scholarly journals Technical note: factors affecting dose distribution in the overlap region of two-segment total body irradiation by helical tomotherapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
HaiYang Wang ◽  
JunQi Liu ◽  
YiFei Pi ◽  
Qi Liu ◽  
Yang Mi ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To assess the effects of various treatment planning parameters to identify the optimal gap distance for precise two-segment total body irradiation (TBI) using helical tomotherapy (HT) with fixed jaw mode. Methods and materials Data of a treatment plan for 8 acute leukemia patients (height range: 109–130 cm) were analyzed. All patients underwent total-body computed tomography (CT) with 5-mm slice thickness. A lead wire, placed at 10 cm above the patella, was used to mark the boundary between the two segments. Target volumes and organs at risk were delineated using a Varian Eclipse 10.0 physician’s workstation. Different distances between the lead wire and the boundary of the two targets were used. CT images were transferred to the HT workstation to design the treatment plans, by adjusting parameters, including the field width (FW; 2.5 cm, and 5 cm), pitch (0.287 and 0.430), modulation factor (1.8). The plans were superimposed to analyze the dose distributions in the overlap region when varying target gap distances, FWs, pitches to determine the optimal combinations. Results The pitch did not affect the dose distribution in the overlap region. The dose distribution in the overlap region was mostly homogeneous when the target gap distance was equal to the FW. Increased FW diminished the effect of the target gap distance on the heterogeneous index of the overlap region. Conclusions In two-segment TBI treatments by HT with Helix mode, a gap distance equal to the FW may achieve optimal dose distribution in the overlap region.

2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
А. Логинова ◽  
A. Loginova ◽  
Д. Товмасян ◽  
D. Tovmasyan ◽  
А. Черняев ◽  
...  

Purpose: Combination of total body irradiation (TBI) with chemotherapy is widely used technique for conditioning before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patient with hematological malignancies worldwide. Total body irradiation for patients with high height has to be divided into two parts: irradiation of upper part of the patient’s body (including head, body and part of legs) and irradiation of lower part of the patient’s body (including leg). There is an area in which the fields overlap each other – the junction area. The aim of this work is the development and verification of simple junction technique that would provide the dose distribution in the junction area from 90 to 125 % of prescribed dose. Material and methods: Total body irradiation was performed on the Tomotherapy machine using helical geometry of the beam delivery. Distribution of the dose in junction area was investigated. Simple solution was proposed: during the optimization of the radiotherapy plan certain margin should be maintained between upper and lower targets while dose distribution in junction area satisfies the uniformity requirements for the given irradiation geometry. The dimension of the margin was determined experimentally using a CheesePhantom and radiochromic EBT-2 films. The uniformity of dose distribution in the junction area was monitored by in vivo measurements using radiochromic EBT-2 films located on the skin surface of patients. Results: The dimension of the margin at which the dose in the junction area is within the range of 90 to 125 % of the prescribed dose was determined experimentally and amounted to 5.25 cm. The values of the measured dose were in the range from 97 to 105 %. In total 18 in vivo measurements of the junction area were performed. According to the results of in vivo dosimetry, the values of the doses measured in the junction area were in the range from 93 ± 3 % to 108 ± 4 %. Conclusion:The developed planning method with the selected plan geometry ensures satisfactory heterogeneity of the dose distribution in the area of field junction between the upper and lower irradiation regions, despite of the existing uncertainty of patient positioning. Results were confirmed by in vivo measurements. The obtained data can be used for total body irradiation of the patients using Helical Tomotherapy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chae-Seon Hong ◽  
Min-Joo Kim ◽  
Jihun Kim ◽  
Kyung Hwan Chang ◽  
Kwangwoo Park ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Tomotherapy-based total body irradiation (TBI) is performed using the head-first position (HFP) and feet-first position (FFP) due to treatment length exceeding the 135 cm limit. To reduce the dosimetric variation at the match lines, we propose and verify a volumetric gradient matching technique (VGMT) by combining TomoHelical (TH) and TomoDirect (TD) modes. Methods Two planning CT image sets were acquired with HFP and FFP using 15 × 55 × 18 cm3 of solid water phantom. Planning target volume (PTV) was divided into upper, lower, and gradient volumes. The junction comprised 2-cm thick five and seven gradient volumes (5-GVs and 7-GVs) to create a dose distribution with a gentle slope. TH-IMRT and TD-IMRT plans were generated with 5-GVs and 7-GVs. The setup error in the calculated dose was assessed by shifting dose distribution of the FFP plan by 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm in the longitudinal direction and comparing it with the original. Doses for 95% (D95) and 5% of the PTV (D5) were calculated for all simulated setup error plans. Absolute dose measurements were performed using an ionization chamber in the junction. Results The TH&TD plan produced a linear gradient in junction volume, comparable to that of the TH&TH plan. D5 of the PTV was 110% of the prescribed dose when the FFP plan was shifted 0.7 cm and 1.2 cm in the superior direction for 5-GVs and 7-GVs. D95 of the PTV decreased to < 90% of the prescribed dose when the FF plan was shifted 1.1 cm and 1.3 cm in the inferior direction for 5-GVs and 7-GVs. The absolute measured dose showed a good correlation with the calculated dose in the gradient junction volume. The average percent difference (±SD) in all measured points was − 0.7 ± 1.6%, and the average dose variations between depths was − 0.18 ± 1.07%. Conclusion VGMT can create a linear dose gradient across the junction area in both TH&TH and TH&TD and can minimize the dose sensitivity to longitudinal setup errors in tomotherapy-based TBI.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-tao Dai ◽  
Li Ma ◽  
Ting-ting Cao ◽  
Lian Zhu ◽  
Man Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractTo perform a comparison of the different stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) plans between the Varian EDGE and CyberKnife (CK) systems for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. Fifteen patients with pancreatic cancer were selected in this study. The median planning target volume (PTV) was 28.688 cm3 (5.736–49.246 cm3). The SBRT plans for the EDGE and CK were generated in the Eclipse and Multiplan systems respectively with the same contouring and dose constrains for PTV and organs at risk (OARs). Dose distributions in PTV were evaluated in terms of coverage, conformity index (CI), new conformity index (nCI), homogeneity index (HI), and gradient index (GI). OARs, including spinal cord, bowel, stomach, duodenum and kidneys were statistically evaluated by different dose-volume metrics and equivalent uniform dose (EUD). The volume covered by the different isodose lines (ISDL) ranging from 10 to 100% for normal tissue were also analyzed. All SBRT plans for EDGE and CK met the dose constraints for PTV and OARs. For the PTV, the dosimetric metrics in EDGE plans were lower than that in CK, except that D99 and GI were slightly higher. The EDGE plans with lower CI, nCI and HI were superior to generate more conformal and homogeneous dose distribution for PTV. For the normal tissue, the CK plans were better at OARs sparing. The radiobiological indices EUD of spinal cord, duodenum, stomach, and kidneys were lower for CK plans, except that liver were higher. The volumes of normal tissue covered by medium ISDLs (with range of 20–70%) were lower for CK plans while that covered by high and low ISDLs were lower for EDGE plans. This study indicated that both EDGE and CK generated equivalent plan quality, and both systems can be considered as beneficial techniques for SBRT of pancreatic cancer. EDGE plans offered more conformal and homogeneous dose distribution for PTV, while the CK plans could minimize the exposure of OARs.


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 1663-1669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Claude Lavallée ◽  
Sylviane Aubin ◽  
Mario Chrétien ◽  
Marie Larochelle ◽  
Luc Beaulieu

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 1376-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Takenaka ◽  
Hideomi Yamashita ◽  
Takashi Toya ◽  
Akihiro Haga ◽  
Shino Shibata ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Uehara ◽  
Hajime Monzen ◽  
Mikoto Tamura ◽  
Masahiro Inada ◽  
Masakazu Otsuka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The use of total body irradiation (TBI) with linac-based volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) has been steadily increasing. Helical tomotherapy has been applied in TBI and total marrow irradiation to reduce the dose to critical organs, especially the lungs. However, the methodology of TBI with Halcyon™ linac remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether VMAT with Halcyon™ linac can be clinically used for TBI. Methods VMAT planning with Halcyon™ linac was conducted using a whole-body computed tomography data set. The planning target volume (PTV) included the body cropped 3 mm from the source. A dose of 12 Gy in six fractions was prescribed for 50% of the PTV. The organs at risk (OARs) included the lens, lungs, kidneys, and testes. Results The PTV D98%, D95%, D50%, and D2% were 8.9 (74.2%), 10.1 (84.2%), 12.6 (105%), and 14.2 Gy (118%), respectively. The homogeneity index was 0.42. For OARs, the Dmean of the lungs, kidneys, lens, and testes were 9.6, 8.5, 8.9, and 4.4 Gy, respectively. The V12Gy of the lungs and kidneys were 4.5% and 0%, respectively. The Dmax of the testes was 5.8 Gy. Contouring took 1–2 h. Dose calculation and optimization was performed for 3–4 h. Quality assurance (QA) took 2–3 h. The treatment duration was 23 min. Conclusions A planning study of TBI with Halcyon™ to set up VMAT-TBI, dosimetric evaluation, and pretreatment QA, was established.


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