<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>There are many situations in radiotherapy where multiple treatment plans need to be compared for selection of an optimal plan. In this study we performed the radiobiological method of plan evaluation to verify the treatment plan comparison procedure of our clinical practice. We estimated and correlated various radiobiological dose indices with physical dose metrics for a total of 30 patients representing typical cases of head and neck, prostate and brain tumors. Three sets of plans along with a clinically approved plan (final plan) treated by either Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) or Rapid Arc (RA) techniques were considered. The study yielded improved target coverage for final plans, however, no appreciable differences in doses and the complication probabilities of organs at risk were noticed. Even though all four plans showed adequate dose distributions, from dosimetric point of view, the final plan had more acceptable dose distribution. The estimated biological outcome and dose volume histogram data showed least differences between plans for IMRT when compared to RA. Our retrospective study based on 120 plans, validated the radiobiological method of plan evaluation. The tumor cure or normal tissue complication probabilities were found to be correlated with the corresponding physical dose indices.</p></abstract>

There are many situations in radiotherapy where multiple treatment plans need to be compared for selection of an optimal plan. In this study we performed the radiobiological method of plan evaluation to verify the treatment plan comparison procedure of our clinical practice. We estimated and correlated various radiobiological dose indices with physical dose metrics for a total of 30 patients representing typical cases of head and neck, prostate and brain tumors. Three sets of plans along with a clinically approved plan (final plan) treated by either Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) or Rapid Arc (RA) techniques were considered. The study yielded improved target coverage for final plans, however, no appreciable differences in doses and the complication probabilities of organs at risk were noticed. Even though all four plans showed adequate dose distributions, from dosimetric point of view, the final plan had more acceptable dose distribution. The estimated biological outcome and dose volume histogram data showed least differences between plans for IMRT when compared to RA. Our retrospective study based on 120 plans, validated the radiobiological method of plan evaluation. The tumor cure or normal tissue complication probabilities were found to be correlated with the corresponding physical dose indices.

Comparison of treatment plans: a retrospective study by the method of radiobiological evaluation

Department of Physics, Farook College, Kozhikode-673632, Kerala,

Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Oncology, Baby Memorial Hospital, Kozhikode-673004, Kerala,

Department of Physics, University of Calicut, Malappuram-673635, Kerala,

Department of Radiotherapy, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, UP,

Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

There are many situations in radiotherapy where multiple treatment plans need to be compared for selection of an optimal plan. In this study we performed the...

Comparison of treatment plans: a retrospective study by the method of radiobiological evaluation

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 61 - 68

Received: Apr 17, 2016

Accepted: Aug 29, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pjmpe-2016-0011

Keywords
plan evaluation, EUD, TCP, NTCP, DVH

© 2016 Polish Society of Medical Physics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Comparison of treatment plans: a retrospective study by the method of radiobiological evaluation

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 61 - 68

Received: Apr 17, 2016

Accepted: Aug 29, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/pjmpe-2016-0011

Keywordsplan evaluation, EUD, TCP, NTCP, DVH

© 2016 Polish Society of Medical Physics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
plan evaluation, EUD, TCP, NTCP, DVH