Target volume delineation for partial breast radiotherapy planning: clinical characteristics associated with low interobserver concordance.
OBJECTIVE
To examine variability in target volume delineation for partial breast radiotherapy planning and evaluate characteristics associated with low interobserver concordance.


METHODS
Thirty patients who underwent planning CT for adjuvant breast radiotherapy formed the study cohort. Using a standardized scale to score seroma clarity and consensus contouring guidelines, three radiation oncologists independently graded seroma clarity and delineated seroma volumes for each case. Seroma geometric center coordinates, maximum diameters in three axes, and volumes were recorded. Conformity index (CI), the ratio of overlapping volume and encompassing delineated volume, was calculated for each case. Cases with CI </=0.50 were analyzed to identify features associated with low concordance.


RESULTS
The median time from surgery to CT was 42.5 days. For geometric center coordinates, variations from the mean were 0.5-1.1 mm and standard deviations (SDs) were 0.5-1.8 mm. For maximum seroma dimensions, variations from the mean and SDs were predominantly <5 mm, with the largest SDs observed in the medial-lateral axis. The mean CI was 0.61 (range, 0.27-0.84). Five cases had CI </=0.50. Conformity index was significantly associated with seroma clarity (p < 0.001) and seroma volume (p < 0.002). Features associated with reduced concordance included tissue stranding from the surgical cavity, proximity to muscle, dense breast parenchyma, and benign calcifications that may be mistaken for surgical clips.


CONCLUSIONS
Variability in seroma contouring occurred in three dimensions, with the largest variations in the medial-lateral axis. Awareness of clinical features associated with reduced concordance may be applied toward training staff and refining contouring guidelines for partial breast radiotherapy trials.
Petersen
Ross P
RP
Radiation Therapy Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, Victoria, Canada.
Truong
Pauline T
PT
Kader
Hosam A
HA
Berthelet
Eric
E
Lee
Junella C
JC
Hilts
Michelle L
ML
Kader
Adam S
AS
Beckham
Wayne A
WA
Olivotto
Ivo A
IA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000592:standards*; D011859:Radiography; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D049291:Seroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*