Purpose: Initial experience with delivering frameless stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) using volumetric intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivered with RapidArc is presented.
Methods and materials: Treatment details for 12 patients (14 targets) with a mean clinical target volume (CTV) of 12.8 ± 4.0 cm(3) were examined. Dosimetric indices for conformality, homogeneity, and dose gradient were calculated and compared with published results for other frameless, intracranial SRT techniques, including CyberKnife, TomoTherapy, and static-beam IMRT. Statistics on setup and treatment times and per patient dose validations were examined.
Results: Dose indices compared favorably with other techniques. Mean conformality, gradient, and homogeneity index values were 1.10 ± 0.11, 64.9 ± 14.1, 1.083 ± 0.026, respectively. Median treatment times were 4.8 ± 1.7 min.
Conclusion: SRT using volumetric IMRT is a viable alternative to other techniques and enables short treatment times. This is anticipated to have a positive impact on radiobiological effect and for facilitating wider use of SRT.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.