The dosimetric effect of intrafraction prostate motion on step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiation therapy plans: Magnitude, correlation with motion parameters, and comparison with helical tomotherapy plans

Katja M. Langen, Bhavin Chauhan, Jeffrey V. Siebers, Joseph Moore, Patrick A. Kupelian

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the daily and cumulative dosimetric effects of intrafraction prostate motion on step-and-shoot (SNS) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans, to evaluate the correlation of dosimetric effect with motion-based metrics, and to compare on a fraction-by-fraction basis the dosimetric effect induced in SNS and helical tomotherapy plans. Methods and Materials: Intrafraction prostate motion data from 486 fractions and 15 patients were available. A motion-encoded dose calculation technique was used to determine the variation of the clinical target volume (CTV) D95% values with respect to the static plan for SNS plans. The motion data were analyzed separately, and the correlation coefficients between various motion-based metrics and the dosimetric effect were determined. The dosimetric impact was compared with that incurred during another IMRT technique to assess correlation across different delivery techniques. Results: The mean (±1 standard deviation [SD]) change in D95% in the CTV over all 486 fractions was 0.2 ± 0.5%. After the delivery of five and 12 fractions, the mean (±1 SD) changes over the 15 patients in CTV D95% were 0.0 ± 0.2% and 0.1 ± 0.2%, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the CTV D95% changes and the evaluated motion metrics were, in general, poor and ranged from r = -0.2 to r = -0.39. Dosimetric effects introduced by identical motion in SNS and helical tomotherapy IMRT techniques were poorly correlated with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.32 for the CTV. Conclusions: The dosimetric impact of intrafraction prostate motion on the CTV is, in general, small. In only 4% of all fractions did the dosimetric consequence exceed 1% in the CTV. As expected, the cumulative effect was further reduced with fractionation. The poor correlations between the calculated motion parameters and the subsequent dosimetric effect implies that motion-based thresholds are of limited value in predicting the dosimetric impact of intrafraction motion. The dosimetric effects between the two evaluated delivery techniques were poorly correlated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1220-1225
Number of pages6
JournalInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
Volume84
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2012
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Supported in part by Virginia Commonwealth University grants PO1CA116602 and T32CA113277 .

Keywords

  • Dosimetry
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
  • Intrafraction motion

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