CT-based delineation of organs at risk in the head and neck region: DAHANCA, EORTC, GORTEC, HKNPCSG, NCIC CTG, NCRI, NRG Oncology and TROG consensus guidelines.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project was to define consensus guidelines for delineating organs at risk (OARs) for head and neck radiotherapy for routine daily practice and for research purposes.


METHODS
Consensus guidelines were formulated based on in-depth discussions of a panel of European, North American, Asian and Australian radiation oncologists.


RESULTS
Twenty-five OARs in the head and neck region were defined with a concise description of their main anatomic boundaries. The Supplemental material provides an atlas of the consensus guidelines, projected on 1mm axial slices. The atlas can also be obtained in DICOM-RT format on request.


CONCLUSIONS
Consensus guidelines for head and neck OAR delineation were defined, aiming to decrease interobserver variability among clinicians and radiotherapy centers.
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiation Oncology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Charlotte L
CL
Brouwer
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiation Oncology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Roel J H M
RJ
Steenbakkers
Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland(2).
Jean
J
Bourhis
Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany.
Wilfried
W
Budach
Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark(3).
Cai
C
Grau
Cancer Center and Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical and Experimental Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium(4).
Vincent
V
Grégoire
Christie Hospital and University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Marcel
M
van Herk
Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Hospital, China(5).
Anne
A
Lee
Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Georges-François Leclerc, Dijon, France(6).
Philippe
P
Maingon
Department of Radiation Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK(7).
Chris
C
Nutting
Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada(8).
Brian
B
O'Sullivan
Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia(9).
Sandro V
SV
Porceddu
Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, USA(10).
David I
DI
Rosenthal
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiation Oncology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Nanna M
NM
Sijtsema
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiation Oncology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Johannes A
JA
Langendijk
D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015588:Observer Variation; D058958:Organs at Risk / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Consensus delineation guidelines; Head and neck; Interobserver variability; Organs at risk