INTENSITY MODULATED

RADIOTHERAPY(IMRT)
AND
3 D CONFORMAL
RADIOTHERAPY(3D CRT)

DR GURU PRASAD MOHANTY

CONSULTANT RADIATION ONCOLOGIST
DEPARTMENT OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY
RAJKOT CANCER SOCIETY
 The Evolution of Radiation Therapy
1ST Telecobalt machine in August 1951 in
Sasaktoon Cancer Clinic, Canada
1980’s Computerized 3D CT 1990’s
1960’s 1970’s Treatment Planning 2000’s
The First Clinac

Functional
Imaging
Cerrobend Blocking Multileaf Collimator
Electron Blocking Dynamic MLC High resolution IMRT
Standard Collimator and IMRT IMRT Evolution
Blocks were used to evolves to smaller
MLC leads to 3D
The linac reduced reduce the dose to Computerized IMRT
and smaller
conformal therapy subfields and high
complications normal tissues which allows the first introduced which resolution IMRT
compared to Co60 dose escalation trials. allowed escalation of along with the
dose and reduced introduction of new
compilations imaging
technologies
9/25/2010
 CONFORMAL THERAPY

It is described as radiotherapy

treatment that creates a high dose

volume that is shaped to closely

“ Conform” to the desired target

volumes while minimizing the

dose to critical normal tissues.

 Features of Conformal Radiotherapy

1)Target volumes are defined in three dimensions using contours

drawn on many slices from a CT imaging study.

2)Multiple beam directions are used to crossfire on the targets.

3)Individual beams are shaped or intensity modulated to create a

dose distribution that conforms to the target volume and desired
dose levels.

4)Use of image guidance,accurate patient setup ,immobilization

and management of motion to ensure accurate delivery of the
planned dose distributions to the patient.
 Types of Conformal Radiation
 Two broad subtypes :
 Techniques aiming to
employ geometric field
shaping alone( 3D-CRT)
Geometrical Field shaping

 Techniques to modulate
the intensity of fluence
across the geometrically-
shaped field (IMRT)
Geometrical Field shaping with
Intesity Modulation
 WHAT IS 3-D CRT
To plan & deliver treatment based on 3D anatomic
information. such that resultant dose distribution conforms to
the target volume closely in terms of
Adequate dose to tumor &
Minimum dose to normal tissues.

The 3D CRT plans generally

use increased number of radiation beams
to improve dose conformation and conventional beam
modifiers (e.g., wedges and/or compensating filters) are used.
 Automated 3-D Conformal Radiation Therapy

Beam shaping automated with

first multileaf collimators (MLC)

Less labor intensive--no entering and

exiting treatment room to change blocks

Use of CT scans to see tumors

in 3-D for more precise treatment planning

Treatment uses 4-6 beam angles

•Custom-molded block(s) match beam shape to tumor
profile
•Beam shaping from multiple angles conforms radiation
dose to tumor volume
•Typical treatments use 4-6 beam angles
•Dose still relatively low
•Blocks still changed by hand
•Still slow and labor intensive
 3D conformal radiation therapy
Full 3D CT dataset, ICRU 50,62 definition of target and
OAR volumes
3D-CRT

1/ Radiation intensity is uniform

within each beam

2/ Modulation conferred only by

wedges.
History of Conformal Therapy
 IMRT
IMRT is an advanced form of 3D CRT
IMRT refers to a radiation therapy technique in
which
nonuniform fluence is delivered to the patient from any
given position of the treatment beam

using computer-aided optimization

to attain certain specified
dosimetric and clinical objectives.
 IMRT RATIONALE

More conformal than 3D CRT

Dose distribution more homogeneous within PTV

A sharp fall off PTV boundary

Reduction of normal tissue dose

To create concave isodose surfaces or

low-dose areas surrounded by high dose.

Lower rate of complication-lower cost of

patient care following treatment

Large fields and boosts can be integrated

in single treatment plan

Radiobiologic advantage
Divides each treatment field into multiple segments upto
(500/angle)
Allows dose escalation to most aggressive tumor cells; best
protection of healthy tissue
Modulates radiation intensity; gives distinct dose to each segment
Uses 9+ beam angles, thousands of segments
Improves precision/accuracy
Requires inverse treatment planning software to calculate dose
distribution
 LIMITATIONS OF IMRT

Many dose distributions physically not achievable

Interfraction variation

Positioning

Displacement and distortion of internal anatomy

Intrafraction motion

Changes of physical and radiobiologic characteristic of tumor and

normal tissue
IMRT-Full 3D CT dataset; ICRU 50,62 definition of target
and OAR volumes; co-registration of PET and CT images
WORKFLOW OF CONFORMAL RT
 POSITIONING

• Important component of conformal RT

• Position
– Should be comfortable & Reproducible
– Should be suitable for beam entry, with minimum accessories in beam
path
• For this purpose positioning devices may be used

• Positioning devices are ancillary devices used to help maintain

the patient in a non-standard treatment position.
 TIMO

PITUITARY BOARD
Belly board

Face rest

Knee wedge
Breast board
 IMMOBILIZATION
• Patient is immobilized using individualized casts or moulds.
• An immobilization device is any device that helps to establish and
maintain the patient in a fixed, well-defined position from treatment to
treatment over a course of radiotherapy-reproduce the treatment
everyday
 IMAGE ACQUISITION

• It provides foundation for treatment planning

• Usually more than one imaging modalities are required for better
delineation of target volume

• Images are acquired for :

– Treatment planning
– Image guidance and/or treatment verification
– Follow-up studies (during & after treatment)
 IMAGING MODALITIES

• No single imaging modality produces all the

information, needed for the accurate identification
and delineation of the target volume and critical
organs.

• Various imaging modalities used are :

– CT
– MRI
– PET-CT
 High Tech Diagnostic Machines
CT Simulator MRI

PET Scan
 CT IMAGING

• Advantages of CT
– Gives quantitative data in
form of CT no. (electron
density) to account for
tissue heterogeneities while
computing dose distribution.
– Gives detailed information
of bony structures
– Potential for rapid scanning
– 4 -D imaging can be done.
– Widely available;
(relatively) inexpensive
 MRI IMAGING

• Advantages of MRI
– No radiation dose to
patient
– Unparalleled soft tissue
delineation
– scans directly in axial,
sagittal, coronal or oblique
planes
– Vascular imaging with
contrast agents
 PET/CT
• Recently introduced PET/CT
machines, integrating PET &
CT technologies , enables the
collection of both anatomical
& biological information
simultaneously

• ADV. of PET/CT
– Earlier diagnosis of tumor
– Precise localization
– Accurate staging
– Precise treatment
– Monitoring of response to
treatment
 CT SIMULATOR
• Images are acquired on a
dedicated CT machine called
CT simulator with following
features
– A large bore (75-85cm) to
accommodate various treatment
positions along with treatment
accessories.
– A flat couch insert to simulate
treatment machine couch.
– A laser system consisting of
• Inner laser
• External moving laser
to position patients for
imaging & for marking
• A graphic work station
 IMAGE ACQUISITION
• CT is done with pt in the treatment position with immobilization
device if used.
• Radio opaque fiducial are placed .
• These fiducial assist in any coordinate transformation needed as
a result of 3D planning and eventual plan implementation.
• A topogram is generated to insure that patient alignment is
correct & then using localizer, area to be scanned is selected.
• The FOV is selected to permit visualization of the external
contour, which is required for accurate dose calculations.
• Using site dependent protocols, images are acquired.
• The planning CT data set is transferred to a 3D-TPS or
workstation via a computer network.
 TREATMENT PLANNING SYSTEM

• TPS provides tools for

– Image registration
– Image segmentation or contouring
– Virtual Simulation
– Dose calculations
– Plan Evaluation
– Data Storage and transmission to console
– Treatment verification
 IMAGE REGISTRATION
• registration allows use of complementary features of different
scan types.
• Employs a unique algorithm that allows full voxel to voxel
intensity match, Image Fusion automatically correlates thousands
of points from two image sets, providing true volumetric fusion
of anatomical data sets.
• This requires calculation of 3D transformation that relates
coordinates of a particular imaging study to planning CT
coordinates.
• Various registration techniques include
– Point-to-point fitting,
– Line or curve matching
– Surface or topography matching
– Volume matching
 CT IMAGE
POINT TO POINT MATCHING
MRI IMAGE

CONTOURING ON BLENDED IMAGE

IMAGE FUSION
 APPLICATIONS OF IMAGE
REGISTRATION

• Identifying the volume of a tumour on a preoperative scan and

transferring it to the postoperative treatment planning scan to
define the target volume.
• Visualizing CNS structures more clearly seen on MRI and
mapping them to CT image for planning-fusion
• Combining functional or biochemical signals from emission
tomography onto CT scans for planning purposes.
• For organ motion studies
• Image guidance
• For follow-up studies
• 4D CT
• Image registration allows computation of cumulative doses
from multiple plans done on different image sets for same
patient
 IMAGE SEGMENTATION OR
CONTOURING

• Most labour-intensive component

of 3-D CRT
• Necessary for the qualitative and
quantitative evaluation of
treatment plan.
• Reconstructed sagittal & coronal
images provide additional
orientation cues & are useful in
defining spatially consistent
volumes of interest.
• Segmentation is done manually
or automatically delineating
anatomic regions of interest on a
slice-by-slice basis
• The segmented regions can be rendered
in different colors.
• High contrast structures e.g. lungs,
bones & air cavities can be contoured
with edge detection & edge tracking
techniques.
• The computer automatically tracks path
of a specified pixel value &connects
the pixels into a contour outline
• Basic features of contouring software
are manipulating image contrast and
brightness, zoom, pan, sampling pixel
values, distance measurement.
• Contours drawn on a limited number of
widely separated image sections can be
interpolated
 VOLUME DEFINITION
• Volume definition is
prerequisite for 3-D
treatment planning.
• To aid in the treatment
planning process &
provide a basis for
comparison of treatment
outcomes.
• ICRU reports50 & 62
define & describe target
& critical structure
volumes.
 ICRU 50 & 62
• When delivering Radiotherapy treatment, parameters such
as volume & dose have to be specified for:
– Prescription
– Recording
– Reporting
• Such specifications serve a number of purposes
– To enable the Radiation Oncologist to maintain a consistent
treatment policy and improve it in the light of experience.
– To compare the results of treatment and benefit from other
departmental treatments.
– It is particularly important in multi-center studies in order to keep
treatment parameters well defined, constant & reproducible.
• It is expected that rapid development of new techniques
would increase the complexity of radiotherapy and
emphasize the need for general strict guidelines.
9/25/2010
 VOLUMES
• Two volumes should be defined prior to treatment
planning, these volumes are:
– Gross tumor volume (GTV).
– Clinical target volume (CTV).
• During the treatment planning process, other volumes
have to be defined.
– Planning target volume (PTV).
– Organs at risk.
• As a result of treatment planning, further volumes can
be described. These are:
– Treated volume (TV).
– Irradiated volume (IRV).
9/25/2010
• The GTV is the gross (palpable, visible or demonstrable) extent
and location of malignant growth.
• This may consist of primary tumor, metastatic lymphadenopathy or
other metastases.
• No GTV can be defined if the tumor has been removed. Eg. By
previous surgery.
• The CTV is GTV + sub clinical microscopic disease.
• Additional volumes with presumed sub clinical spread may also be
considered for therapy and may be designated as CTV II, CTV III
etc. (ICRU 62)
• The PTV is a geometrical concept defined to select appropriate
beam sizes and beam arrangements.
• It considers the net effect of the geometrical variations to ensure
that the prescribed dose is actually absorbed in the CTV.
• These variations may be intra-fractional or inter-fractional due to
number of factors like
– Movement of tissues/patient.
– Variations in size & shape of tissues.
– Variations in beam characteristics.
– The uncertainties may be random or systematic.
9/25/2010
9/25/2010
 Organs at Risk
• Organs at risk are normal tissues, whose radiation
sensitivity may significantly reduce the treatment
planning and/or prescribed dose.
• Any possible movement of the organ at risk as well
as uncertainties in the setup during the whole
treatment course must be considered.
• Organs at risk may be divided into three different
classes:
– Class I (Radiation lesions are fatal & result in severe
morbidity.)
– Class II (Result in moderate to mild morbidity.)
– Class III (Radiation lesions are mild, transient and
reversible or result in no significant morbidity.)
9/25/2010
 Organs at Risk

OARs
• Lungs
• Spinal Cord
 ICRU 62, 1999
• Gives more detailed recommendations on different
margins that must be considered to account for
Anatomical & Geometrical uncertainties.
• Introduces concept of reference points &
coordinate systems.
• Introduces the concept of conformity index.
• Classifies Organs at Risk.
• Introduces planning organ at risk volume.
• Gives recommendations on graphic.
• Gives additional recommendations on reporting
doses, not only in a single patient but also in a
series of patients.
• Of all, Reporting is Emphasized.
9/25/2010
 Internal Margin (IM) & Internal Target
Volume (ITV)
• A margin must be added to the CTV to
compensate for expected physiological movements
& expected variations in size, shape & position of
the CTV during therapy.
• It is in relation to an internal reference point and
its corresponding coordinate systems.
• This margin is now denoted as the Internal
Margin (IM).
• They do not depend on external uncertainties of
beam geometry.
• They cannot be easily controlled.
 Target volumes
ICRU 62 report
•GTV = Gross Tumour Volume
= Macroscopic tumour

•CTV = Clinical Target Volume

= Microscopic tumour

•PTV = Planning target Volume

Advice: Always use the

ICRU reports to specify and
record dose and volume
PTV Baumert et al. IJROBP 2006 Sep 1;66(1):187-94
Set up Margin (SM):
• It accounts for the uncertainties in patient
positioning and aligning of therapeutic beams.
• It includes the treatment planning session as well
as all the treatment sessions.
Planning organ at risk volume (PRV):
• An integrated margin must be added to the OR to
compensate for variations including the movement
of organ as well as setup uncertainties.
• In particular the internal margin & the setup
margin for the OR must be identified. This leads to
the concept of PRV.

9/25/2010
 ICRU 62 – Volume definitions

ITV
IM

CTV

PTV
PRV
SM
OR

IM = Internal Margin
SM = Setup Margin
9/25/2010
 ICRU 83 (2010)
As introduced in ICRU Reports 50, 62, 71, and 78 (ICRU, 1993;
1999; 2004; 2007)

• Gross tumor volume or GTV

• Clinical target volume or CTV
• Planning target volume or PTV
• Organ at risk or OAR
• Planning organ-at-risk volume or PRV
• Internal target volume or ITV
• Treated volume or TV
• Remaining volume at risk or RVR
Biological Target Volume
 A target volume that
incorporated data from
molecular imaging techniques
 Target volume drawn
incorporates information
regarding:
 Cellular burden
 Cellular metabolism
 Tumor hypoxia
 Tumor proliferation
 Intrinsic Radioresistance or
sensitivity
 Biological Target Volumes
 Lung Cancer:
 30 -60% of all GTVs and PTVs are changed with
PET.
 Increase in the volume can be seen in 20 -40%.
 Decrease in the volume in 20 – 30%.
 Several studies show significant improvement in
nodal delineation.
 Head and Neck Cancer:
 PET fused images lead to a change in GTV volume
in 79%.
 Can improve parotid sparing in 70% patients.
 ORGAN AT RISK(ICRU 62)
• Normal critical structures whose radiation
sensitivity may significantly influence
treatment planning and/or prescribed dose
• Organs are made up of functional units.
• Radio sensitivity of an organ is determined
by the arrangement of these units.
• If functional units are arranged in series
then inactivation of one subunit causes loss
of function of whole organ –spinal cord
• In parallel organization of functional
subunits, inactivation of a large no. of
subunits doesn’t affect overall organ
function.
• Consequently,
– an organ with high tolerance may be lost by
inactivation of a small part.
– While an organ with very low tolerance may
sustain loss of even large no. of subunits.
 Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph-DRR
• A synthetic radiograph produced
by tracing ray-lines from a virtual
source position through the CT
data to a virtual film plane .
• It is analogous to conventional
simulation radiographs.
• DRR is used
– for treatment portal design
– for verification of treatment portal by
comparison with port films or
electronic portal images
– provides planar reference image for
transferring 3D treatment plan to
clinical setting
 Digitally Composite Radiograph -DCR

• The digitally composite radiograph is a type of

DRR that allows different ranges of CT
numbers related to a certain tissue type to be
selectively suppressed or enhanced in the
image.
 Beam Eye View-BEV

• In BEV observer’s viewing

point is at the source of
radiation looking out along axis
of radiation beam.
– Demonstrates geometric coverage
of target volume by the beam
– Shielding & MLCs are designed
on BEV
– Useful in identifying best gantry,
collimator, and couch angles to
irradiate target & avoid adjacent
normal structures by interactively
moving patient and treatment
beam.
 Room Eye View-REV

• The REV display provides a

viewing point simulating any
arbitrary location within the
treatment room.
•
• The REV helps
– To better appreciate overall
treatment technique
geometry and placement of
the isocenter
 PLANNING

• For planning, the 3D TPS must have the capability to simulate

each of the treatment machine motion functions, including

– Gantry angle,
– Collimator length, width & angle,
– MLC leaf settings,
– Couch latitude, longitude, height & angle.
 FORWARD PLANNING
• For 3D CRT forward planning is used.
• Beam arrangement is selected based on clinical experience.
• Using BEV, beam aperture is designed
• Dose is prescribed.
• 3D dose distribution is calculated.
• Then plan is evaluated.
• Plan is modified based on dose distribution evaluation, using
various combinations of
– Beam , collimator & couch angle,
– Beam weights &
– Beam modifying devices (wedges, compensators) to get desired dose
distribution.
 IMRT PLANNING
• IMRT planning is an inverse planning.
• It is so called because this approach starts with desired result (a
uniform target dose) & works backward toward incident beam
intensities.
• After contouring, treatment fields & their orientation ( beam
angle) around patient is selected.
• Next step is to select the parameters used to drive the
optimization algorithm to a particular solution.
• Optimization refers to mathematical technique of
– finding the best physical and technically possible treatment plan
– to fulfill specified physical and clinical criteria,
– under certain constraints
– using sophisticated computer algorithm
 INVERSE PLANNING
Inverse Planning

1. Dose distribution specified

Forward Planning

3. Beam Fluence
2. Intensity map created modulated to recreate
intensity map
• Dose-volume constraints for the target and
normal tissues are entered into the optimization
program of TPS
– Maximum and minimum target doses
– Maximum normal tissues doses
– Priority scores for target and normal tissues
• The dose prescription for IMRT is more
structured and complex than single-valued
prescription used in 3-D CRT & conventional
RT
• Ideally some dose value is prescribed to every
voxel.
 OPTIMIZATION
 Refers to the technique of finding the best physical
and technically possible treatment plan to fulfill the
specified physical and clinical criteria.

 A mathematical technique that aims to maximize (or

minimize) a score under certain constraints.

 It is one of the most commonly used techniques for

inverse planning.
 The objective of the Optimization process is to vary
the beam intensities so that the dose requirement is
best approximated.

This could be based on a ‘Cost Function’ - a figure of

merit based on the specification for target and sensitive
organ dose requirement.

Or simply trying to match the dose requirement

pattern.
• During the optimization process, each beam is
divided into small “beamlets”
• Intensity of each is varied until the optimal
dose distribution is derived

• We can Optimize following parameters

– Intensity maps
– Number of intensity levels
– Beam angles
– Number of beams
– Beam Energy
IMRT OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHMS
Constraints that need to be fulfilled during the planning process
 Types:
 Physical Optimization Criteria: Based on physical
dose coverage
 Biological Optimization Criteria: Based on TCP
and NTCP calculation
 A total objective function (score) is then derived from these criteria.
 Priorities are defined to tell the algorithm the relative importance of the
different planning objectives (penalties)
 The algorithm attempts to maximize the score based on the criteria and
penalties.
 PLAN EVALUATION

• The following tools are used in the evaluation

of the planned dose distribution:
– 2-D display
• Isodose lines
• Color wash
• DVHs (Dose volume histograms )

– Dose distribution statistics

 2D EVALUATION
• Isodose lines superimposed on
CT images
• Color wash - Spectrum of colors
superimposed on the anatomic
information represented by
modulation of intensity
– Gives quick over view of dose
distribution
– Easy to assess overdosage in
normal tissue that are not
contoured.
– To assess dose heterogeneity inside
PTV
• Slice by slice evaluation of dose
distribution can be done.
 DOSE VOLUME HISTOGRAM - DVH
• DVHs summarize the information contained in
the 3-D dose distribution & quantitatively
evaluates treatment plans.
• DVHs are usually displayed in the form of ‘per
cent volume of total volume’ against dose.
• The DVH may be represented in two forms:
– Cumulative integral DVH
– Differential DVH.
 CUMULATIVE DVH
• It is plot of volume of a given
structure receiving a certain
dose.
• Any point on the cumulative
DVH curve shows the volume
of a given structure that receives
the indicated dose or higher.
• It start at 100% of the volume
for zero dose, since all of the
volume receives at least more
than zero Gy.
 DIFFERENTIAL DVH
• The direct or differential DVH is
a plot of volume receiving a dose
within a specified dose interval
(or dose bin) as a function of
dose.
• It shows extent of dose variation
within a given structure.
• The ideal DVH for a target DVH - target vol.
volume would be a single column
indicating that 100% of volume
receives prescribed dose.
• For a critical structure, the DVH
may contain several peaks
indicating that different parts of
the organ receive different doses.

DVH - OAR
 3-D DOSE CLOUD
• Map isodoses in three
dimensions and
overlay the resulting
isosurface on a 3-D
display with surface
renderings of target
& other contoured
organs.
 Dose statistics
• It provide quantitative information on the volume of the target or critical
structure and on the dose received by that volume.
• These include:
– The minimum dose to the volume
– The maximum dose to the volume
– The mean dose to the volume
– Modal dose
• Useful in dose reporting.
 PLAN EVALUATION
• The planned dose distribution approved by the
radiation oncologist is one in which
– a uniform dose is delivered to the target volume
(e.g., +7% and –5% of prescribed dose)
– with doses to critical structures held below some
tolerance level specified by the radiation oncologist
• Acceptable dose distribution is one that differs
from desired dose distribution
– within preset limits of dose and
– only in regions where desired dose distribution can’t
be physically achieved.
 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

• Once the treatment plan has been evaluated &

approved, documentation for plan implementation
must be generated.
• It includes
– beam parameter settings transferred to the treatment
machine’s record and verify system,
– MLC parameters communicated to computer system
that controls MLC system of the treatment machine,
– DRR generation & printing or transfer to an image
database.
 IMRT PLAN VERIFICATION

• The goal is to verify that correct dose & dose distribution will
be delivered to the patient.
• One needs to check that
– the plan has been properly computed
– leaf sequence files & treatment parameters charted and/or stored in the
R/V server are correct &
– plan will be executable.
• Before first treatment, verification is done to check
– MU (or absolute dose to a point)
– MLC leaf sequences or fluence maps
– Dose distribution
 PLAN VERIFICATION
• Specially designed IMRT
phantoms are used.
• These phantoms have various
inhomogeneity built in that
allow verification not only of
IMRT plans but also of the
algorithm used for tissue IMRT PHANTOM
inhomogeneity corrections.
• It is also possible, however, to
use simple phantoms made of
Lucite, polystyrene or other
water equivalent materials, in
which dosimeters can be
positioned. ionamatrixx
 PLAN VERIFICATION
• Involves mapping the plan fields onto a
phantom, to create a verification plan &
comparing the results with measurements
made on that phantom.
• Assuming that validity of results for the
phantom can be extrapolated to the patient.
• CT images of the IMRT phantom with
ionization chamber in the slot, are taken with
2.5mm slice thickness.
• Phantom images are transferred to TPS & body
of phantom is contoured.
• A phantom plan is created by superimposing
the patient plan on to the IMRT phantom.
• All gantry angles are made to zero-degree
orientation for the measurement without
changing anything further so that isodose and
profile remained the same, & it is called
verification plan.
 IMRT DELIVERY
• Having calculated the fluence distributions or
fluence maps for each field angle, one now needs
to have a means of delivering those fluence maps.
• Methods to deliver an IMRT treatment are:
– Compensator based IMRT
– Multileaf collimator (MLC) based
• Static or step & shoot mode
• Dynamic mode
– Intensity modulated arc therapy (IMAT)
– Tomotherapy
 COMPENSATOR BASED IMRT
• compensators are used to modulate intensity.
• compensators must be constructed for each gantry position
employed and then placed in the beam for each treatment.
• Adv. of physical attenuators are
– Highest MU efficiency
– Devoid of problems such as
• leaf positioning accuracy,
• interleaf leakage and
• intraleaf transmission,
• rounded leaf, and
• tongue-and-groove effect that are intrinsic to MLC systems.
• Disadv of physical attenuators
– issues related to material choice, machining accuracy, and placement
accuracy.
– Labour intensive as each field has unique intensity map & requires
separate compensator.
 STEP & SHOOT IMRT
• In static or step & shoot mode the intensity modulated fields are delivered
with a sequence of small segments or subfields, each subfield with a uniform
intensity.
• The beam is only turned on when the MLC leaves are stationary in each of the
prescribed subfield positions.
• Adv. of SMLC
– Simple concept resembles conventional treatment
– Easy to plan, deliver & to verify
– an interrupted treatment is easy to resume
– fewer MUs in comparison to DMLC
– less demanding in terms of QA
• Disadv. of SMLC
– Slow dose delivery (5 min/field)
– Hard on MLC hardware
  Since beam is interrupted
between movements
leakage radiation is less.
Intesntiy

 Easier to deliver and plan.

 More time consuming

Distance
 DYNAMIC MODE
• In the DMLC or sliding window mode, the leaves of MLC are
moving during irradiation i.e. each pair of opposing leaf sweeps
across target volume under computer control.
• Adv. Of DMLC
– Better dose homogeneity for target volumes
– Shorter treatment time for complex IM beams
• Disadv of DMLC
– More demanding in terms of QA
• leaf position (gap), leaf speed need to be checked
– Beam remains on throughout – leakage radiation increased
– Total MU required is more than that for SMLC
• increased leakage dose
 Dynamic IMRT

 Faster than Static IMRT

 Smooth intensity modulation
acheived
 Beam remains on throughout
– leakage radiation increased
 More susceptible to tumor
motion related errors.
Intesntiy

 Additional QA required for

MLC motion accuracy.

Distance
IMRT-QUALITY ASSURANCE
1/ Verify Leaf Positions

2/ Record and Verify System

3/ show leaf positions for each segment

4/ Portal Imaging

5/ Output tolerance tighter

6/ isocentre, mechanical tolerance tighter (smaller target)

7/Immobilization

8/Dose accuracy
 TOMOTHERAPY
A form of IMRT using rotational fan beams

Uses slip ring rotating gantry

Treatment delivery by continuous gantry

rotation and treatment couch translation.

Delivered by two methods:

Slice based tomotherapy

Helical tomotherapy
.
 IMAT
Intensity modulated arc therapy

Uses rotational cone beams of varying

shapes and varying dose weighings to
achieve intensity modulation.

It is alternative to tomotherapy.

Advantages over tomotherapy-

Does not need to move the patient.
Uses non coplanar beams and arcs
great value for brain and head and neck tumors.
Uses conventional linac hence complex rotational
simple palliative treatment can be delivered with the same unit.
 VMAT
•VOLUMETRIC MODULATED ARC THERAPY/ RAPID ARC

•Delivers a precisely sculpted 3D dose distribution with a single 360 degree

rotation of LIN-AC Gantry.

•Treatment Algorithm depends upon three parameters-

1/ Rotation speed of the Gantry.
2/ Shape of the treatment aperture using multileaf
collimator leaves.
3/ Delivery dose rates.

•Delivers dose to the whole volume, rather than slice by slice.

•Treatment planning algorithm ensures the treatment precision and helps to

spare the normal tissue.
 TAKE HOME MESSAGE

3DCRT IMRT

Less Conformal More Conformal

No need of volume and OAR Target and OAR must be

specified

Forward Planning Inverse Planning

Uniform dose High Gradient dose

. Dose defined to volume but Isocenter dose undefined

specified at isocenter
 3DCRT IMRT

Analogue dose distribution Digital dose distribution

No dose escalation More dose escalation

Target dose less homogenous Target dose more homogenous

No dose intensity modulation Dose intensity can be

modulated within target

No sharp fall off sharp fall off PTV boundary

 3DCRT IMRT

cannot avoid selectively selectively avoid

. critical structures and tissues

Exact solution Approximate solution

Less reduction of normal More reduction of normal

tissue dose tissue dose
creation of concave isodose
surface
Simultaneous integrated boost

More chances of geographical

miss of target
 3DCRT IMRT

More strict quality assurance

Less time consuming More time consuming

Less Expensive More Expensive

2DRT 3DCRT

IMRT
THANK YOU