Impact of Multileaf Collimator Leaf Width in Radiotherapy
Author Information
Author(s): Yoganathan S., A. Mani Karthick Raj, Das K. J., Maria Agarwal, Arpita Kumar Shaleen
Primary Institution: Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
Hypothesis
What is the dosimetric effect of multileaf collimator leaf width in intensity-modulated radiotherapy for different target volumes?
Conclusion
The 3-mm multileaf collimator provides better target conformity for small-volume targets, but increases the total number of monitor units required.
Supporting Evidence
- The 3-mm MLC plans showed better target conformity compared to 5-mm and 10-mm MLC plans.
- The average conformity index for 3-mm MLC was superior for small-volume targets.
- The 5-mm and 10-mm MLCs provided similar plan-quality indices for large-volume targets.
Takeaway
Using smaller leaves in radiotherapy helps to better target the tumor while protecting healthy tissue, but it can require more effort to deliver the treatment.
Methodology
Retrospective analysis of treatment plans for 5 intracranial and 5 head-neck patients using different multileaf collimator leaf widths.
Limitations
The study is limited to specific IMRT techniques and may not generalize to all treatment scenarios.
Participant Demographics
5 intracranial patients and 5 head-neck patients, representing small and large-volume targets respectively.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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