmentation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The Attention W-Net and SEW-Net are the better networks which achieve better results than the popular state-of-the-arts networks for head and neck OARs segmentation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34051,"journal":{"name":"Radiation Medicine and Protection","volume":"6 5","pages":"Pages 273-283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145340616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}