Dosimetric Uncertainties Resulting From Interfractional Anatomic Variations for Patients Receiving Pancreas Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Cone Beam Computed Tomography Image Guidance

Joshua S. Niedzielski, Yufei Liu, Sylvia S.W. Ng, Rachael M. Martin, Luis A. Perles, Sam Beddar, Neal Rebueno, Eugene J. Koay, Cullen Taniguchi, Emma B. Holliday, Prajnan Das, Grace L. Smith, Bruce D. Minsky, Ethan B. Ludmir, Joseph M. Herman, Albert Koong, Gabriel O. Sawakuchi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To estimate the effects of interfractional anatomic changes on dose to organs at risk (OARs) and tumors, as measured with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image guidance for pancreatic stereotactic body radiation therapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: We evaluated 11 patients with pancreatic cancer whom were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (33-40 Gy in 5 fractions) using daily CT-on-rails (CTOR) image guidance immediately before treatment with breath-hold motion management. CBCT alignment was simulated in the treatment planning software by aligning the original planning CT to each fractional CTOR image set via fiducial markers. CTOR data sets were used to calculate fractional doses after alignment by applying the rigid shift of the planning CT and CTOR image sets to the planning treatment isocenter and recalculating the fractional dose. Accumulated dose to the gross tumor volume (GTV), tumor vessel interface, duodenum, small bowel, and stomach were calculated by summing the 5 fractional absolute dose-volume histograms into a single dose-volume histogram for comparison with the original planned dose.

RESULTS: Four patients had a GTV D100% of at least 1.5 Gy less than the fractional planned value in several fractions; 4 patients had fractional underestimation of duodenum dose by 1.0 Gy per fraction. The D1.0 cm 3 <35 Gy constraint was violated for at least 1 OAR in 3 patients, with either the duodenum (n = 2) or small bowel (n = 1) D1.0 cm 3 being higher on the accumulated dose distribution (P = .01). D100% was significantly lower according to accumulated dose GTV (P = .01) and tumor vessel interface (P = .02), with 4 and 2 patients having accumulated D100% ≥4 Gy lower than the planned value for the GTV and tumor vessel interface, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: For some patients, CBCT image guidance based on fiducial alignment may cause large dosimetric uncertainties for OARs and target structures, according to accumulated dose.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1298-1309
Number of pages12
JournalInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
Volume111
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cancer Research

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