Comprehensive Analysis of Set-Up Gain of 6-Dimensional Cone-Beam CT Correction Method in Radiotherapy for Head and Neck and Brain Tumors

This study quantitatively analyzed the gain of the six-dimensional (6D) cone-beam CT (CBCT) correction method compared with the conventional set-up method in 60 patients who underwent radiation treatment of head and neck and brain tumors. The correction gain of CBCT was calculated for the translational and rotational motion components separately and in combination to evaluate the individual and overall effects of these motion components. Using a statistical simulation mimicking the actual set-up correction process, the effective gain of periodic CBCT correction during the entire treatment fraction was analyzed by target size and CBCT correction period under two different correction scenarios: translation alone and full 6D corrections. From the analyses performed in this study, the gain of CBCT correction was quantitatively determined for each situation, and the appropriate CBCT correction strategy was suggested based on treatment purpose and target size.