title: Intensity modulated proton therapy: a clinical example.
abstract: In this paper, we report on the clinical application of fully automated three-dimensional intensity modulated proton therapy, as applied to a 34-year-old patient presenting with a thoracic chordoma. Due to the anatomically challenging position of the lesion, a three-field technique was adopted in which fields incident through the lungs and heart, as well as beams directed directly at the spinal cord, could be avoided. A homogeneous target dose and sparing of the spinal cord was achieved through field patching and computer optimization of the 3D fluence of each field. Sensitivity of the resultant plan to delivery and calculational errors was determined through both the assessment of the potential effects of range and patient setup errors, and by the application of Monte Carlo dose calculation methods. Ionization chamber profile measurements and 2D dosimetry using a scintillator/CCD camera arrangement were performed to verify the calculated fields in water. Modeling of a 10% overshoot of proton range showed that the maximum dose to the spinal cord remained unchanged, but setup error analysis showed that dose homogeneity in the target volume could be sensitive to offsets in the AP direction. No significant difference between the MC and analytic dose calculations was found and the measured dosimetry for all fields was accurate to 3% for all measured points. Over the course of the treatment, a setup accuracy of +/-4 mm (2 s.d.) could be achieved, with a mean offset in the AP direction of 0.1 mm. Inhalation/exhalation CT scans indicated that organ motion in the region of the target volume was negligible. We conclude that 3D IMPT plans can be applied clinically and safely without modification to our existing delivery system. However, analysis of the calculated intensity matrices should be performed to assess the practicality, or otherwise, of the plan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Medicine, The Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lomax
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boehringer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coray
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Egger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goitein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grossmann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juelke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pedroni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rohrer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roser
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Siegenthaler
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stadelmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stauble
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vetter
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wisser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002817:Chordoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011522:Protons; D011874:Radiometry; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000528:radiation effects; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D011522:Protons