title: Conformal prostate treatment planning using a low-energy (6-MV) beam.
abstract: A 4-field noncoplanar technique for treatment of prostate cancer developed at the University of Michigan was modified for use with low-energy (6 MV) beams. These modifications include the use of wedges on the 2 anterior inferior-superior oblique fields and adjusting the weights of the oblique and lateral fields appropriately. A margin of 1.5 cm around the physician-defined target region was used to define the blocks on each beam's-eye view. Dose distributions produced using this technique with 6-MV and 24-MV beams were compared visually on several dose planes (transverse and sagittal) and quantitatively by dose volume histograms (target, rectum, and bladder). These comparisons showed insignificant differences between the high-energy and low-energy treatment plans. Much larger differences were observed in comparisons of 2 types of coplanar plans with the noncoplanar setup for the 6-MV photon machine. Rectal doses measured in situ were used to help validate the dose distribution predicted by the treatment planning system for the 6-MV noncoplanar technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Scicutella
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalnicki
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods