Dose-toxicity surface histogram-based prediction of radiation dermatitis severity and shape

Area of Science:

• Radiation Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Dermatology

Background:

• Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a common side effect of radiotherapy.
• Accurate prediction of RD severity and location is crucial for patient management.
• Current methods for predicting RD are limited in precision and scope.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel framework for predicting radiation dermatitis (RD).
• To utilize skin dose distribution within actual RD areas to determine predictive doses by grade.
• To visually predict RD grades, occurrence areas, and shapes based on severity.

Main Methods:

• A framework was developed to segment RD areas using 3D skin photography and dose distribution.
• Dose-toxicity histograms (DTHs) were calculated from skin dose distributions within segmented RD regions.
• DTH-based predictive doses were generated and compared with actual RD occurrences and grades in 23 head and neck cancer patients.

Main Results:

• The DTH-based framework successfully generated DTHs for RD grades 1, 2, and 3.
• RD predictive doses were determined as 28.9 Gy (grade 1), 38.1 Gy (grade 2), and 54.3 Gy (grade 3).
• The visualized RD occurrence area and shape showed acceptable agreement with actual RD regions, with accurate grade prediction in most patients.

Conclusions:

• The developed DTH-based framework effectively classifies RD severity and predicts occurrence.
• This approach provides visual predictions of RD area and shape, aiding physician decision-making.
• The framework offers a valuable tool for predicting and managing radiation dermatitis in patients.