Validation of the clinical applicability of knowledge‐based planning models in single‐isocenter volumetric‐modulated arc therapy for multiple brain metastases

PURPOSE: To validate the clinical applicability of knowledge‐based (KB) planning in single‐isocenter volumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for multiple brain metastases using the k‐fold cross‐validation (CV) method. METHODS: This study comprised 60 consecutive patients with multiple brain metastases treated with single‐isocenter VMAT (28 Gy in five fractions). The patients were divided randomly into five groups (Groups 1–5). The data of Groups 1–4 were used as the training and validation dataset and those of Group 5 were used as the testing dataset. Four KB models were created from three of the training and validation datasets and then applied to the remaining Groups as the fourfold CV phase. As the testing phase, the final KB model was applied to Group 5 and the dose distributions were calculated with a single optimization process. The dose‐volume indices (DVIs), modified Ian Paddick Conformity Index (mIPCI), modulation complexity scores for VMAT plans (MCSv), and the total number of monitor units (MUs) of the final KB plan were compared to those of the clinical plan (CL) using a paired Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. RESULTS: In the fourfold CV phase, no significant differences were observed in the DVIs among the four KB plans (KBPs). In the testing phase, the final KB plan was statistically equivalent to the CL, except for planning target volumes (PTVs) D(2%) and D(50%). The differences between the CL and KBP in terms of the PTV D(99.5%), normal brain, and D(max) to all organs at risk (OARs) were not significant. The KBP achieved a lower total number of MUs and higher MCSv than the CL with no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that a KB model in a single‐isocenter VMAT for multiple brain metastases was equivalent in dose distribution, MCSv, and total number of MUs to a CL with a single optimization.