[Use experience and problems in the optimization of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)--Focus on head & neck].

We present the main points of the optimization in IMRT. The skin surface of the planned target volume was reduced by a few millimeters, in view of the limitations of a calculation grid in accurately estimating the influence of build-up or contamination of electrons. Air cavities such as nasal or oral cavities were, in general, filled with water equivalent density in the dose calculation. Planned target volume was contracted by 5 mm when PTV of a higher prescribed dose was delineated adjacent to it. The 5 mm width of ring-shaped ROI was set at 5 mm outside of the entire PTV to eliminate hot spots. Physical quality assurance is extremely important to eradicate unexpected dose inhomogeneity, and meticulous efforts are required.

[Evaluation of irradiation position in respiratory-gated radiotherapy using a phantom system simulating patient respiration].

Respiratory-gated (RG) radiotherapy is useful for minimizing the irradiated volume of normal tissues resulting from the shifting of internal structures caused by respiratory movement. The present study was conducted to evaluate the treatment field in RG radiotherapy using a phantom system simulating patient respiration. A phantom system consisting of a 3-cm ball-shaped dummy tumor and film placed in a cork lung phantom was used (THK Co., Ltd.). RG radiotherapy was employed in the expiratory phase. The phantom movement distance was set to 2 cm, and the gating signals from a respiratory-gating system (AZ-733V, Anzai Medical) were varied. The settings used for irradiation were an X-ray energy of 6 MV (PRIMUS, Toshiba Medical Systems), treatment field of 5 cm x 7 cm, and X-ray dose of 100 MU. Images were acquired using an electric portal-imaging device (EPID, OPTIVUE 500), and the X-ray dose distribution was measured by the film method. In images acquired using the EPID, the tumor margins became less clear when the gating signals were increased, and the ITVs were determined to be 3.6 cm, 3.7 cm, 4.2 cm, and 5.1 cm at gating rates of 10%, 25%, 50%, and no gate, respectively. With regard to the X-ray dose distribution measured by the film method, the dose profile in the cephalocaudal direction was shifted toward the expiratory phase, and the degree of shift became greater when the gating signals were increased. In addition, the optimal treatment fields in the cephalocaudal direction were determined to be 5.2 cm, 5.2 cm, 5.6 cm, and 7.0 cm at gating rates of 10%, 25%, 50%, and no gating, respectively. Although RG radiotherapy is useful for improving the accuracy of radiotherapy, the characteristics of the RG radiotherapy technique and the radiotherapy system must be clearly understood when this method is to be employed in clinical practice. Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is now assuming a central role in radiotherapy, and properly identifying internal margins is an important issue for ensuring optimal treatment. The results of this study confirmed that it is necessary to ensure the optimal treatment field in radiotherapy of the trunk and that it is essential to confirm tumor position on the basis of image evaluation.