Effects of lung tissue characterization in radiotherapy of breast cancer under deep inspiration breath hold when using Monte Carlo dosimetry. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Andersson, P.; Pettersson, N.; Lindberg, A.; Swanpalmer, J.; Chakarova, R.
• Is Part Of: Physica medica. Volume 90(2021)
• Page Start: 83
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Breast cancer radiotherapy -- DIBH -- Lung tissue characterization -- Absorbed dose -- Monte Carlo simulations; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Imagerie médicale -- Périodiques; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Rayons X -- Sécurité -- Mesures -- Périodiques; Physique -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmp.2021.09.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-1797

Abstract

Highlights: Addresses low-density lung description in MC reference dose calculations. Experimental measurements in air-filled phantom, corresponding MC calculations. Mass density characterization had large effect on the lung dose distribution. The effect of air/lung differentiation was not dominating. Dosimetry effects quantified for 15 clinical plans. Abstract: Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity of Monte Carlo (MC) calculated lung dose distributions to lung tissue characterization in external beam radiotherapy of breast cancer under Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH). Methods: EGSnrc based MC software was employed. Mean lung densities for one hundred patients were analysed. CT number frequency and clinical dose distributions were calculated for 15 patients with mean lung density below 0.14 g/cm 3 . Lung volume with a pre-defined CT numbers was also considered. Lung tissue was characterized by applying different CT calibrations in the low-density region and air-lung tissue thresholds. Dose impact was estimated by Dose Volume Histogram (DVH) parameters. Results: Mean lung densities below 0.14 g/cm 3 were found in 10% of the patients. CT numbers below −960 HU dominated the CT frequency distributions with a high rate of CT numbers at −990 HU. Mass density conversion approach influenced the DVH shape. V4Gy and V8Gy varied by 7% and 5% for the selected patients and by 9% and 3.5% for the pre-defined lung volume. V16Gy and V20Gy, were within 2.5%. Regions above 20 Gy were affected. Variations in air- lung tissue differentiation resulted in DVH parameters within 1%. Threshold at −990 HU was confirmed by the CT number frequency distributions. Conclusions: Lung dose distributions were more sensitive to variations in the CT calibration curve below lung (inhale) density than to air-lung tissue differentiation. Low dose regions were mostly affected. The dosimetry effects were found to be potentially important to 10% of the patients treated under DIBH.