Abstract:
Objective To compare dosimetry between volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for protecting the hippocampus in the radiotherapy of children with central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCT).
Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted on the imaging data of 12 children with GCT who received craniospinal irradiation in the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA from June 2020 to June 2021. The participants included 4 males and 8 females aged 7 to 14 years, with a median age of 11 years. VMAT and IMRT plans were designed after completing the delineation of the target area and the corresponding organs at risk. The prescribed dose was 30 Gy with 10 fractions. Dose-volume histogram was used to obtain various dosimetry parameters. The parameters were then analyzed using paired t-test to compare dosimetry between the target area and the corresponding organs at risk and evaluate the implementation efficiency based on machine monitor unit and treatment time.
Results VMAT and IMRT plans both achieve better target dose distribution. VMAT is slightly better than IMRT in terms of the uniformity of the target area. The homogeneity index values for VMAT and IMRT are 0.11±0.02 and 0.14±0.01, respectively, and the difference is statistically significant (t=−5.392, P<0.001). The maximum doses of the left hippocampus in VMAT and IMRT are (15.99±0.70) and (21.21±1.07) Gy, and those of the right hippocampus are (16.13±0.58) and (21.35±0.69) Gy, respectively; the differences are statistically significant (t=−17.622, −21.628; both P<0.001). VMAT meets the dose limit for hippocampal protection and has obvious advantages over IMRT in protecting organs at risk. VMAT is significantly better than IMRT in protecting the eye lens, thyroid, and kidney, and the differences are statistically significant (t=−8.198 to −2.231, all P<0.05). In terms of treatment efficiency, VMAT is also superior to IMRT. The machine monitor unit of VMAT is 1749±95 and the treatment time is (354±31) s, which are about 40% of those of IMRT, and the differences are statistically significant (t=−20.883, −22.790; both P<0.001).
Conclusion In the radiotherapy of childhood CNS GCT, VMAT can achieve better target uniformity while protecting the hippocampus and has obvious advantages in terms of protection of the corresponding organs at risk and treatment efficiency than IMRT.