SU‐E‐T‐449: Hippocampal Sparing Radiotherapy Using Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

Abstract

Purpose:The hippocampus sparing during the cranial irradiation has become interesting because it may mitigate radiation‐induced neurocognitive toxicity. Herein we report our preliminary study for sparing the hippocampus with and without tilling condition for patient with brain metastases.Methods:Ten patients previously treated with whole brain were reviewed. Five patients tilted the head to around 30 degrees and others were treated without tilting. Treatment plans of linear accelerator (Linac)‐based volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were generated for prescription dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions. Hippocampal avoidance regions were created with 5‐mm volumetric expansion around the hippocampus. Whole brain, hippocampus and hippocampal avoidance volume were 1372cm3, 6cm3 and 30cm3 and hippocampal avoidance volume was 2.2% of the whole brain planned target volume in average. Organs at risk (OARs) are hippocampus, eyes, lens, and cochleae. Coverage index (CVI), conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI) and mean dose to OARs were used to compare dose characteristic of tilted and non‐tilted cases.Results:In IMRT, when CI, CVI and HI of whole brain were 0.88, 0.09 and 0.98 in both tilted and non‐tilted cases, absorbed dose of hippocampal avoidance volume in tilted cases were 10% lower than non‐tilted cases. Doses in other OARs such as eyes, lens, and cochleae were also decreased about 20% when tilting the head. When CI, HI and CVI in VMAT were 0.9, 0.08 and 0.99, the dose‐decreased ratio of OARs in both with and without tilting cases were almost the same with IMRT. But absolute dose of hippocampal avoidance volume in VMAT was 30% lower than IMRT.Conclusion:This study confirms that dose to hippocampus decreases if patients tilt the head. When treating the whole brain with head tilted, patients can acquire the same successful treatment Result and also preserve their valuable memory.