Dosimetric study of a respiratory gating technique based on four-dimensional computed tomography in non-small-cell lung cancer

This study sought to compare the differences in target volumes and dose distributions to the targets and organs at risk (OARs) between a four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT)-based respiratory-gated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plan (PlanEOE) and a three-dimensional CT (3DCT)-based IMRT plan (Plan3D) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For 17 patients with Stages I-III NSCLC, both 4DCT data and conventional 3DCT data were obtained. The Plan3D and PlanEOE were designed based on 3DCT data and 4DCT data, respectively. The displacements of the gross tumor volume (GTV) centroid were 0.13 ± 0.09 cm, 0.15 ± 0.1 cm, and 0.27 ± 0.27 cm in the right-left, anterior-posterior, and superior-inferior directions, respectively. The volume of the GTVEOE was 3.05 ± 5.17 cm(3) larger than that of the GTV3D. The volume of the PTV3D was 72.82 ± 48.65 cm(3) larger than that of the PTVEOE. There was no significant difference between the PTV3D and PTVEOE for V55.8, V60, V66 and the homogeneity index. The PTV3D had a lower target conformity index than the PTVEOE (P = 0.036). PlanEOE had a significantly lower lung V10, V20, V30, V40 and mean lung dose (MLD) than Plan3D. For the heart, PlanEOE had a significantly lower V30 and mean dose. In conclusion, 4DCT is an appropriate method for assessing the displacement of the GTV centroid in three dimensions. PlanEOE has smaller PTVs and a decreased dose and volume for the normal lung and heart, as compared with Plan3D.