乳腺癌容积调强弧形治疗的射野边界外放方法

目的 针对乳腺癌容积旋转调强(VMAT)计划设计,建立射野边界自动外放方法,并评价其效果。方法 在Pinnacle³ 9.10计划系统制定乳腺癌边界外放的VMAT计划(E-VMAT):在计划CT图像的乳腺表面中间位置设置虚拟组织补偿物(P-bolus),将它作为靶区的一部分,进行VMAT计划优化计算,实现射野边界自动外放,然后保持优化得到的射野参数,去除P-bolus后进行最终计划剂量分布计算。选取10例乳腺癌患者,对比E-VMAT计划与常规VMAT计划的剂量学参数和计划执行效率。结果 在射野方向观图上,能观察到E-VMAT方法实现射野钨门和MLC叶片在胸廓方向上的位置外放到皮肤以外。两类计划的靶区和危及器官的剂量学参数相似,计划执行效率一致(P>0.05)。结论 本研究建立的方法可以有效地实现VMAT射野边界自动外放,防止由患者呼吸运动和(或)摆位误差引起的靶区漏照;方法不需要编程实现,适用于不同计划系统。

Margin expansion for treatment field of volumetric modulated arc therapy for breast cancer

Objective We developed a method to expand margin of beam aperture for VMAT treatment planning of breast cancer and evaluated its effectiveness in clinic. Methods An expanded VMAT (E-VMAT) plan for breast cancer using Pinnacle³ 9.10 planning system was made. A small tissue-equivalent bolus was added at the middle of the breast surface as part of the target and the VMAT plan was generated with beam aperture automatically expanded. Then the tissue-equivalent bolus was removed and the final dose distribution was calculated. Ten patients with breast cancer undergoing breast conserving surgery were tested. The dosimetrical metrics and delivery efficiency were compared between the E-VMAT plans and the routine VMAT plans. Results On the BEV view, it was observed that in E-VMAT plans the collimator and MLC leaf positions was extended outside the skin along the anterior-posterior direction of the thorax. There were no significant differences in conformity index and homogeneity index of target volume between the two types of plans and the planned delivery efficiency was consistent (P>0.05). Conclusions The method established in this study can automatically generate expansion of VMAT beam apertures and prevent missing of target volume due to respiratory motion and/or setup error of the patient. The method does not require programming skill and available for different treatment planning systems.