The aim of the present study was to investigate volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with single arc (1ARC) and dual arc (2ARC), and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and to evaluate the quality and delivery efficiency of post-mastectomy regional irradiation. A total of 24 female patients who required post-mastectomy regional irradiation were enrolled into the current study, and 1ARC, 2ARC and IMRT plans were designed for each individual patient. The quality of these plans was evaluated by calculating the homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI) and specific volume dose to the ipsilateral lung, double lungs, contralateral breast, heart and spinal cord. For the delivery efficiency of these plans, the total treatment time (TTT) and the number of monitor units (MUs) were evaluated. The 1ARC and 2ARC VMAT plans exhibited significantly better HIs and CIs than IMRT. For dose-volume histogram analysis, 1ARC and 2ARC VMAT spared a more specific volume dose to the ipsilateral lung, double lungs, contralateral breast, heart and spinal cord than IMRT (P<0.05). A lower MU per 2.0-Gy fraction was required for 1ARC (539 MU) and 2ARC (608 MU) than for IMRT (1,051 MU). Thus, TTT was correspondingly reduced in 1ARC and 2ARC compared to IMRT (P<0.05). There was no significant dose-volume difference in all the organs at risk (OARs) between the 1ARC and 2ARC plans (P>0.05), and 2ARC VMAT displayed a better HI and CI than 1ARC VMAT (P<0.05). By contrast, 1ARC VMAT was superior to 2ARC VAMT with regard to MU and TTT (P<0.05). The 1ARC and 2ARC VMAT plans demonstrated significantly better dose distribution in a shorter treatment time than IMRT for post-mastectomy regional irradiation, and spared the majority of OARs without compromising target coverage. The results of the present study suggest that 2ARC VMAT may be an alternative to 1ARC in order to obtain a more optimal HI and CI.
Keywords: intensity-modulated radiation therapy; mastectomy; plan optimization; regional irradiation; volumetric-modulated arc therapy.