Functional lung avoidance in radiotherapy using optimisation of biologically effective dose with non-coplanar beam...

In external beam radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer, dose to functioning lung should be minimised to reduce lung morbidity. This study aimed to develop a method for avoiding beam delivery through functional lung and to quantify the possible benefit to the patients.

Twelve patients that were treated as part of a clinical trial of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) functional lung avoidance were retrospectively studied. During treatment planning, the dose in the lung was weighted by the relative intensity of the functional image. A single conformal beam was scanned systematically around the planning target volume to find optimum orientations and the resulting map of functional dose variation with gantry and couch angle was used to select five non-coplanar intensity-modulated beams, taking into account directions prohibited due to collision risk. Expected reduction in pneumonitis risk was calculated using a logistic model.

The volume of lung irradiated to a functionally weighted dose of 5 Gy was 11.8 % (range 3.5 %-22.0 %) for functional plans, versus 20.9 % (range 4.9 %-33.3 %) for conventional plans (p = 0.002). Mean functionally weighted dose was 4.1 Gy (range 1.3 Gy-7.2 Gy) for functional plans, versus 4.5 Gy (range 1.5 Gy-8.3 Gy) for conventional plans (p = 0.002). Predicted pneumonitis risk was reduced by 4.3 % (range 0.4 %-15.6 %) (p = 0.002).

By seeking the optimum non-coplanar beam orientations, it is possible to reduce dose/volume lung parameters by 10% or more, consistently in all patients, regardless of the pattern of lung perfusion. A prediction model indicates that this will improve radiation-associated lung injury.