Dosimetric impact of variable air cavity within PTV for rectum cancer

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of rectal air volume changes on treatment plan quality, and subsequently inform daily cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) evaluation constraints, in terms of acceptable rectal air volume during treatment.

Twelve rectal cancer patients who exhibited rectal air within the PTV on their planning CT were selected. A study was conducted to evaluate the deterioration in plan quality due to expanding air volume. For each case, the air cavity volume was isotropically expanded in three dimensions using predefined margins of 3, 5, 7, and 10 mm, while deforming bladder and rectum contours. A constraint was applied to the bony anatomy to restrict the deformation. Treatment plans were then generated for all twelve patients by recalculating the reference plan with the expanded air cavity volume.

As the air cavity expanded, the maximum relative change in D98% coverage, compared to the reference plan, decreased by 10.8% ± 3.5%, while the D2% increased by 3.5% ± 0.9%. The positioning of the air cavity notably influenced the D98% variability with the 3 mm expansion. D98% coverage falls below 95% when the air cavity volume exceeds 17 cm³. On average, D2% coverage increased by 0.5% with each expansion. At the largest expansion, extensive coverage of 102% and 105% isodoses was observed compared to the reference plan.

Air cavity volumes above 17 cm³ can potentially degrade the high-dose PTV coverage while increasing the regions covered by the 102% and 105% isodoses. Clinical CBCT guidelines were deduced, recommending a maximum threshold of 3.2 cm in diameter in any direction.