A technique of intensity-modulated radiosurgery (IMRS) for spinal tumors

This study is to demonstrate the feasibility of spinal radiosurgery using an image-guided intensity-modulated radiosurgical (IMRS) procedure. A dedicated Novalis shaped beam surgery unit equipped with a built-in micro-multileaf collimator (mMLC) with a single 6 MV photon beam was used. Each patient was simulated in the supine position using an AcQsim CT simulator with infrared sensitive markers for localization. A variety of different treatment plans were developed, but the most common plan was the use of seven coplanar intensity-modulated beams to minimize radiation to critical organs such as the spinal cord and kidneys. An automatic localization device based on infrared and video cameras was used to guide the initial patient setup. Two keV x-ray imaging systems were used to identify potential deviations from the planned isocenter. A total of 25 patients with spinal tumors have been treated using this procedure with a single prescription dose ranging from 6 to 12 Gy. The final verification images indicated that the average isocenter deviation from the planned isocenter was within 2 mm. The phantom verification of isocenter doses indicated that the average deviation of measured isocenter doses from the planned isocenter doses for all patients treated with intensity-modulated beams was less than 2%. Film dose measurement in a phantom study demonstrated good agreement of above 50% isodose lines between the planned and measured results. Preliminary experience shows that precision delivery of high dose radiation could be administered to the planned target volume while the dose to the critical organs is kept within tolerable limits.