Robust Angle Selection in Particle Therapy.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology
• Radiotherapy

Background:

• Particle radiotherapy offers superior depth-dose characteristics and biological advantages, leading to increased clinical adoption.
• However, particle therapy's sensitivity to anatomical changes can compromise dose distribution and treatment efficacy.
• Inter- and intrafractional variations, such as patient setup uncertainties and tumor motion, necessitate robust planning strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize robust beam angle selection strategies in particle radiotherapy.
• To highlight the importance of angle optimization in mitigating anatomical variations during treatment.
• To discuss the application of water equivalent thickness variation for improved beam angle determination.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on robust beam angle selection in particle therapy.
• Analysis of methods quantifying anatomical changes, specifically using water equivalent thickness variations.
• Synthesis of findings related to optimal beam angles across different tumor sites.

Main Results:

• Robust beam angle selection is critical for maintaining dose distribution accuracy in particle therapy.
• Quantifying anatomical changes via water equivalent thickness aids in selecting more robust beam angles.
• Optimized beam angles can significantly improve treatment robustness against interfractional variations.

Conclusions:

• Effective beam angle optimization is essential for robust particle radiotherapy planning.
• The use of water equivalent thickness variation is a promising method for adaptive planning.
• This review provides a summary of robust beam angles for various tumor sites, aiding clinical decision-making.