A dosimetric analysis of IMRT and multistatic fields techniques for left breast radiotherapy

The purpose of this study was to analyze the dosimetric difference between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using 3 or 5 beams and multistatic field technique (MSF) in radiotherapy of the left breast. We made comparative analysis of two kinds of radiotherapy that can achieve improved dose homogeneity. First is a MSF that uses both major and small irradiation fields at the same time. The other is IMRT using 3 or 5 beams with an inverse planning system using multiple static multileaf collimators. We made treatment plans for 16 early left breast cancer patients who were randomly selected and had undergone breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy, and analyzed them in the dosimetric aspect. For the mean values of V(95) and dose homogeneity index, no statistically significant difference was observed among the three therapies. Extreme hot spots receiving >110% of prescribed dose were not found in any of the three methods. Using Tukey's test, IMRT showed a significantly larger increase in exposure dose to the ipsilateral lung and the heart than MSF in the low-dose area, but in the high-dose area, MSF showed a slight increase. To improve dose homogeneity, the application of MSF, which can be easily planned and applied more widely, is considered optimal as an alternative to IMRT for radiotherapy of early left breast cancer.