• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2014

The dose distributions within the real volumes of tumor targets and critical organs during internal target volume-based intensity-modulated radiation therapy (ITV-IMRT) for liver cancer were recalculated by applying the effects of actual respiratory organ motion, and the dosimetric features were analyzed through comparison with gating IMRT (Gate-IMRT) plan results. The ITV was created using MIM software, and a moving phantom was used to simulate respiratory motion. The doses were recalculated with a 3 dose-volume histogram (3DVH) program based on the per-field data measured with a MapCHECK2 2-dimensional diode detector array. Although a sufficient prescription dose covered the PTV during ITV-IMRT delivery, the dose homogeneity in the PTV was inferior to that with the Gate-IMRT plan. We confirmed that there were higher doses to the organs-at-risk (OARs) with ITV-IMRT, as expected when using an enlarged field, but the increased dose to the spinal cord was not significant and the increased doses to the liver and kidney could be considered as minor when the reinforced constraints were applied during IMRT plan optimization. Because the Gate-IMRT method also has disadvantages such as unsuspected dosimetric variations when applying the gating system and an increased treatment time, it is better to perform a prior analysis of the patient's respiratory condition and the importance and fulfillment of the IMRT plan dose constraints in order to select an optimal IMRT method with which to correct the respiratory organ motional effect.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.249-260
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• 2007

Purpose: In order to enhance the quality of IMRT as employed in Korea, we developed a remote monitoring system. The feasibility of the system was evaluated by conducting a pilot study. Materials and Methods: The remote monitoring system consisted of a head and neck phantom and a user manual. The phantom contains a target and three OARs (organs at risk) that can be detected on CT images. TLD capsules were inserted at the center of the target and at the OARs. Two film slits for GafchromicEBT film were located on the axial and saggital planes. The user manual contained an IMRT planning guide and instructions for IMRT planning and the delivery process. After the manual and phantom were sent to four institutions, IMRT was planed and delivered. Predicted doses were compared with measured doses. Dose distribution along the two straight lines that intersected at the center of the axial film was measured and compared with the profiles predicted by the plan. Results: The measurements at the target agreed with the predicted dose within a 3% deviation. Doses at the OARs that represented the thyroid glands showed larger deviations (minimum 3.3% and maximum 19.8%). The deviation at OARs that represented the spiral cord was $0.7{\sim}1.4%$. The percentage of dose distributions that showed more than a 5% of deviation on the lines was $7{\sim}27%$ and $7{\sim}14%$ along the horizontal and vertical lines, respectively. Conculsion: Remote monitoring of IMRT using the developed system was feasible. With remote monitoring, the deviation at the target is expected to be small while the deviation at the OARs can be very large. Therefore, a method that is able to investigate the cause of a large deviation needs to be developed. In addition, a more clinically relevant measure for the two-dimensional dose comparison and pass/fail criteria need to be further developed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2020

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) has disadvantages such as increasing the low doses of irradiation to normal tissues and accumulated dose for the whole volume by leakage and transmission of the Multi Leaf Collimator (MLC). The accumulated dose and low dose may increase the occurrence of secondary malignant neoplasms. For this reasons, the jaw tracking function of the TrueBeam (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) was developed to reduce the leakage and transmission dose of the MLC with existing linear accelerators. But quantitative analysis of the dose reduction has not been verified. Therefore, in the present study, we intended to verify the clinical possibility of utilizing the jaw tracking function in brain tumor with comparison of treatment plans. To accomplish this, 3 types of original treatment plans were made using Eclipse11 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA): 1) beyond 2 cm distance from the Organs At Risk (OARs); 2) within 2 cm distance from the OARs; and 3) intersecting with the OARs. Jaw tracking treatment plans were also made with copies of the original treatment planning using Smart LMC Version 11.0.31 (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). A comparison between the 2 types of treatment planning methods was performed using the difference of the mean dose and maximum dose to the OARs in cumulative Dose Volume Histogram (DVH). In the DVH comparison, the maximum difference of 0.5 % was observed between the planning methods in the case of over 2 cm distance, and the maximum of 0.6 % was obtained for within the 2 cm distance. For the case intersecting with the OAR, the maximum difference of 2 % was achieved. According to these results, it could be realized that the differences of mean dose and maximum dose to the OARs was larger when the OARs and PTV were closer. Therefore, treatment plans with the jaw tracking function consistently affected the dose reduction and the clinical possibility could be verified.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.32
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• pp.7-15
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• 2020

Purpose: In modern radiotherapy technology, several methods of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) are used to deliver accurate doses to tumor target locations and normal organs, including CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) and other devices, ExacTrac System, other than CBCT equipped with linear accelerators. In previous studies comparing the two systems, positional errors were analysed rearwards using Offline-view or evaluated only with a Yaw rotation with the X, Y, and Z axes. In this study, when using CBCT and ExacTrac to perform 6 Degree of the Freedom(DoF) Online IGRT in a treatment center with two equipment, the difference between the set-up calibration values seen in each system, the time taken for patient set-up, and the radiation usefulness of the imaging device is evaluated. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the difference between mobile calibrations and exposure radiation dose, the glass dosimetry and Rando Phantom were used for 11 cancer patients with head circumference from March to October 2017 in order to assess the difference between mobile calibrations and the time taken from Set-up to shortly before IGRT. CBCT and ExacTrac System were used for IGRT of all patients. An average of 10 CBCT and ExacTrac images were obtained per patient during the total treatment period, and the difference in 6D Online Automation values between the two systems was calculated within the ROI setting. In this case, the area of interest designation in the image obtained from CBCT was fixed to the same anatomical structure as the image obtained through ExacTrac. The difference in positional values for the six axes (SI, AP, LR; Rotation group: Pitch, Roll, Rtn) between the two systems, the total time taken from patient set-up to just before IGRT, and exposure dose were measured and compared respectively with the RandoPhantom. Results: the set-up error in the phantom and patient was less than 1mm in the translation group and less than 1.5° in the rotation group, and the RMS values of all axes except the Rtn value were less than 1mm and 1°. The time taken to correct the set-up error in each system was an average of 256±47.6sec for IGRT using CBCT and 84±3.5sec for ExacTrac, respectively. Radiation exposure dose by IGRT per treatment was measured at 37 times higher than ExacTrac in CBCT and ExacTrac at 2.468mGy and 0.066mGy at Oral Mucosa among the 7 measurement locations in the head and neck area. Conclusion: Through 6D online automatic positioning between the CBCT and ExacTrac systems, the set-up error was found to be less than 1mm, 1.02°, including the patient's movement (random error), as well as the systematic error of the two systems. This error range is considered to be reasonable when considering that the PTV Margin is 3mm during the head and neck IMRT treatment in the present study. However, considering the changes in target and risk organs due to changes in patient weight during the treatment period, it is considered to be appropriately used in combination with CBCT.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

Purpose: A selection of proper energy in treatment planning is very important because of having different dose distribution in body as photon energy. In generally, the low energy photon has been used in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for head and neck (H&N) cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of partially used high energy photon at posterior oblique fields on IMRT plan for H&N cancer. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 10 patients (nasopharyngeal cancer 5, tonsilar cancer 5) treated with IMRT in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. CT images were acquired 3 mm of thickness in the same condition and the treatment plan was performed by Eclipse (Ver.7.1, Varian, Palo Alto, USA). Two plans were generated under same planing objectives, dose volume constraints, and eight fields setting: (1) The low energy plan (LEP) created using 6 MV beam alone, (2) the partially used high energy plan (PHEP) created partially using 15 MV beam at two posterior oblique fields with deeper penetration depths, while 6 MV beam was used at the rest of fields. The plans for LEP and PHEP were compared in terms of coverage, conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) for planning target volume (PTV). For organs at risk (OARs), $D_{mean}$ and $D_{50%}$ were analyzed on both parotid glands and $D_{max}$, $D_{1%}$ for spinal cord were analyzed. Integral dose (ID) and total monitor unit (MU) were compared as addition parameters. For the comparing dose to normal tissue of posterior neck, the posterior-normal tissue volume (P-NTV) was set on the patients respectively. The $D_{mean}$, $V_{20Gy}$ and $V_{25Gy}$ for P-NTV were evaluated by using dose volume histogram (DVH). Results: The dose distributions were similar with regard to coverage, CI and HI for PTV between the LEP and PHEP. No evident difference was observed in the spinal cord. However, the $D_{mean}$, $D_{50%}$ for both parotid gland were slightly reduced by 0.6%, 0.7% in PHEP. The ID was reduced by 1.1% in PHEP, and total MU for PHEP was 1.8% lower than that for LEP. In the P-NTV, the $D_{mean}$, $V_{20Gy}$ and $V_{25Gy}$ of the PHEP were 1.6%, 1.8% and 2.9% lower than those of LEP. Conclusion: Dose to some OARs and a normal tissue, total monitor unit were reduced in IMRT plan with partially used high energy photon. Although these reduction are unclear how have a clinical benefit to patient, application of the partially used high energy photon could improve the overall plan quality of IMRT for head and neck cancer.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2010

Purpose : The clinical characteristics and associated anomalies in children with solitary kidney (SK) were analyzed retrospectively. Methods : Total 38 children diagnosed to have SK at our hospital between December 1989 and December 2009 were recruited, and the clinical records including imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed. SK was defined as unilateral renal agenesis by imaging studies only, and patients with regression of unilateral dysplastic kidney were excluded. Results : Among total 38 patients, 12 were male. The median age at the diagnosis of SK was 6.5 months (at birth-13 years). SK was detected by prenatal ultrasonography in 14 patients and during work-up for renal or urinary tract diseases in 13 (including urinary tract infection in 7). In 10 patients, SK was detected incidentally. Anomalies in the SK were noted in 17 patients including vesicoureteral reflux in 11. Other anomalies in the genitourinary tract were present in 16 patients, and multi-organ-involving syndromes or chromosomal anomalies were detected in 9. The mean duration of follow-up was 9 years (9 months-20 years). Two patients developed chronic renal failure during follow-up, and the median serum creatinine concentration of the remaining 36 at their last follow-up was 0.6 mg/dL. Conclusion : SK may be isolated and clinically asymptomatic; it is frequently accompanied by other anomalies in genitourinary tract and other organs, some of which can induce progressive renal dysfunction. Early recognition of associated anomalies with SK and regular follow-up is recommended to reduce long-term risk.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2012

Purpose: We evaluated usefulness of abdominal compressor for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and hepato-biliary cancer and metastatic liver cancer patients. Materials and Methods: From November 2011 to March 2012, we selected HCC patients who gained reduction of diaphragm movement >1 cm through abdominal compressor (diaphragm control, elekta, sweden) for HT (Hi-Art Tomotherapy, USA). We got planning computed tomography (CT) images and 4 dimensional (4D) images through 4D CT (somatom sensation, siemens, germany). The gross tumor volume (GTV) included a gross tumor and margins considering tumor movement. The planning target volume (PTV) included a 5 to 7 mm safety margin around GTV. We classified patients into two groups according to distance between tumor and organs at risk (OAR, stomach, duodenum, bowel). Patients with the distance more than 1 cm are classified as the 1st group and they received SBRT of 4 or 5 fractions. Patients with the distance less than 1 cm are classified as the 2nd group and they received tomotherapy of 20 fractions. Megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) were performed 4 or 10 fractions. When we verify a MVCT fusion considering priority to liver than bone-technique. We sent MVCT images to Mim_vista (Mimsoftware, ver .5.4. USA) and we re-delineated stomach, duodenum and bowel to bowel_organ and delineated liver. First, we analyzed MVCT images to check the setup variation. Second we compared dose difference between tumor and OAR based on adaptive dose through adaptive planning station and Mim_vista. Results: Average setup variation from MVCT was $-0.66{\pm}1.53$ mm (left-right) $0.39{\pm}4.17$ mm (superior-inferior), $0.71{\pm}1.74$ mm (anterior-posterior), $-0.18{\pm}0.30$ degrees (roll). 1st group ($d{\geq}1$) and 2nd group (d<1) were similar to setup variation. 1st group ($d{\geq}1$) of $V_{diff3%}$ (volume of 3% difference of dose) of GTV through adaptive planing station was $0.78{\pm}0.05%$, PTV was $9.97{\pm}3.62%$, $V_{diff5%}$ was GTV 0.0%, PTV was $2.9{\pm}0.95%$, maximum dose difference rate of bowel_organ was $-6.85{\pm}1.11%$. 2nd Group (d<1) GTV of $V_{diff3%}$ was $1.62{\pm}0.55%$, PTV was $8.61{\pm}2.01%$, $V_{diff5%}$ of GTV was 0.0%, PTV was $5.33{\pm}2.32%$, maximum dose difference rate of bowel_organ was $28.33{\pm}24.41%$. Conclusion: Despite we saw diaphragm movement more than 5 mm with flouroscopy after use an abdominal compressor, average setup_variation from MVCT was less than 5 mm. Therefore, we could estimate the range of setup_error within a 5 mm. Target's dose difference rate of 1st group ($d{\geq}1$) and 2nd group (d<1) were similar, while 1st group ($d{\geq}1$) and 2nd group (d<1)'s bowel_organ's maximum dose difference rate's maximum difference was more than 35%, 1st group ($d{\geq}1$)'s bowel_organ's maximum dose difference rate was smaller than 2nd group (d<1). When applicating SBRT to HCC, abdominal compressor is useful to control diaphragm movement in selected patients with more than 1 cm bowel_organ distance.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2019

Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of Jaw-tracking(JT) technique in Intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) and Volumetric-modulated arc therapy(VMAT) for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer by analyzing volume dose of perimetrical normal organs along with the low-dose volume regions. Materials and Method: A total of 27 patients were selected who received radiation therapy for esophageal cancer with using $VitalBeam^{TM}$(Varian Medical System, U.S.A) in our hospital. Using Eclipse system(Ver. 13.6 Varian, U.S.A), radiation treatment planning was set up with Jaw-tracking technique(JT) and Non-Jaw-tracking technique(NJT), and was conducted for the patients with T-shaped Planning target volume(PTV), including Supraclavicular lymph nodes(SCL). PTV was classified into whether celiac area was included or not to identify the influence on the radiation field. To compare the treatment plans, Organ at risk(OAR) was defined to bilateral lung, heart, and spinal cord and evaluated for Conformity index(CI) and Homogeneity index(HI). Portal dosimetry was performed to verify a clinical application using Electronic portal imaging device(EPID) and Gamma analysis was performed with establishing thresholds of radiation field as a parameter, with various range of 0 %, 5 %, and 10 %. Results: All treatment plans were established on gamma pass rates of 95 % with 3 mm/3 % criteria. For a threshold of 10 %, both JT and NJT passed with rate of more than 95 % and both gamma passing rate decreased more than 1 % in IMRT as the low dose threshold decreased to 5 % and 0 %. For the case of JT in IMRT on PTV without celiac area, $V_5$ and $V_{10}$ of both lung showed a decrease by respectively 8.5 % and 5.3 % in average and up to 14.7 %. A $D_{mean}$ decreased by $72.3{\pm}51cGy$, while there was an increase in radiation dose reduction in PTV including celiac area. A $D_{mean}$ of heart decreased by $68.9{\pm}38.5cGy$ and that of spinal cord decreased by $39.7{\pm}30cGy$. For the case of JT in VMAT, $V_5$ decreased by 2.5 % in average in lungs, and also a little amount in heart and spinal cord. Radiation dose reduction of JT showed an increase when PTV includes celiac area in VMAT. Conclusion: In the radiation treatment planning for esophageal cancer, IMRT showed a significant decrease in $V_5$, and $V_{10}$ of both lungs when applying JT, and dose reduction was greater when the irradiated area in low-dose field is larger. Therefore, IMRT is more advantageous in applying JT than VMAT for radiation therapy of esophageal cancer and can protect the normal organs from MLC leakage and transmitted doses in low-dose field.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.43-49
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined changes in the position of the heat and lungs depending on the patient's breathing method during left breast cancer radiotherapy and used treatment plans to compare the resulting radiation dose. Materials and methods: The participants consisted of 10 patients with left breast cancer. A CT simulator(SIMENS SOMATOM AS, Germany) was used to obtain images when using three different breathing methods: free breathing(FB), deep inspiration breath hold(DIBH with Abches, DIBH), inspiration breath hold(IBH with CPAP, CPAP). A Ray Station(5.0.2.35, Sweden) was used for treatment planning, the treatment method was volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with one partial arc of the same angle, and the prescribed dose to the planning target volume (PTV) was a total dose of 50Gy(2Gy/day). In treatment plan analysis, the 95% dose (D95) to the PTV, the conformity index(CI), and the homogeneity index (HI) were compared. The lungs, heart, and left anterior descending artery (LAD) were selected as the organs at risk(OARs). Results: The mean volume of the ipsilateral lung for FB, DIBH, and CPAP was 1245.58±301.31㎤, 1790.09±362.43 ㎤, 1775.44±476.71 ㎤. The mean D95 for the PTV was 46.67±1.89Gy, 46.85±1.72Gy, 46.97±23.4Gy, and the mean CI and HI were 0.95±0.02, 0.96±0.02, 0.95±0.02 and 0.91±0.01, 0.90±0.01, 0.92±0.02. The V20 of Whole Lung was 10.74±4.50%, 8.29±3.14%, 9.12±3.29% and The V20 of the ipsilateral lung was 20.45±8.65%, 17.18±7.04%, 18.85±7.85%, the Dmean of the heart was 7.82±1.27Gy, 6.10±1.27Gy, 5.67±1.56Gy, and the Dmax of the LAD was 20.41±7.56Gy, 14.88±3.57Gy, 14.96±2.81Gy. The distance from the thoracic wall to the LAD was measured to be 11.33±4.70mm, 22.40±6.01mm, 20.14±6.23mm. Conclusion: During left breast cancer radiotherapy, the lung volume was 46.24% larger for DIBH than for FB, and 43.11% larger for CPAP than FB. The larger lung volume increases the distance between the thoracic wall and the heart. In this way, the LAD, which is one of the nearby OARs, can be more effectively protected while still satisfying the treatment plan. The lung volume was largest for DIBH, and the distance between the LAD and thoracic wall was also the greatest. However, when performing treatment with DIBH, the intra-fraction error cannot be ignored. Moreover, communication between the patient and the radiotherapist is also an important factor in DIBH treatment. When communication is problematic, or if the patient has difficulty holding their breath, we believe that CPAP could be used as an alternative to DIBH. In order to verify the clinical efficacy of CPAP, it will be necessary to perform long-term follow-up of a greater number of patients.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2018

Purpose : This study evaluates the usefulness of the Modified Hybrid-VMAT scheme with consideration of background radiation when establishing a treatment plan for multiple bone metastatic cancer including multiple tumors on the same axis. Materials and Methods : The subjects of this study consisted of five patients with multiple bone metastatic cancer on the same axis. The planning target volume(PTV) prescription dose was 30 Gy, and the treatment plan was established using Ray Station(Ray station, 5.0.2.35, Sweden). In the treatment plan for each patient, two or more tumors were set as one isocenter. A volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT) plan, a hybrid VMAT(h) plan with no consideration of background radiation, and a modified hybrid VMAT(mh) with consideration of background radiation were established. Then, using each dose volume histogram(DVH), the PTV maximum dose($D_{max}$), mean dose($D_{mean}$), conformity index(CI), and homogeneity index(HI) were compared among the plans. In addition, the organ at risk(OAR) of each treatment site was evaluated, and the total MU(Monitor Unit) and treatment time were also analyzed. Results : The PTV $D_{max}$ values of VMAT, VMAT(h) and VMAT(mh) were 3188.33 cGy, 3526 cGy, and 3285.67 cGy, the $D_{mean}$ values were 3081 cGy, 3252 cGy, and 3094 cGy; the CI values were $1.35{\pm}0.19$, $1.43{\pm}0.12$, and $1.30{\pm}0.06$; the HI values were $1.06{\pm}0.01$, $1.14{\pm}0.06$, and $1.09{\pm}0.02$; and the VMAT(h) OAR value was increased 3 %, and VMAT(mh) OAR value was decreased 18 %, respectively. Furthermore, the mean MU values were 904.90, 911.73, and 1202.13, and the mean beam on times were $128.67{\pm}10.97$, $167.33{\pm}7.57$, and $190.33{\pm}4.51$ respectively. Conclusions : Applying Modified Hybrid-VMAT when treating multiple targets can prevent overdose by correcting the overlapping of doses. Furthermore, it is possible to establish a treatment plan that can protect surrounding normal organs more effectively while satisfying the inclusion of PTV dose. Long-term follow-up of many patients is necessary to confirm the clinical efficacy of Modified Hybrid-VMAT.