Clinically relevant quality assurance for intensity modulated radiotherapy plans: gamma maps and DVH-based evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To explore a novel patient-dose DVH-based method for pretreatment dose quality assurance tests.


METHODS
20 IMRT plans for head-and-neck cancer patients were used. A comparison was performed between the planned dose distributions, the computed, and the reconstructed ones using the gamma-index (GI) method. The GI analysis was performed using both the 3%/3 mm and the 2%/2 mm criteria.


RESULTS
No significant DVH-deviation was observed. Considering the 3%/3 mm criteria the mean GI% < 1 for the body and structures was significantly higher compared to 2%/2 mm criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results underline the importance of QA-methods based on DVH-metrics to predict the impact of delivered dose.
Radiation Oncology Department I.R.C.C.S., C.R.O.B. , Rionero in Vulture (Pz) , Italy.
R
R
Caivano
G
G
Califano
A
A
Fiorentino
M
M
Cozzolino
C
C
Oliviero
P
P
Pedicini
S
S
Clemente
C
C
Chiumento
V
V
Fusco
D005720:Gamma Rays; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*