M. Boussaer

Initial assessment of tumor tracking with a gimbaled linac system in clinical circumstances: A patient simulation study

PURPOSE To have an initial assessment of the Vero Dynamic Tracking workflow in clinical circumstances and quantify the performance of the tracking system, a simulation study was set up on 5 lung and liver patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS The preparatory steps of a tumor tracking treatment, based on fiducial markers implanted in the tumor, were executed allowing pursuit of the tumor with the gimbaled linac and monitoring X-rays acquisition, however, without activating the 6 MV beam. Data were acquired on workflow time-efficiency, tracking accuracy and imaging exposure. RESULTS The average time between the patient entering the treatment room and the first treatment field was about 9 min. The time for building the correlation model was 3.2 min. Tracking errors of 0.55 and 0.95 mm (1σ) were observed in PAN/TILT direction and a 2D range of 3.08 mm. A skin dose was determined of 0.08 mGy/image, with a source-to-skin distance of 900 mm and kV exposure of 1 mAs. On average 1.8 mGy/min kV skin dose was observed for 1 Hz monitoring. CONCLUSION The Vero tracking solution proved to be fully functional and showed performance comparable with other real-time tracking systems.

Treating patients with real-time tumor tracking using the Vero gimbaled linac system: Implementation and first review

PURPOSE To report on the first clinical application of a real-time tumor tracking (RTTT) solution based on the Vero SBRT gimbaled linac system for treatment of moving tumors. METHODS AND MATERIALS A first group of 10 SBRT patients diagnosed with NSCLC or oligometastatic disease in lung or liver was treated with the RTTT technique. The PTV volumes and OAR exposure were benchmarked against the widely used ITV approach. Based on data acquired during execution of RTTT treatments, a first review was performed of the process. RESULTS The 35% PTV volume reduction with RTTT of the studied single lesions SBRT irradiations of small target volumes is expected to result in a small (<1%) reduction of lung or liver NTCP. A GTV-PTV margin of 5.0mm was applied for treatment planning of RTTT. From patient data on residual geometric uncertainties, a CTV-PTV margin of 3.2mm was calculated. Reduction of the GTV-PTV margin below 5.0mm without better understanding of biological definition of tumor boundaries was discouraged. Total treatment times were reduced to 34.4 min on average. CONCLUSION A considerable PTV volume reduction was achieved applying RTTT and time efficiency for respiratory correlated SBRT was reestablished with Vero RTTT.

A complementary dual-modality verification for tumor tracking on a gimbaled linac system

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE For dynamic tracking of moving tumors, robust intra-fraction verification was required, to assure that tumor motion was properly managed during the course of radiotherapy. A dual-modality verification system, consisting of an on-board orthogonal kV and planar MV imaging device, was validated and applied retrospectively to patient data. METHODS AND MATERIALS Real-time tumor tracking (RTTT) was managed by applying PAN and TILT angular corrections to the therapeutic beam using a gimbaled linac. In this study, orthogonal X-ray imaging and MV EPID fluoroscopy was acquired simultaneously. The tracking beam position was derived from respectively real-time gimbals log files and the detected field outline on EPID. For both imaging modalities, the moving target was localized by detection of an implanted fiducial. The dual-modality tracking verification was validated against a high-precision optical camera in phantom experiments and applied to clinical tracking data from a liver and two lung cancer patients. RESULTS Both verification modalities showed a high accuracy (<0.3mm) during validation on phantom. Marker detection on EPID was influenced by low image contrast. For the clinical cases, gimbaled tracking showed a 90th percentile error (E90) of 3.45 (liver), 2.44 (lung A) and 3.40 mm (lung B) based on EPID fluoroscopy and good agreement with XR-log file data by an E90 of 3.13, 1.92 and 3.33 mm, respectively, during beam on. CONCLUSION Dual-modality verification was successfully implemented, offering the possibility of detailed reporting on RTTT performance.

Improving the intra-fraction update efficiency of a correlation model used for internal motion estimation during real-time tumor tracking for SBRT patients: Fast update or no update?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE For tumor tracking, a correlation model is used to estimate internal tumor position based on external surrogate motion. When patients experience an internal/external surrogate drift, an update of the correlation model is required to continue tumor tracking. In this study, the accuracy of the internal tumor position estimation for both the clinical available update at discrete points in time (rebuild) and an in-house developed non-clinical online update approach was investigated. METHODS A dynamic phantom with superimposed baseline drifts and 14 SBRT patients, treated with real-time tumor tracking (RTTT) on the Vero system, were retrospectively simulated for three update scenarios, respectively no update, clinical rebuild and 0.5 Hz automated online update of the correlation model. By comparing the target positions based on 0.5 Hz verification X-ray images with the estimated internal tumor positions regarding all three update scenarios, 95th percentile modeling errors (ME95), incidences of full geometrical coverage of the CTV by a 5 mm extended PTV (P₅mm) and population-based PTV margins were calculated. Further, the treatment time reduction was estimated when switching from the clinical rebuild approach to the online correlation model update. RESULTS For dynamic phantom motion with baseline drifts up to 0.4 mm/min, a 0.5 Hz intra-fraction update showed a similar accuracy in terms of ME95 and P5 mm compared to clinical rebuild. For SBRT patients treated on Vero with RTTT, accuracy was improved by 0.5 Hz online update compared to the clinical rebuild protocol, yielding smaller PTV margins (from 3.2 mm to 2.7 mm), reduced ME95,3D (from 4.1 mm to 3.4 mm) and an increased 5th percentile P5 mm (from 90.7% to 96.1%) for the entire patient group. Further, 80% of treatment sessions were reduced in time with on average 5.5 ± 4.1(1 SD)min. CONCLUSION With a fast (0.5 Hz) automated online update of the correlation model, an efficient RTTT workflow with improved geometrical accuracy was obtained.

Motion management during SBRT for oligometastatic cancer: Results of a prospective phase II trial

PURPOSE To optimize the local control of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using the Vero-SBRT system and respiratory motion management in patients with oligometastatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with five or less metastases were eligible. In metastases with significant motion, a fiducial was implanted for Vero dynamic tracking. For other metastases an internal target volume (ITV) was defined to encompass the respiratory tumor trajectory. A dose of 50Gy in 10 fractions was prescribed on the 80% isodose line. RESULTS We treated 87 metastases in 44 patients, with colorectal cancer as the most common primary origin (65.9%). Metastatic sites were mainly lung (n=62) and liver (n=17). Twenty-seven metastases were treated with dynamic tracking, the remaining 60 using the ITV-concept. Three patients (7%) experienced grade ⩾3 toxicity. After a median follow-up of 12months, the overall one-year local control (LC) amounted to 89% (95% CI 77-95%), with corresponding values of 90% and 88% for the metastases irradiated with the ITV-approach and dynamic tracking, respectively. Median progression-free survival reached 6.5months, one-year overall survival 95%. CONCLUSIONS SBRT with proper respiratory motion management resulted in a high LC and an acceptable toxicity profile in oligometastatic cancer patients.

Treating patients with Dynamic Wave Arc: First clinical experience

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Dynamic Wave Arc (DWA) is a system-specific noncoplanar arc technique that combines synchronized gantry-ring rotation with D-MLC optimization. This paper presents the clinical workflow, quality assurance program, and reports the geometric and dosimetric results of the first patient cohort treated with DWA. METHODS AND MATERIALS The RayStation TPS was clinically integrated on the Vero SBRT platform for DWA treatments. The first 15 patients treated with DWA represent a broad range of treatment sites: breast boost, prostate, lung SBRT and bone metastases, which allowed us to explore the potentials and assess the limitations of the current DWA site-specific template solution. For the DWA verification a variety of QA equipment was used, from 3D diode array to an anthropomorphic end-to-end phantom. The geometric accuracy of each arc was verified with an independent orthogonal fluoroscopy method. RESULTS The average beam-on delivery time was 3min, ranging from 1.22min to 8.82min. All patient QAs passed our institutional clinical criteria of gamma index. For both EBT3 film and Delta4 measurements, DWA planned versus delivered dose distributions presented an average agreement above 97%. An overall mean gantry-ring geometric deviation of -0.03°±0.46° and 0.18°±0.26° was obtained, respectively. CONCLUSION For the first time, DWA has been translated into the clinic and used to treat various treatment sides. DWA has been successfully added to the noncoplanar rotational IMRT techniques arsenal, allowing additional flexibility in dose shaping while preserving dosimetrically robust delivery.

Evaluation of the clinical usefulness for using verification images during frameless radiosurgery

Our previous studies showed that intrafraction motion needs to be corrected for in frameless radiosurgery. This study was designed to evaluate if verification images can correct for mechanical inaccuracy and intrafraction motion. With proper immobilization and verification images on a regular basis during treatment, mechanical (table-) inaccuracies and intrafraction motion can be corrected for and the absence of PTV-margins warranted.

The long- and short-term variability of breathing induced tumor motion in lung and liver over the course of a radiotherapy treatment

PURPOSE To evaluate the short and long-term variability of breathing induced tumor motion. MATERIALS AND METHODS 3D tumor motion of 19 lung and 18 liver lesions captured over the course of an SBRT treatment were evaluated and compared to the motion on 4D-CT. An implanted fiducial could be used for unambiguous motion information. Fast orthogonal fluoroscopy (FF) sequences, included in the treatment workflow, were used to evaluate motion during treatment. Several motion parameters were compared between different FF sequences from the same fraction to evaluate the intrafraction variability. To assess interfraction variability, amplitude and hysteresis were compared between fractions and with the 3D tumor motion registered by 4D-CT. Population based margins, necessary on top of the ITV to capture all motion variability, were calculated based on the motion captured during treatment. RESULTS Baseline drift in the cranio-caudal (CC) or anterior-poster (AP) direction is significant (ie. >5 mm) for a large group of patients, in contrary to intrafraction amplitude and hysteresis variability. However, a correlation between intrafraction amplitude variability and mean motion amplitude was found (Pearsons correlation coefficient, r = 0.72, p < 10-4). Interfraction variability in amplitude is significant for 46% of all lesions. As such, 4D-CT accurately captures the motion during treatment for some fractions but not for all. Accounting for motion variability during treatment increases the PTV margins in all directions, most significantly in CC from 5 mm to 13.7 mm for lung and 8.0 mm for liver. CONCLUSION Both short-term and day-to-day tumor motion variability can be significant, especially for lesions moving with amplitudes above 7 mm. Abandoning passive motion management strategies in favor of more active ones is advised.

SU‐E‐J‐136: Clinical Evaluation of a Robotic 6‐Degree of Freedom Treatment Couch for Frameless Radiosurgery

Purpose: To evaluate the added value of 6 degree‐of‐freedom (DOF) patient positioning with robotic couch compared to 4DOF positioning for intracranial lesions and to estimate the immobilization characteristics of the Brainlab frameless mask, more specifically the setup errors and the intrafraction motion. Methods: Forty patients with 66 brain metastases treated with frameless stereotactic radiosurgery and 6DOF robotic couch were enrolled. Patient positioning was performed with the Brainlab ExacTrac stereoscopic x‐ray system. Positioning results were collected before and after treatment to assess patient setup error and intrafraction motion. Existing treatment plannings were loaded and simulated for 4DOF positioning and compared to the 6DOF positioning. The clinical relevance was analyzed by means of the Paddick conformity index (CI) and the ratio of prescribed isodose volume covered with 4DOF to that obtained with the 6DOF positioning. Results: Results. The mean 3D setup error before 6DOF correction was 1.91 mm (SD1.25mm). The rotational errors were larger in the longitudinal (0.23° SD0.82°) direction compared to the lateral (−0.09° SD0.72°) and vertical (−0.10° SD1.03°) ones (p<0.05). The mean 3D intrafraction shift was 0.58 (SD0.42mm). The intrafractional rotational errors were comparable,0.01° (SD0.35°), 0.03° (SD0.31°), −0.03° (SD0.33°), for the vertical, longitudinal and lateral, respectively. The mean CI decreased from 0.68 (SD 0.08) (6DOF) to 0.59 (SD 0.12) (4DOF) (p<0.05). A loss of prescribed isodose coverage of 5% (SD0.08) was found with the 4DOF positioning (p<0.05). Half a degree for longitudinal and lateral rotations can be identified as a threshold for coverage loss. Conclusions: With a mask immobilization, patient setup error and intrafraction motions need to be evaluated and corrected for. The 6DOF patient positioning with 6DOF robotic couch to correct translational and rotational setup errors improves target positioning with respect to treatment isocenter, which is in direct relation with the clinical outcome, compared to 4DOF positioning.

PO-0791: Motion management and Vero dynamic tracking for SBRT in oligometastatic disease: a prospective trial

Sant’Orsola-Malpighi HospitalUniversity of Bologna, Radiation Oncology CenterDepartment of ExperimentalDiagnostic and Specialty Medicine DIMES, Bologna, Italy Sant’Orsola-Malpighi HospitalUniversity of Bologna, Department of Medical Physics, Bologna, Italy Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura “Giovanni Paolo II”Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Radiotherapy Unit, Campobasso, Italy Ospedale Bellaria, Radiotherapy Department, Bologna, Italy