The Dosimetric Impact of Interfractional Organ-at-Risk Movement During Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an effective therapy for treating liver malignancies. However, little is known about interfractional dose variations to adjacent organs at risk (OARs). We examine the effects of interfractional organ movement and setup variation on dose delivered to OARs in patients receiving liver SBRT.

Methods and materials: Thirty patients treated with liver SBRT were analyzed. Daily image guidance with diagnostic quality computed tomography-on-rails imaging was performed before each fraction. In phase 1, these daily images were used to delineate all OARs including the liver, heart, right kidney, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, and large bowel in 10 patients. In phase 2, only OARS in close proximity to the target were contoured in 20 additional patients. Dose distribution on each daily computed tomography was generated, and daily doses to each OAR were recorded and compared with clinical thresholds to determine whether a daily dose excess (DDE) occurred.

Results: In phase 1, significant interfractional dose differences between planned and delivered dose to OARs were observed, but differences were rarely clinically significant, with just 1 DDE. In phase 2, multiple DDEs were recorded for OARs close to the target, mainly involving the stomach, heart, and esophagus. Tumors in the hilum and liver segments I, IV, and VIII were the most common locations for DDEs. On root cause analysis, 3 etiologies of DDE emerged: craniocaudal shift (69.2%), anatomic changes (28.2%), and anteroposterior shifts (2.6%).

Conclusions: OARs close to liver lesions may receive higher doses than expected during SBRT owing to interfractional variations in OARs relative to the target. These differences in planned versus expected dose can lead to toxicity. Efforts to better evaluate OARs with daily image guidance may help reduce risks. Application of adaptive replanning and improved and real-time image guidance could mitigate risks of toxicity, and further study into their applications is warranted.