Abstract Objective To determine the positional and volumetric differences between the target volumes delineated based on three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT), four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT), and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Thirty-one patients with peripheral NSCLC sequentially underwent 3DCT and 4DCT simulation scans of the thorax during normal breathing. A 3D conformal treatment plan was created based on 3DCT. Before the first treatment, CBCT was performed and registered to the planning CT using bony anatomy registration. All contours were delineated by a radiation oncologist using the same contouring protocol. GTV3D and GTV4D50% were contoured based on 3DCT and end-expiration phase (50% phase) of 4DCT, respectively;internal GTVs (IGTVMIP and IGTVCBCT) were contoured based on maximum intensity projection (MIP) of 4DCT and CBCT, respectively. The differences in the position, size, and degree of inclusion (DI) between these volumes were determined by Wilcoxon rank-sum test and paired t-test. The Pearson test was used for the correlation analysis on 3D motion vector of GTV. Results The mean size ratio of GTV3D, GTV4D50%, and IGTVMIP to IGTVCBCT were 0.77, 0.84, and 1.10(z=－2.91, P=0.004;z=－2.79, P=0.005;z=－1.81, P=0.070) for tumors in the upper lobe of the lung and 0.67, 0.65, and1.17(z=－3.30, P=0.001;z=－3.30, P=0.001;z=－2.32, P=0.020) for tumors in the middle/lower lobe of the lung. GTV4D50%/IGTVCBCT ratio was negatively correlated with the 3D motion vector of GTV (r=－0.45, P=0.012) in all the patients. The mean DIs of GTV3D, GTV4D50%, and IGTVMIP in IGTVCBCT were 0.65, 0.65, and 0.62, respectively, and the DI of GTV3D or GTV4D50% in IGTVCBCT showed no significant difference from that of IGTVMIP in IGTVCBCT (t=－0.90, P=0.375;t=－1.42, P=0.167);the mean DIs of IGTVCBCT in GTV3D, GTV4D50%, and IGTVMIP were 0.47, 0.49, and 0.67, respectively, and the DI of IGTVCBCT in IGTVMIP was significantly greater than that of IGTVCBCT in GTV3D or GTV4D50%(t=－8.28, P=0.000;t=－5.70, P=0.000). Conclusions CBCT can help to acquire significantly more information on tumor motion than 3DCT and end-expiration phase of 4DCT, but with slightly less information than 4DCT MIP. The use of 3DCT or 4DCT registered to CBCT based on bony anatomy may still result in a serious target miss in radiotherapy, which should be focused on when we perform adaptive radiotherapy and rectify treatment planning based on CBCT.
Corresponding Authors:
LI Jian-bin, Email:lijianbin@msn.com
E-mail: lijianbin@msn.com
Cite this article:
LI Feng-xiang,LI Jian-bin,SHAO Qian et al. A comparative study of target volumes based on three CT images in non-small cell lung cancer[J]. Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology, 2013, 22(4): 286-290.
LI Feng-xiang,LI Jian-bin,SHAO Qian et al. A comparative study of target volumes based on three CT images in non-small cell lung cancer[J]. Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology, 2013, 22(4): 286-290.
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