Cone beam CT imaging analysis of interfractional variations in bladder volume and position during radiotherapy for bladder cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify daily bladder size and position variations during bladder cancer radiotherapy.


METHODS
Ten bladder cancer patients underwent daily cone beam CT (CBCT) imaging of the bladder during radiotherapy. Bladder and planning target volumes (bladder/PTV) from CBCT and planning CT scans were compared with respect to bladder center-of-mass shifts in the x (lateral), y (anterior-posterior), and z (superior-inferior) coordinates, bladder/PTV size, bladder/PTV margin positions, overlapping areas, and mutually exclusive regions.


RESULTS
A total of 262 CBCT images were obtained from 10 bladder cancer patients. Bladder center of mass shifted most in the y coordinate (mean, -0.32 cm). The anterior bladder wall shifted the most (mean, -0.58 cm). Mean ratios of CBCT-derived bladder and PTV volumes to planning CT-derived counterparts were 0.83 and 0.88. The mean CBCT-derived bladder volume (+/- standard deviation [SD]) outside the planning CT counterpart was 29.24 cm(3) (SD, 29.71 cm(3)). The mean planning CT-derived bladder volume outside the CBCT counterpart was 47.74 cm(3) (SD, 21.64 cm(3)). The mean CBCT PTV outside the planning CT-derived PTV was 47.35 cm(3) (SD, 36.51 cm(3)). The mean planning CT-derived PTV outside the CBCT-derived PTV was 93.16 cm(3) (SD, 50.21). The mean CBCT-derived bladder volume outside the planning PTV was 2.41 cm(3) (SD, 3.97 cm(3)). CBCT bladder/ PTV volumes significantly differed from planning CT counterparts (p = 0.047).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant variations in bladder and PTV volume and position occurred in patients in this trial.
Yee
Don
D
Department of Radiation Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada. dony@ualberta.ca
Parliament
Matthew
M
Rathee
Satyapal
S
Ghosh
Sunita
S
Ko
Lawrence
L
Murray
Brad
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D009929:Organ Size; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D012044:Regression Analysis; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy*