Faculty of Physics - University of Bucharest

UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

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2024-11-23 18:06

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Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2023 Meeting

Section: Biophysics; Medical Physics

Title:

A comparative study of intensity - modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment planning technique using different number of fields in head and neck cancer

Authors:

Ana-Maria IGNAT(1), Claudia Gabriela CHILOM(1), Andreea Alexandra UDREA(2), Alina DUMITRACHE(2), Mihai Th. DUMITRACHE(2)

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Affiliation:

1) Department of Electricity, Solid Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, Măgurele, Romania

2) “Dr. Carol Davila” Central Military Emergency University Hospital Bucharest, Romania

E-mail

ana_ignat99@yahoo.com

Keywords:

radiotherapy, IMRT, conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), dose-volume histogram (DVH), H&Ncancer

Abstract:

The abusive consumption of alcohol and tobacco are the most common factors leading to the appearance of tumors localized in the head and neck sphere and they can cause severe damage to the oral cavity, pharynx, and oropharynx. In order to treat these conditions, it is recommended to use radiation therapy techniques, either as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with chemotherapy [1]. There are several radiotherapy treatment planning techniques, equally used in practice, but the choice of using one instead of the other depends on both the planner and the type of complexity of the tumor. In general, the treatment of complex tumors, with concave or irregular shapes, such as those located in the head and neck (H&N) area, is carried out with the IMRT technique [2]. Intensity - modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique is derived from 3D-CRT and is one of the most used techniques of radiotherapy nowadays. In the treatment planning process using the IMRT, an odd number of fields (e.g., 5,7,9 or 11), equally spaced are usually used. For evaluating the quality of the treatment plan, the tools such as dose-volume histogram (DVH), conformity indices (CI), and homogeneity indices (HI) are used [3]. The aim of this study was to present the influence of the number of radiation fields on the treatment plan as well as to determine the optimal number of fields for the treatment planning process of H&N cancer. Eight radiotherapy treatment plans have been created and compared by using DVH. To have a more comprehensive view during the evaluation process of the treatment plans, the coverage quality and the homogeneity of the dose in the target volume (PTV) were calculated and analyzed, too.

References:

[1]. Pfister D.G., Spencer S., Adelstein D. et al., , Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, J Natl Compr Canc Netw, 18(7):873-898, 2020. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2020.003.

[2]. Khan F.M., Gibbons J.P., Khan`s the physics of radiation therapy, Fourth edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014.

[3]. Al-Rawi S.A.I., Abouelenein H. et al., Evaluation of Conformity and Homogeneity Indices Consistency Throughout the Course of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment With and Without Using Adaptive Volumetric Modulated Arc Radiation Therapy, Advances in Radiation Oncology, 7, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adro.2022.100905.