Endovascular coils as lung tumour markers in real-time tumour tracking stereotactic radiotherapy: preliminary results

• Published in: European radiology 2008-08, Vol.18 (8), p.1569-1576
• Main Authors: Prévost, Jean-Briac G., Nuyttens, Joost J., Hoogeman, Mischa S., Pöll, Johan J., van Dijk, Lukas C., Pattynama, Peter M. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiography - instrumentation; Angiography - methods; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - radiotherapy; Computer Systems; Diagnostic Radiology; Embolization, Therapeutic - instrumentation; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement - instrumentation; Image Enhancement - methods; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional; Interventional Radiology; Lung Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Lung Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Pilot Projects; Radiography, Interventional - instrumentation; Radiography, Interventional - methods; Radiology; Radiosurgery - instrumentation; Radiosurgery - methods; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-008-0933-x

To evaluate the use of endovascular coils as markers for respiratory motion correction during high-dose stereotactic radiotherapy with the CyberKnife, an image-guided linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm. Endovascular platinum embolisation coils were used to mark intrapulmonary lesions. The coils were placed in subsegmental pulmonary artery branches in close proximity to the target tumour. This procedure was attempted in 25 patients who were considered unsuitable candidates for standard transthoracic percutaneous insertion. Vascular coils (n = 87) were succesfully inserted in 23 of 25 patients. Only minor complications were observed: haemoptysis during the procedure (one patient), development of pleural pain and fever on the day of procedure (one patient), and development of small infiltrative changes distal to the vascular coil (five patients). Fifty-seven coils (66% of total inserted number) could be used as tumour markers for delivery of biologically highly effective radiation doses with automated tracking during CyberKnife radiotherapy. Endovascular markers are safe and allow high-dose radiotherapy of lung tumours with CyberKnife, also in patients who are unsuitable candidates for standard transthoracic percutaneous marker insertion.