Measuring Patient Setup Variation in Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Naiyanet N MSc, Oonsiri S MSc, Lertbutsayanukul C MD, Suriyapee S MEng
Primary Institution: King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Hypothesis
To measure the interfraction setup variation of patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) of head and neck cancer.
Conclusion
The population-based margin is less than 5 mm, thus the margin provides sufficient coverage for all of the patients.
Supporting Evidence
- A total of 135 images and 405 match points were evaluated.
- The systematic error ranged from 0 to 7.5 mm and the random error ranged from 0.3 to 4.8 mm.
- The population-based margin ranged from 2.3 to 4.5 mm for the left-right direction.
Takeaway
This study looked at how much patients move during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and found that a smaller safety margin can still keep patients safe.
Methodology
Data was collected from 9 patients treated with dynamic IMRT, using electronic portal imaging to measure setup variations.
Limitations
The study is limited to a small sample size of 9 patients.
Participant Demographics
Patients were head and neck cancer patients treated at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website