Effect of a Device-Free Compressed Shell Fixation Method on Hepatic Respiratory Movement: Analysis for Respiratory Amplitude of the Liver and Internal Motions of a Fiducial Marker

Abstract

PurposeSuppression of respiratory movement of the liver would be desirable for high-precision radiation therapy for liver tumors. We aimed to investigate the effect of our original device-free compressed shell fixation method and breathing instruction on suppression of respiratory movement. The characteristics of liver motion based on the movement of a fiducial marker were also analyzed. Methods and MaterialsFirst, respiratory amplitudes of the liver with the device-free compressed shell were analyzed from the data of 146 patients. The effect of this shell fixing method on liver movement was evaluated. Second, as another cohort study with 166 patients, interfractional internal motion of the liver for patients fixed in the shell was calculated using the fiducial marker coordinate data of images for position setting before daily irradiation. Third, in another 12 patients, intrafractional internal motion was calculated from the fiducial marker coordinate data using x-ray images before and after irradiation. ResultsThe median respiratory movement without the shell, after fixing with the shell, and after instructing on the breathing method with the shell was 14.2 (interquartile range, 10.7-19.8), 11.5 (8.6-17.5), and 10.4 mm (7.3-15.8), respectively. Systematic and random errors of interfractional internal motion were all ≤2 mm in the left-right and anteroposterior directions and 3.7 and 3.0 mm, respectively, in the craniocaudal direction. Systematic and random errors of intrafractional internal motion were all ≤1.3 mm in the left-right and anteroposterior directions and 0.8 and 2.4 mm, respectively, in the craniocaudal direction. ConclusionsThe device-free compressed shell fixation method was effective in suppressing the respiratory movement of the liver. Irradiation position matching using the fiducial marker can correct the interfractional internal motion on each day, which would contribute to the reduction of the margin to be given around the target.