Retrospective Estimation of the Quality of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Plans for Lung Cancer

TL;DR

This study evaluates the quality of intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for lung cancer by analyzing various dosimetric indices and spatial relationships to develop a planning quality assurance framework.

Contribution

It provides a retrospective analysis of plan quality metrics and their correlation with spatial OAR-PTV relationships, aiding in the development of a quality assurance algorithm.

Findings

EUDs decrease with increased OAR-PTV distance.

Plan quality metrics vary across cases and are influenced by spatial relationships.

The study offers preliminary data for automated plan quality assessment.

Abstract

This study estimated the planning quality of intensity-modulated radiotherapy in 42 lung cancer cases to provide preliminary data for the development of a planning quality assurance algorithm. Organs in or near the thoracic cavity (ipsilateral lung, contralateral lung, heart, liver, esophagus, spinal cord, and bronchus) were selected as organs at risk (OARs). Radiotherapy plans were compared using the conformity index (CI), coverage index (CVI), and homogeneity index (HI) of the planning target volume (PTV), OAR-PTV distance and OAR-PTV overlap volume, and the V10Gy, V20Gy, and equivalent uniform dose (EUD) of the OARs. The CI, CVI, and HI of the PTV were 0.54 - 0.89 , 0.90 - 1.00 , and 0.11 - 0.41, respectively. The mean EUDs (V10Gy, V20Gy) of the ipsilateral lung, contralateral lung, esophagus, cord, liver, heart, and bronchus were 8.07 Gy (28.06, 13.17), 2.59 Gy (6.53, 1.18), 7.02 Gy (26.17, 12.32), 3.56 Gy (13.56, 4.48), 0.72 Gy (2.15, 0.91), 5.14 Gy (19.68, 8.62), and 10.56 Gy (36.08, 19.79), respectively. EUDs tended to decrease as OAR-PTV distance increased and OAR-PTV overlap volume decreased. Because the plans in this study were from a single department, relatively few people were involved in treatment planning. Differences in treatment results for a given patient would be much more pronounced if many departments were involved.