Abstract
Photon dose calculation algorithms in treatment planning system could affect the accuracy of dose delivery when tissue heterogeneity is involved along the beam path. Treatment planning for lung cancer is challenging, especially in the case of treatment plan involving small fields. The combination of low-density (air) medium and small fields cause charge particle disequilibrium nears the air/tissue interface. Beam modeling within the dose calculation algorithms must also employ an accurate method of accounting tissue heterogeneity corrections in order to avoid dose overestimation or underestimation. Analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) is one of the widely tested and validated dose calculation algorithms in external beam photon radiation therapy. Recently, Acuros XB (AXB) was made available for photon dose calculations, and several studies have demonstrated better dose prediction accuracy of the AXB over AAA. This article reviews the results from the treatment planning studies, which have investigated the clinical dosimetric impact of the AXB and AAA on real lung cancer treatment plans. -------------------------------------- Cite this article as: Rana S. Clinical dosimetric impact of Acuros XB and analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) on real lung cancer treatment plans: review. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2 (1):02019. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0201.9
Highlights
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are two most commonly used treatment delivery techniques in external beam photon radiation therapy
The Acuros XB (AXB) is considered to be similar to Monte Carlo (MC), and it utilizes the linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) and solves numerically that describes the macroscopic behavior of ionizing particles as they travel through and interact with mat
Previous experimental and MC studies comparing AXB vs. analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) have shown that the AXB is more accurate than the AAA in the presence of inhomogeneity.[16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23, 29,30,31,32,33,34]
Summary
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are two most commonly used treatment delivery techniques in external beam photon radiation therapy Both the IMRT and VMAT are capable of delivering conformal dose distributions to the target volume while minimizing dose to the organs at risk (OAR).[1] One of the factors that could affect the accuracy of dose delivery in external beam radiation therapy is the dose calculation algorithm implemented within the treatment planning system (TPS). The tissue inhomogeneity correction in superposition/convolution method such as in the AAA is done both in the beamlet direction and lateral directions.[12,13,14,15] the beamlet direction includes the radiologic scaling of the dose deposition functions, whereas the lateral directions include the electron-density-based scaling of photon scatter kernels.[12,13,14,15] The inhomogeneity correction in the PBC, is limited since it does not consider secondary electron transport.[3]. The AXB is considered to be similar to MC, and it utilizes the linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) and solves numerically that describes the macroscopic behavior of ionizing particles as they travel through and interact with mat-
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call