Estimating functional liver reserve following hepatic irradiation: adaptive normal tissue response models

To estimate the limit of functional liver reserve for safe application of hepatic irradiation using changes in indocyanine green, an established assay of liver function.

From 2005 to 2011, 60 patients undergoing hepatic irradiation were enrolled in a prospective study assessing the plasma retention fraction of indocyanine green at 15-min (ICG-R15) prior to, during (at 60% of planned dose), and after radiotherapy (RT). The limit of functional liver reserve was estimated from the damage fraction of functional liver (DFL) post-RT [1-(ICG-R15pre-RT/ICG-R15post-RT)] where no toxicity was observed using a beta distribution function.

Of 48 evaluable patients, 3 (6%) developed RILD, all within 2.5 months of completing RT. The mean ICG-R15 for non-RILD patients pre-RT, during-RT and 1-month post-RT was 20.3%(SE 2.6), 22.0%(3.0), and 27.5%(2.8), and for RILD patients was 6.3%(4.3), 10.8%(2.7), and 47.6%(8.8). RILD was observed at post-RT damage fractions of ≥78%. Both DFL assessed by during-RT ICG and MLD predicted for DFL post-RT (p<0.0001). Limiting the post-RT DFL to 50%, predicted a 99% probability of a true complication rate <15%.

The DFL as assessed by changes in ICG during treatment serves as an early indicator of a patient's tolerance to hepatic irradiation.