Investigation of accelerated partial breast patient alignment and treatment with helical tomotherapy unit.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the precision of megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT)-based alignment of the seroma cavity for patients undergoing partial breast irradiation; and to determine whether accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) plans can be generated for TomoTherapy deliveries that meet the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B-39/Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0413 protocol guidelines for target coverage and normal tissue dose limitations.


METHODS
We obtained 50 MVCT images from 10 patients. An interuser study was designed to assess the alignment precision. Using a standard helical and a fixed beam prototype ("topotherapy") optimizer, two APBI plans for each patient were developed.


RESULTS
The precision of the MVCT-based seroma cavity alignment was better than 2 mm if averaged over the patient population. Both treatment techniques could be used to generate acceptable APBI plans for patients that fulfilled the recommended NSABP B-39/RTOG-0413 selection criteria. For plans of comparable treatment time, the conformation of the prescription dose to the target was greater for helical deliveries, while the ipsilateral lung dose was significantly reduced for the topotherapy plans.


CONCLUSIONS
The inherent volumetric imaging capabilities of a TomoTherapy Hi-Art unit allow for alignment of patients undergoing partial breast irradiation that is determined from the visibility of the seroma cavity on the MVCT image. The precision of the MVCT-based alignment was better than 2 mm (+/-standard deviation) when averaged over the patient population. Using the NSABP B-39/RTOG-0413 guidelines, acceptable APBI treatment plans can be generated using helical- or topotherapy-based delivery techniques.
Langen
Katja M
KM
Department of Radiation Oncology, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Orlando, FL 32806, USA. Katja.Langen@orhs.org
Buchholz
Daniel J
DJ
Burch
Doug R
DR
Burkavage
Rob
R
Limaye
Arti U
AU
Meeks
Sanford L
SL
Kupelian
Patrick A
PA
Ruchala
Kenneth J
KJ
Haimerl
Jason
J
Henderson
Doug
D
Olivera
Gustavo H
GH
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D015588:Observer Variation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D049291:Seroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*; D047368:Tumor Burden