ABSTRACT
Objective@#To develop and evaluate an automatic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) program for cervical cancer based on a database of overlap volume histogram (OVH) and high-quality cervical IMRT plans for previously-treated patients.@*Methods@#A database consisting of high-quality IMRT plans and OVHs from 200 cervical cancer patients was established. OVHs of another 26 cervical cancer patients were converted into gray level images to calculate the image similarity compared with those from the database. The planning optimization function of the patients from the database with the highest image similarity was selected and inherent Pinnacle3 scripts were utilized to automatically generate IMRT plan. Finally, the dosimetric parameters, plan quality and design time were statistically compared between the automatic and manual plans.@*Results@#The target coverage, conformity index and homogeneity index did not significantly differ between two plans (all P>0.05). The V40, V45 and mean dose for the rectum in the automatic plans were significantly decreased by 6.1%, 1.3% and 50.7 cGy than those in the manual plans (all P<0.05). Compared with the manual plans, the mean dose for the intestine and femur in the automatic plans were significantly reduced by 31.7 cGy and 188.9 cGy (both P<0.05), whereas the mean dose for the ilium was slightly decreased by 92.3 cGy in the automatic plans (P>0.05). The plan design time was shortened by 71% in the automatic plans.@*Conclusions@#The automatic IMRT plans based on a database of OVH and high-quality IMRT plans can not only significantly shorten the plan design time, but also reduce the irradiated dose of normal tissues without compromising the target coverage and conformity index.
ABSTRACT
Objective To develop and evaluate an automatic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) program for cervical cancer based on a database of overlap volume histogram (OVH) and high-quality cervical IMRT plans for previously-treated patients.Methods A database consisting of high-quality IMRT plans and OVHs from 200 cervical cancer patients was established.OVHs of another 26 cervical cancer patients were converted into gray level images to calculate the image similarity compared with those from the database.The planning optimization function of the patients from the database with the highest image similarity was selected and inherent Pinnacle3 scripts were utilized to automatically generate IMRT plan.Finally,the dosimetric parameters,plan quality and design time were statistically compared between the automatic and manual plans.Results The target coverage,conformity index and homogeneity index did not significantly differ between two plans (all P＞0.05).The V40,V45 and mean dose for the rectum in the automatic plans were significantly decreased by 6.1％,1.3％ and 50.7 cGy than those in the manual plans (all P＜0.05).Compared with the manual plans,the mean dose for the intestine and femur in the automatic plans were significantly reduced by 31.7 cGy and 188.9 cGy (both P＜0.05),whereas the mean dose for the ilium was slightly decreased by 92.3 cGy in the automatic plans (P＞ 0.05).The plan design time was shortened by 71％ in the automatic plans.Conclusions The automatic IMRT plans based on a database of OVH and high-quality IMRT plans can not only significantly shorten the plan design time,but also reduce the irradiated dose of normal tissues without compromising the target coverage and conformity index.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the precision of full six-degree target shift corrections using the ArcCHECK system.Metbods Fourteen patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital from May to September,2015 were selected.The first treatment setup errors were obtained using cone-beam computed tomography.The setup errors were simulated in ArcCHECK,and the full six-degree target shift corrections was used to correct the errors.The plans without and with setup errors and the plan with corrected setup errors were taken.The paired t-test was used to compare dose to agreement (DTA) and Gamma passing rates between the plan without setup errors and the plan with setup errors and plan with corrected setup errors.Results The DTA and Gamma passing rates were (96.76± 1.57)％ and (98.35±0.92)％ for the plan without setup errors,(59± 21.42) ％ and (62.86± 21.63) ％ for the plan with setup errors,and (91.41± 4.82) ％ and (94.11±4.33)％ for the plan with corrected setup errors.There were significant differences between the plan without setup errors and the plan with setup errors and plan with corrected setup errors in DTA passing rate (t=6.64 and 5.13,both P＜0.05) and Gamma passing rate (t=6.15 and 4.19,both P＜0.05).Conclusions The full six-degree target shift corrections can be used in IMRT for NPC,with good results in correcting setup errors and improving the precision for IMRT dose distribution.