Comparison of Absolute Dose Achievable Between Helical Tomotherapy and RapidArc in Total Dura Mater Irradiation for Child Cancer

Background and Purpose: In this study, the absolute dose achievable between helical tomotherapy (HT) plans and RapidArc (RA) plans for total dura mater irradiation (TDMI) was compared. Materials and methods: A planning study was conducted on nine children's case datasets with dura mater metastasis of neuroblastoma. The target included the entire calvarium and skull base and formed a closed volume with a certain thickness around the brain. HT and RA plans with four coplanar full arcs (RA4) with half-field technique were generated for the comparison of absolute dose achievable. In total, 30.6 Gy was prescribed as D(95%) (ie, dose to 95% of PTV volume). Results: In the dosimetric comparison between the two modalities, HT provided more homogenous dose distribution than RA4 (mean HI(5−95%): 1.046 vs 1.088, P < .001). The V(107%) and D(2Gy) of PTV in HT versus RA4 were 3.06% versus 30.47% and 32.59 Gy versus 33.45 Gy, respectively. HT reduced the D(mean) and V(5Gy) of the brain, brainstem, and hippocampus by 25%–48% and 27%–56% compared with RA4, respectively. Conclusion: Both techniques could provide sufficient coverage for targets, but HT offered more homogenous dose to PTV and lower dose to the central region of the brain involving the brainstem and hippocampus. RA4 could be completed in a shorter time with lower MUs, but with relatively higher dose to the brain or hippocampus. In terms of dosimetry, HT may improve long-term cognitive decline in these young pediatric patients with TDMI.