Preoperative single fraction breast radiotherapy: Intra-fraction geometric uncertainties and dosimetric implications

A preoperative breast robotic radiosurgery trial was concluded in our centre. Purposes of the present study were to evaluate retrospectively over the enrolled patients: i) respiratory patterns ii) tracking uncertainties iii) necessity of respiratory compensation iv) tracking errors dosimetric effects.

22 patients were treated in 21 Gy single fraction using CyberKnife (CK) respiratory modelling and tracking (SynchronyResp) and data extracted from log-files. Respiratory motion and baseline drifts (BD) were analyzed. SynchronyResp uncertainties were computed and compared with errors simulated for CK fiducial tracking without respiratory compensation. Plans were perturbed by tracking errors and perturbed doses calculated on the planning CT scan in order to simulate the dosimetric consequences of intra-fraction errors.

After BD correction, respiratory amplitudes were below 5.5 mm except one value of 8 mm. 50% of patients showed BD above 3 mm. Standard deviations of SynchronyResp errors remained within 2.1 mm. Standard deviations of tracking errors without respiratory compensation were comparable and below 2.5 mm. Using a 3 mm PTV margin, perturbed CTV coverage was below 95% (93.7%) just for one patient. The latter case presented a large CTV-Skin interface. Perturbed OAR doses were always judged clinically acceptable.

Intra-fraction geometric uncertainties and their effects were quantified for breast neoadjuvant CK treatments. Data indicated that in the majority of cases respiratory compensation may be disabled without increasing uncertainties and reducing treatment time, provided that fiducial intra-fraction tracking is performed to account for BD. Dosimetric effects are mostly not clinically relevant.