A survey of practice patterns for real-time intrafractional motion-management in particle therapy

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ye Zhang - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • Petra Trnkova - , Medical University of Vienna (Author)
  • Toshiyuki Toshito - , Nagoya City University (Author)
  • Ben Heijmen - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Christian Richter - , OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (Author)
  • Marianne Aznar - , University of Manchester (Author)
  • Francesca Albertini - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • Alexandra Bolsi - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)
  • Juliane Daartz - , Massachusetts General Hospital (Author)
  • Jenny Bertholet - , Inselspital University Hospital Bern (Author)
  • Antje Knopf - , Paul Scherrer Institute (Author)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Organ motion compromises accurate particle therapy delivery. This study reports on the practice patterns for real-time intrafractional motion-management in particle therapy to evaluate current clinical practice and wishes and barriers to implementation.MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional questionnaire was distributed to particle therapy centres worldwide (7/2020-6/2021) asking which type(s) of real-time respiratory motion management (RRMM) methods were used, for which treatment sites, and what were the wishes and barriers to implementation. This was followed by a three-round DELPHI consensus analysis (10/2022) to define recommendations on required actions and future vision. With 70 responses from 17 countries, response rate was 100% for Europe (23/23 centres), 96% for Japan (22/23) and 53% for USA (20/38).RESULTS: Of the 68 clinically operational centres, 85% used RRMM, with 41% using both rescanning and active methods. Sixty-four percent used active-RRMM for at least one treatment site, mostly with gating guided by an external marker. Forty-eight percent of active-RRMM users wished to expand or change their RRMM technique. The main barriers were technical limitations and limited resources. From the DELPHI analysis, optimisation of rescanning parameters, improvement of motion models, and pre-treatment 4D evaluation were unanimously considered clinically important future focus. 4D dose calculation was identified as the top requirement for future commercial treatment planning software.CONCLUSION: A majority of particle therapy centres have implemented RRMM. Still, further development and clinical integration were desired by most centres. Joint industry, clinical and research efforts are needed to translate innovation into efficient workflows for broad-scale implementation.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number100439
Pages (from-to)1-7
Number of pages7
JournalPhysics and imaging in radiation oncology
Volume2023
Issue number26
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 11 Apr 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85152724594
PubMed 37124167
PubMedCentral PMC10133874

Keywords

Library keywords