Abstract
BackgroundStereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a common tool used to treat Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) in anatomical locations associated with a risk of surgical complications. Despite high rates of clinical effectiveness, SRS carries a risk of toxicity as a result of radiation injury to brain tissue. The use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has increased because it may lead to improved PTV conformity and better Normal Tissue (NT) sparing compared to 3D Conformal Radiotherapy (3DCRT). The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to develop simple patient stratification rules for the recommendation of IMRT planning strategies over 3DCRT in the treatment of AVMs with SRS; and 2) to estimate the impact of IMRT in terms of toxicity reduction using retrospectively reported data for symptomatic radiation injury following SRS.MethodsThirty-one AVM patients previously treated with 3DCRT were replanned in a commercial treatment planning system using 3DCRT and static gantry IMRT with identical beam arrangements. The radiotherapy planning metrics analyzed included AVM volume, diameter, and volume to surface area ratio. The dosimetric endpoints analyzed included conformity index improvements and NT sparing measured by the maximum NT dose, and the volume of surrounding tissue that received 7Gy and 12Gy.ResultsOur analysis revealed stratified subsets of patients for IMRT that were associated with improved conformity, and those that were associated with decreased doses to normal tissue. The stratified patients experienced an improvement in conformity index by −6-68%, a reduction in the maximum NT dose by −0.5-12.3%, a reduction in the volume of NT receiving 7Gy by 1-8 cc, and a reduction in the volume of NT receiving 12Gy by 0–3.7 cc. The reduction in NT receiving 12Gy translated to a theoretical decrease in the probability of symptomatic injury by 0–9.3%.ConclusionsThis work indicates the potential for significant patient improvements when treating AVMs and provides rules to predict which patients are likely to benefit from IMRT.
Highlights
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a common tool used to treat Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) in anatomical locations associated with a risk of surgical complications
Stratification criteria such as these allow a physician to choose which dosimetric endpoint carries the most importance for a given patient, and use the characteristics of the individual AVM to determine whether Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is likely to generate a superior plan compared to 3DCRT
The work presented in this study indicates the potential for significant conformity improvements with Planning Target Volume (PTV) Only
Summary
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a common tool used to treat Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) in anatomical locations associated with a risk of surgical complications. Despite high rates of clinical effectiveness, SRS carries a risk of toxicity as a result of radiation injury to brain tissue. The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to develop simple patient stratification rules for the recommendation of IMRT planning strategies over 3DCRT in the treatment of AVMs with SRS; and 2) to estimate the impact of IMRT in terms of toxicity reduction using retrospectively reported data for symptomatic radiation injury following SRS. Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) can be treated using a variety of techniques including surgery, embolization, or Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), any of which can obtain optimal results. Among these modalities, SRS is often the treatment of choice for AVMs in anatomical locations. Radiation doses with SRS plans balance the risk of symptomatic brain injury with the likelihood of nidus obliteration
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