Fully automated, multi-criterial planning for Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy – An international multi-center validation for prostate cancer

• Published in: Radiotherapy and oncology 2018-08, Vol.128 (2), p.343-348
• Main Authors: Heijmen, Ben, Voet, Peter, Fransen, Dennie, Penninkhof, Joan, Milder, Maaike, Akhiat, Hafid, Bonomo, Pierluigi, Casati, Marta, Georg, Dietmar, Goldner, Gregor, Henry, Ann, Lilley, John, Lohr, Frank, Marrazzo, Livia, Pallotta, Stefania, Pellegrini, Roberto, Seppenwoolde, Yvette, Simontacchi, Gabriele, Steil, Volker, Stieler, Florian, Wilson, Stuart, Breedveld, Sebastiaan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Automated multi-criterial treatment planning; Knowledge-based planning; Multi-center validation; Prostate; VMAT
• ISSN: 0167-8140; 1879-0887
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2018.06.023

Reported plan quality improvements with autoplanning of radiotherapy of the prostate and seminal vesicles are poor. A system for automated multi-criterial planning has been validated for this treatment in a large international multi-center study. The system is configured with training plans using a mechanism that strives for quality improvements relative to those plans. Each of the four participating centers included thirty manually generated clinical Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy prostate plans (manVMAT). Ten plans were used for autoplanning training. The other twenty were compared with an automatically generated plan (autoVMAT). Plan evaluations considered dosimetric plan parameters and blinded side-by-side plan comparisons by clinicians. With equivalent Planning Target Volume (PTV) V95%, D2%, D98%, and dose homogeneity autoVMAT was overall superior for rectum with median differences of 3.4 Gy (p