Treating benign optic nerve tumors with a 3-D conformal plan

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Neuro-oncology

Background:

• Treatment of benign optic nerve glioma requires precise radiation delivery to spare critical visual structures.
• Conventional planning may be time-consuming and challenging for complex target volumes near the optic system.

Observation:

• A 68-year-old male patient with a left optic nerve glioma underwent radiation therapy.
• The prescribed dose was 52.2 Gy to the planning target volume, with maximum doses of 54 Gy to optic nerves/chiasm and 40-45 Gy to globes.

Findings:

• A conformal, non-coplanar, 3D radiation therapy plan was developed using a slightly weighted forward planning component.
• The plan achieved high conformity and homogeneity, effectively treating the target while sparing optic nerves, optic chiasm, and globes.
• The planning process was efficient, completed in approximately 15 minutes post-delineation.

Implications:

• This rapid conformal planning technique demonstrates potential for optimizing radiation therapy for benign brain tumors.
• The approach may be adaptable for treating various intracranial tumors, both benign and malignant.
• Efficient planning can improve workflow and patient throughput in radiation oncology departments.