Influence of target dose heterogeneity on dose sparing of normal tissue in peripheral lung tumor stereotactic body radiation therapy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of target dose heterogeneity on normal tissue dose sparing for peripheral lung tumor stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). METHODS: Based on the volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) technique, three SBRT plans with homogeneous, moderate heterogeneous, and heterogeneous (HO, MHE, and HE) target doses were compared in 30 peripheral lung tumor patients. The prescription dose was 48 Gy in 4 fractions. Ten rings outside the PTV were created to limit normal tissue dosage and evaluate dose falloff. RESULTS: When MHE and HE plans were compared to HO plans, the conformity index of the PTV was increased by approximately 0.08. The median mean lung dose (MLD), V(5), V(10), V(20) of whole lung, D(2%), D(1cc), D(2cc) of the rib, V(30) of the rib, D(2%) and the maximum dose (D(max)) of the skin, and D(2%) and D(max) of most mediastinal organs at risk (OARs) and spinal cord were reduced by up to 4.51 Gy or 2.8%. Analogously, the median D(max), D(2%) and mean dose of rings were reduced by 0.71 to 8.46 Gy; and the median R(50%) and D(2cm) were reduced by 2.1 to 2.3 and 7.4% to 8.0%, respectively. Between MHE and HE plans there was little to no difference in OARs dose and dose falloff beyond the target. Furthermore, the dose sparing of rib V(30) and the mean dose of rings were negatively correlated with the rib and rings distance from tumor, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For peripheral lung tumor SBRT, target conformity, normal tissue dose, and dose falloff around the target could be improved by loosening or abandoning homogeneity. While there was negligible further dose benefit for the maximum target dose above 125% of the prescription, dose sparing of normal tissue derived from a heterogeneous target decreased as the distance from the tumor increased. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13014-021-01891-6.