PurposeHistorically, the process of positioning a patient prior to imaging verification used a set of permanent patient marks, or tattoos, placed subcutaneously. After aligning to these tattoos, plan specific shifts are applied and the position is verified with imaging, such as cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT). Due to a variety of factors, these marks may deviate from the desired position or it may be hard to align the patient to these marks. Surface‐based imaging systems are an alternative method of verifying initial positioning with the entire skin surface instead of tattoos. The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare the CBCT‐based 3D corrections of patients initially positioned with tattoos against those positioned with the C‐RAD CatalystHD surface imager system.MethodsA total of 6000 individual fractions (600–900 per site per method) were randomly selected and the post‐CBCT 3D corrections were calculated and recorded. For both positioning methods, four common treatment site combinations were evaluated: pelvis/lower extremities, abdomen, chest/upper extremities, and breast. Statistical differences were evaluated using a paired sample Wilcoxon signed‐rank test with significance level of <0.01.ResultsThe average magnitudes of the 3D shift vectors for tattoos were 0.9 ± 0.4 cm, 1.0 ± 0.5 cm, 0.9 ± 0.6 cm and 1.4 ± 0.7 cm for the pelvis/lower extremities, abdomen, chest/upper extremities and breast, respectively. For the CatalystHD, the average magnitude of the 3D shifts for the pelvis/lower extremities, abdomen, chest/upper extremities and breast were 0.6 ± 0.3 cm, 0.5 ± 0.3 cm, 0.5 ± 0.3 cm and 0.6 ± 0.2 cm, respectively. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.01) in the 3D shift vectors were found for all four sites.ConclusionThis study shows that the overall 3D shift corrections for patients initially aligned with the C‐RAD CatalystHD were significantly smaller than those aligned with subcutaneous tattoos. Surface imaging systems can be considered a viable option for initial patient setup and may be preferable to permanent marks for specific clinics and patients.

Purpose: To report on the use of surface guided imaging during frameless intracranial stereotactic radiotherapy with automated delivery via HyperArc TM (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). Methods: All patients received intracranial radiotherapy with HyperArc TM and were monitored for intrafraction motion by the AlignRT® (VisionRT, London, UK) surface imaging (SI) system. Immobilization was with the Encompass TM (Qfix, Avondale, PA) aquaplast mask device. AlignRT® log files were correlated with trajectory log files to correlate treatment parameters with SI reported offsets. SI reported offsets were correlated with gantry angle and analyzed for performance issues at non-zero couch angles and during camera-pod blockage during gantry motion. Demographics in the treatment management system were used to identify race and determine if differences in SI reported offsets are due to skin tone settings. Results: A total of 981 fractions were monitored over 14 months and 819 were analyzed. The median AlignRT® reported motion from beginning to the end of treatment was 0.24 mm. The median offset before beam on at non-zero couch angles was 0.55 mm. During gantry motion when camera pods are blocked, the median magnitude was below 1 mm. Median magnitude of offsets at non-zero couch angles was not found to be significantly different for patients stratified by race. Conclusions: Surface image guidance is a viable alternative to scheduled mid-treatment imaging for monitoring intrafraction motion during stereotactic radiosurgery with automated delivery.

Quality assurance (QA) of the image quality for image‐guided localization systems is crucial to ensure accurate visualization and localization of regions of interest within the patient. In this study, the temporal stability of selected image parameters was assessed and evaluated for kV CBCT mode, planar radiographic k V, and MV modes. The motivation of the study was to better characterize the temporal variability in specific image‐quality parameters. The CATPHAN, QckV‐1, and QC‐3 phantoms were used to evaluate the image‐quality parameters of the imaging systems on a Varian Novalis Tx linear accelerator. The planar radiographic images were analyzed in PIPSpro with high‐contrast spatial resolution false(normalf30,normalf40,normalf50lp/mmfalse) being recorded. For OBI kV CBCT, high‐quality head full‐fan acquisition and pelvis half‐fan acquisition modes were evaluated for uniformity, noise, spatial resolution, HU constancy, and geometric distortion. Dose and X‐ray energy for the OBI were recorded using the Unfors RaySafe Xi system with the R/F High Detector for kV planar radiographic and the CT detector for kV CBCT. Dose for the MV EPID was recorded using a PTW975 Semiflex ion chamber, PTW UNIDOS electrometer, and CNMC Plastic Water. For each image‐quality parameter, values were normalized to the mean, and the normalized standard deviations were recorded to evaluate the parameter's temporal variability. For planar radiographic modes, the normalized standard deviations of the spatial resolution false(normalf30,normalf40,& normalf50false) were 0.015, 0.008, 0.004 lp/mm and 0.006, 0.009, 0.018 lp/mm for the kV and MV, respectively. The normalized standard deviation of dose for kV and MV were 0.010 mGy and 0.005 mGy, respectively. The standard deviations for full‐and half‐fan kV CBCT modes were averaged together. The following normalized standard deviations for each kV CBCT parameter were: 0.075 HU (uniformity), 0.071 HU (noise), 0.006 mm (AP‐geometric distortion), 0.005 mm (LAT‐geometric distortion), 0.058 mm (slice thickness), 0.124 (f50), 0.031 (HU constancy – Lung), 0.063 (HU constancy – Water), 0.020 (HU constancy – Bone), 0.006 mGy (Dose – Center), 0.004 mGy (Dose –Periphery). Using control chart analysis, institutional QA tolerances were reported as warning and action thresholds based on 1σ and 2σ thresholds. A study was performed to characterize the stability of image‐quality parameters recommended by AAPM Task Group‐142 for the Varian OBI and EPID imaging systems. Both imaging systems show consistent imaging and dosimetric properties over the evaluated time frame.PACS number: 87.10.‐e

For stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), accurate evaluation of dose-volume metrics for small structures is necessary. The purpose of this study was to compare the DVH metric capabilities of five commercially available SRS DVH analysis tools (Eclipse, Elements, Raystation, MIM, and Velocity). Methods: DICOM RTdose and RTstructure set files created using MATLAB were imported and evaluated in each of the tools. Each structure set consisted of 50 randomly placed spherical targets. The dose distributions were created on a 1-mm grid using an analytic model such that the dose-volume metrics of the spheres were known. Structure sets were created for 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 mm diameter spheres. The reported structure volume, V100% [cc], and V50% [cc], and the RTOG conformity index and Paddick Gradient Index, were compared with the analytical values. Results: The average difference and range across all evaluated target sizes for the reported structure volume was − 4.

Purpose: Online Adaptive Radiation Therapy (oART) follows a different treatment paradigm than conventional radiotherapy, and because of this, the resources, implementation, and workflows needed are unique. The purpose of this report is to outline our institution's experience establishing, organizing, and implementing an oART program using the Ethos therapy system. Methods: We include resources used, operational models utilized, program creation timelines, and our institutional experiences with the implementation and operation of an oART program. Additionally, we provide a detailed summary of our first year's clinical experience where we delivered over 1000 daily adaptive fractions. For all treatments, the different stages of online adaption, primary patient set-up, initial kV-CBCT acquisition, contouring review and edit of influencer structures, target review and edits, plan evaluation and selection, Mobius3D 2nd check and adaptive QA, 2nd kV-CBCT for positional verification, treatment delivery, and patient leaving the room, were analyzed. Results: We retrospectively analyzed data from 97 patients treated from August 2021-August 2022. One thousand six hundred seventy seven individual fractions were treated and analyzed, 632(38%) were non-adaptive and 1045(62%) were adaptive. Seventy four of the 97 patients (76%) were treated with standard fractionation and 23 (24%) received stereotactic treatments. For the adaptive treatments, the generated adaptive plan was selected in 92% of treatments. On average(±std),adaptive sessions took 34.52 ± 11.42 min from start to finish.The entire adaptive process (from start of contour generation to verification CBCT), performed by the physicist (and physician on select days),was 19.84 ± 8.21 min. Conclusion:We present our institution's experience commissioning an oART program using the Ethos therapy system. It took us 12 months from project inception to the treatment of our first patient and 12 months to treat 1000 adaptive fractions. Retrospective analysis of delivered fractions showed that the average overall treatment time was approximately 35 min and the average time for the adaptive component of treatment was approximately 20 min.