Dosimetric comparison of different algorithms in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) plan for non-small cell...

The main aim of the study was to investigate the dosimetric difference between acuros XB algorithm (AXB), anisotropic analytic algorithm (AAA), and pencil beam convolution (PBC) algorithm in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) plan for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Thirty-eight NSCLC patients were included. GTV, PTV, and organs at risk were delineated by the radiation oncologists. Three optimized SBRT plans for each patients were gained using three algorithms of AXB, AAA, and PBC with the identical plan parameters. Dosimetric endpoints were collected and compared among the three plans, including dosimetric criteria: V100%, V90%, PTV D_min, D_max, D_mean, homogeneity index (HI), and Paddick conformity index (CI).

AXB plan resulted in decreased V100% with a mean difference 6.14% compared with PBC plan (For V100%, AXB vs AAA vs PBC=93.44% vs 95.54% vs 99.58%, P<0.05). Three plans showed no significant difference as to the parameter V90%. AXB plan leaded to reduced D_min of PTV compared with other two algorithms (For D_min of PTV, AXB vs AAA vs PBC=4048cGy vs 4365Gy vs 4873Gy, P<0.05). PBC induced the enhanced trend of D_max of PTV compared with other two algorithms (D_max among three algorithms, P>0.05); and increased the D_mean of PTV in three algorithms with significant difference (For D_mean of PTV, AXB vs AAA vs PBC=5332cGy vs 5330Gy vs 5785Gy, P<0.05). AXB algorithm achieved a similar plan conformity with other two algorithms (For CI, AXB vs AAA vs PBC=0.80 vs 0.85 vs 0.71, P>0.05).

For SBRT plan of NSCLC, AAA and PBC algorithms overestimate target coverage, AXB algorithm is recommended for the SBRT plan of NSCLC.