Quality Assessment Radiotherapy Planning of Breast Cancer Patients with Built-In Metal Port Implants

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the quality of radiation planning for breast cancer patients with implants with a built-in metal port. Conduct a quantitative analysis of the quality of planning, assess the dose load on critical organs for this category of patients.Material and methods: Homogeneity and conformity indices were calculated, and dose loads in critical organs were assessed for irradiation plans using 3D conformal RT (3D CRT) technology for 23 breast cancer patients with a built-in metal port implants. Calculations were carried out both taking into account (outlining) the metal port and artifacts from it on CT images, and without taking it into account.Results: Based on the results of the analysis of the calculated values of conformity and homogeneity indices, doses in critical organs of irradiation plans for 23 patients with breast cancer, it was shown that the presence of a metal port and artifacts from it affects the nature of the dose distribution.Conclusions: When creating a 3D CRT treatment plan, it is necessary to delineate the metal port and artifacts and assign true densities.