• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.70-81
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the dosimetric difference between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in head and neck cancer (HNC). The study primarily focuses on low-dose spillage evaluation between these two techniques. Methods: This retrospective study involved 45 patients with HNC. The treatment plans were generated using the IMRT and VMAT techniques for all patients. Dosimetric comparisons were performed in terms of target coverage, organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing, and various parameters, including conformity index, uniformity index, homogeneity index, conformation number, low-dose volumes, and normal tissue integral dose (NTID). Results: No significant (P>0.05) difference in planning target volume coverage (D_95%) was observed between IMRT and VMAT plans for supraglottic larynx, hard palate, and tongue cancers. A decrease in dose volumes ranging from 1 Gy to 30 Gy was observed for VMAT plans compared with those for IMRT plans, except for V_1Gy and V_30Gy for supraglottic larynx cancer and V_1Gy for tongue cancer. Moreover, decreases (P<0.05) in NTID were observed for VMAT plans compared with that for IMRT plans in supraglottic larynx (4.50%), hard palate (12.80%), and tongue (7.76%) cancers. In contrast, a slight increase in monitor units for VMAT compared with those for IMRT in supraglottic larynx (0.46%), hard palate (2.54%), and tongue (7.56%) cancers. Conclusions: For advanced-stage HNC, both IMRT and VMAT offer satisfactory clinical plans. VMAT offers a conformal and homogeneous dose distribution with comparable OAR sparing and higher dose falloff outside the target volume than IMRT, which provides an edge to reduce the risk of secondary malignancies for HNC over IMRT.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2019

Purpose: To compare the dosimetrical and radiobiological parameters among various volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) techniques using restricted and continuous arc beams for left-sided breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Ten patients with left-sided breast cancer without regional nodes were retrospectively selected and prescribed the dose of 42.6 Gy in 16 fractions on the planning target volume (PTV). For each patient, three plans were generated using the $Eclipse^{TM}$ system (Varian Medical System, Palo Alto, CA) with one partial arc 1pVMAT, two partial arcs 2pVMAT, and two tangential arcs 2tVMAT. All plans were calculated through anisotropic analytic algorithm and photon optimizer with 6 MV photon beam of $VitalBEAM^{TM}$. The same dose objectives for each plan were used to achieve a fair comparison during optimization. Results: For PTV, dosimetrical parameters such as Homogeneity index, conformity index, and conformal number were superior in 2pVMAT than those in both techniques. $V_{95%}$, which indicates PTV coverage, was 91.86%, 96.60%, and 96.65% for 1pVMAT, 2pVMAT, and 2tVMAT, respectively. In most organs at risk (OARs), 2pVMAT significantly reduced the delivered doses compared with the other techniques, excluding the doses to contralateral lung. For the analysis of radiobiological parameters, a significant difference in normal tissue complication probability was observed in ipsilateral lung while no difference was observed in the other OARs. Conclusions: Our study showed that 2pVMAT had better plan quality and normal tissue sparing than 1pVMAT and 2tVMAT but not for all parameters. Therefore, 2pVMAT could be considered the priority choice for the treatment planning for left breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.985-992
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• 2016

Objective of the study is to evaluate volumetric and dosimetric alterations taking place during radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) and to assess benefit of replanning in them. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with LAHNC fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in a prospective study. Planning scans were acquired both pre-treatment and after 20 fractions (mid-course) of radiotherapy. Single plan (OPLAN) based on initial CT scan was generated and executed for entire treatment course. Beam configuration of OPLAN was applied to anatomy of interim scan and a hybrid plan (HPLAN30) was generated. Adaptive replanning (RPLAN30) for remaining fractions was done and dose distribution with and without replanning compared for remaining fractions. Results: Substantial shrinkage of target volume (TV) and parotids after 4 weeks of radiotherapy was reported (p<0.05). No significant difference between planned and delivered doses was seen for remaining fractions. Hybrid plans showed increase in delivered dose to spinal cord and parotids for remaining fractions. Interim replanning improved homogeneity of treatment plan and significantly reduced doses to cord (Dmax, D2% and D1%) and ipsilateral parotid (D33%, D50% and D66%) (p<0.05). Conclusions: Use of one or two mid-treatment CT scans and replanning provides greater normal tissue sparing along with improved TV coverage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2573-2577
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• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine a method of dose prescription that minimizes normal tissue irradiation outside the planning target volume (PTV) during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Previous research and patients with typical T1 lung tumors with peripheral lesions in the lung were selected for analysis. A PTV and several organs at risk (OARs) were constructed for the dose calculated; six treatment plans employing intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were produced, in which the dose was prescribed to encompass the PTV, with the prescription isodose level (PIL) set at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 95% of the isocenter dose. Additionally, four OARs around the PTV were constructed to evaluate the dose received in adjacent tissues. Results: The use of higher PILs for SBRT resulted in improved sparing of OARs, with the exception of the volume of lung treated with a lower dose. Conclusions: The use of lower PILs is likely to create significant inhomogeneity of the dose delivered to the target, which may be beneficial for the control of tumors with poor conformity indices.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.463-475
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• 2015

The standard treatment of locally advanced type of mid-esophageal cancer is concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CRT). We evaluated the feasibility of chemotherapy with adding docetaxel to the classical basic regimens of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiotherapy up to 70.2 Gy using dose escalations for esophageal cancer. It was possible to escalate radiation treatment dose up to 70.2 Gy by the respiratory-gated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (gated-IMRT) based on the 4DCT-simulation, with improving target coverage and normal tissue (ex., lung, heart, and spinal cord) sparing. This study suggested that the definitive chemo-radiotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (i.e., DCF-R) and gating IMRT is tolerable and active in patients with locally advanced mid-esophageal cancer (AEC).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 1997

Purpose : This is study of whether 3-D conformal radiotherapy for carcino-mas of the ethmoid sinus were better than those treated with conventional 2-D plan, Materials and Methods : The 3-D conformal treatment Plans were compared with conventional 2-D plans in 4 patients with malignancy of the ethmoid sinus. Isodose distribution, dose statistics, and dose volume histogram of the planning target volume were used to evaluate differences between 2-D and 3-D plans. In addition. the risk of radiation exposure of surrounding normal critical organs are evaluated by means of point dose calculation and dose volume histogram. Results : 3-D conformal treatment plans for each patient that the better tumor coverages by the planning target volume with improved dose homo-geneity, compared to 2-D conventional treatment Plans in the same Patient. On the other hand, the radiation dose distributions to the surrounding nor-mal tissue organs, such as the orbit and optic nerves are not significantly reduced with our technique, but a substantial sparing in the brain stem and optic chiasm for each patient. Conclusion : Our findings represented the potential advantage of 3-D treatment planning for dose homogeniety as well as sparing of the normal tissue surrounding the tumor. However, further investigational studies are required to define the clinical benefit.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2016

Since the head and neck region is densely located with organs at risk (OAR), OAR-sparing is an important issue in the treatment of head and neck cancers. This study-in which different treatment plans were performed varying the head tilt angle on brain tumor patients-investigates the optimal head elevation angle for sparing normal organs (e.g. the hippocampus) and further compares the dosimetric characteristics of different types of radiation equipment. we performed 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and tomotherapy on 10 patients with brain tumors in the frontal lobe while varying the head tilt angle of patients to analyze the dosimetric characteristics of different therapy methods. In each treatment plan, 95% of the tumor volume was irradiated with a dose of 40 Gy in 10 fractions. The step and shoot technique with nine beams was used for IMRT, and the same prescription dose was delivered to the tumor volume for the 3D-CRT and tomotherapy plans. The homogeneity index, conformity index, and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were calculated. At a head elevation angle of $30^{\circ}$, conformity of the isodose curve to the target increased on average by 53%, 8%, and 5.4%. In 3D-CRT, the maximum dose received by the brain stem decreased at $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, and $40^{\circ}$, compared to that observed at $0^{\circ}$. The NTCP value of the hippocampus observed in each modality was the highest at a head and neck angle of $0^{\circ}$ and the lowest at $30^{\circ}$. This study demonstrates that the elevation of the patients' head tilt angle in radiation therapy improves the target region's homogeneity of dose distribution by increasing the tumor control rate and conformity of the isodose curve to the target. Moreover, the study shows that the elevation of the head tilt angle lowers the NTCP by separating the tumor volume from the normal tissues, which helps spare OARs and reduce the delivered dose to the hippocampus.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2010

In this paper, we evaluated the performance of 3D CRT, IMRT and three kind of RA plannings to investigate the clinical effect of RA with liver cancer case. The patient undergoing liver cancer of small volume and somewhat constant motion were selected. We performed 3D CRT, IMRT and RA plannings such as 2RA, limited triple arcs (3RA) and 3MRA with Eclipse version 8.6.15. The same dose volume objectives were defined for only CTV, PTV and body except heart, liver and partial body in IMRT and RA plannings. The steepness of dose gradient around tumor was determined by the Normal Tissue Objective function with the same parameters in place of respective definitions of dose volume objectives for the normal organs. The approach between the defined dose constraints and the practical DVH of CTV, PTV and Body was the best in 3MRA and the worst in IMRT. The DVHs were almost the same among RAs. Plans were evaluated using Conformity Index (CI), Homogeneity Index (HI) and Quality of coverage (QoC) by RTOG after prescription with dose level surrounding 98% of PTV in the respective plans. As a result, 3MRA planning showed the better favorable indices than that of the others and achieved the lowest MUs. In this study, RA planning is a technique that is possible to obtain the faster and better dose distribution than 3D CRT or IMRT techniques. Our result suggest that 3MRA planning is able to reduce the MUs further, keeping a similar or better targer dose homogeneity, conformity and sparing normal tissue than 2RA or 3RA.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2008

TomoTherapy has a merit to treat cancer with Intensity modulated radiation and combines precise 3-D imaging from computerized tomography (CT scanning) with highly targeted radiation beams and rotating beamlets. In this paper, we comparing the dose distribution between TomoTherapy and linear accelerator based intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for 10 Head & Neck patients using TomoTherapy which is newly installed and operated at National Cancer Center since Sept. 2006. Furthermore, we estimate how the homogeneity and Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) are changed by motion of target. Inverse planning was carried out using CadPlan planning system (CadPlan R.6.4.7, Varian Medical System Inc. 3100 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1129, USA). For each patient, an inverse IMRT plan was also made using TomoTherapy Hi-Art System (Hi-Art2_2_4 2.2.4.15, TomoTherapy Incorporated, 1240 Deming Way, Madson, WI 53717-1954, USA) and using the same targets and optimization goals. All TomoTherapy plans compared favorably with the IMRT plans regarding sparing of the organs at risk and keeping an equivalent target dose homogeneity. Our results suggest that TomoTherapy is able to reduce the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) further, keeping a similar target dose homogeneity.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2000

Purpose : Although using the high energy Photon beam with conventional Parallel-opposed beams radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radiation-induced xerostomia is a troublesome problem for patients. We conducted this study to explore a new parotid gland sparing technique in 3-D conformal radiotherapy (3-D CRT) in an effort to prevent the radiation-induced xerostomia. Materials and Methods : We peformed three different planning for four clinically node-negative nasopharyngeal cancer patients with different location of tumor(intracranial extension, nasal cavity extension, oropharyngeal extension, parapharyngeal extension), and intercompared the plans. Total prescription dose was 70.2 Gy to the isocenter. For plan-A, 2-D parallel opposing fields, a conventional radiotherapy technique, were employed. For plan-B, 2-D parallel opposing fields were used up until 54 Gy and afterwards 3-D non-coplanar beams were used. For plan-C, the new technique, 54 Gy was delivered by 3-D conformal 3-port beams (AP and both lateral ports with wedge compensator; shielding both superficial lobes of parotid glands at the AP beam using BEV) from the beginning of the treatment and early spinal cord block (at 36 Gy) was peformed. And bilateral posterior necks were treated with electron after 36 Gy. After 54 Gy, non-coplanar beams were used for cone-down plan. We intercompared dose statistics (Dmax, Dmin, Dmean, D95, DO5, V95, VOS, Volume receiving 46 Gy) and dose volume histograms (DVH) of tumor and normal tissues and NTCP values of parotid glands for the above three plans. Results : For all patients, the new technique (plan-C) was comparable or superior to the other plans in target volume isodose distribution and dose statistics and it has more homogenous target volume coverage. The new technique was most superior to the other plans in parotid glands sparing (volume receiving 46 Gy: 100, 98, 69$\%$ for each plan-A, B and C). And it showed the lowest NTCP value of parotid glands in all patients (range of NTCP; 96$\~$100$\%$, 79$\~$99$\%$, 51$\~$72$\%$ for each plan-A, B and C). Conclusion : We conclude that the new technique employing 3-D conformal radiotherapy at the beginning of radiotherapy and cone down using non-coplanar beams with early spinal cord block is highly recommended to spare parotid glands for node-negative nasopharygeal cancer patients.