Emulating the Delivery of Sawtooth Proton Arc Therapy Plans on a Cyclotron-Based Proton Beam Therapy System

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate and compare the deliverability of ‘sawtooth’ proton arc therapy (PAT) plans relative to static intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) at a cyclotron-based clinical facility. Methods: The delivery of single and dual arc Sawtooth PAT plans for an abdominal CT phantom and multiple clinical cases of brain, head and neck (H&N) and base of skull (BoS) targets was emulated under the step-and-shoot and continuous PAT delivery regimes and compared to that of a corresponding static IMPT plan. Results: Continuous PAT delivery increased the time associated with beam delivery and gantry movement in single/dual PAT plans by 4.86/7.34 min (brain), 7.51/12.40 min (BoS) and 6.59/10.57 min (H&N) on average relative to static IMPT. Step-and-shoot PAT increased this delivery time further by 4.79 min on average as the delivery was limited by gantry motion. Conclusions: The emulator can approximately model clinical sawtooth PAT delivery but requires experimental validation. No clear benefit was observed regarding beam-on time for sawtooth PAT relative to static IMPT.

Source: Cancers

DOI: 10.3390/cancers16193315

Authors: Samuel Burford-Eyre, Adam Aitkenhead, Jack D. Aylward, Nicholas T. Henthorn, Samuel P. Ingram, Ranald Mackay, Samuel Manger, Michael J. Merchant, Peter Sitch, John-William Warmenhoven, Robert B. Appleby

Institutions: University of Manchester, The Christie Hospital, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, University of the West of England

Language: English

Topic: Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,296

Funders: Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Research, European Commission, Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Science and Technology Facilities Council

OpenAlex ID: W4402990466