Open AccessDosimetric comparison between helical tomotherapy and intensity‐modulated radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma
Author(s) -
Gu Qing,
Lai Xiaojing,
Yang Shuangyan,
Feng Wei,
Lin Xiao,
Yu Xiaofu,
Zheng Xiao
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
precision radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2398-7324
DOI - 10.1002/pro6.21
Subject(s) - tomotherapy , nuclear medicine , medicine , radiation therapy , radiation treatment planning , dosimetry , radiology
Objective To compare the effectiveness of different radiotherapy techniques – tomotherapy (TOMO) and intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – for patients with esophageal carcinoma on the basis of dosimetric analysis. Methods The target areas and organs at risk in 10 patients with esophageal carcinoma were underlined and transmitted to the Raystation and TOMO planning systems. The homogeneity index (HI) and conformal index (CI) values, and dose distributions to organs at risk were compared on the basis of dose–volume histograms parameters. Results The median of HI of gross planning target volume by TOMO (HI = 0.0575) showed superior homogeneity dose distribution compared with the IMRT technique (HI = 0.0735, P = 0.047). The median of CI of planning target volume by TOMO (CI = 0.785) showed improved conformity of dose distribution compared with IMRT (CI = 0.6825, P = 0.009). The median of the maximum dose to planning gross tumor volume (PGTV) and planning target volume by TOMO was significantly decreased compared with IMRT. The median of total lung doses, total heart doses, and maximum doses to the spinal cord were all significantly reduced by TOMO compared with IMRT. Conclusions Compared with IMRT, TOMO could provide better conformal target coverage, more homogeneity dose distribution, and significantly decreased the radiation dose to the lungs, heart, and spinal cord.