Cone beam CT‐guided prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) treatment on the recently installed novel O‐ring coplanar geometry Halcyon Linac with a single energy 6MV‐flattening filter free (FFF) beam and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a fast, safe, and feasible treatment modality for early stage low‐ and intermediate‐risk prostate cancer patients. Following the RTOG‐0938 compliance criteria and utilizing two‐full arc geometry, VMAT prostate SBRT plans were generated for ten consecutive patients using advanced Acuros‐based algorithm for heterogeneity corrections with Halcyon couch insert. Halcyon VMAT plans with the stacked and staggered multileaf collimators (MLC) produced highly conformal SBRT dose distributions to the prostate, lower intermediate dose spillage and similar dose to adjacent organs‐at‐risks (OARs) compared to SBRT‐dedicated Truebeam VMAT plans. Due to lower monitor units per fraction and less MLC modulation through the target, the Halcyon VMAT plan can deliver prostate SBRT fractions in and overall treatment time of less than 10 minutes (for 36.25 Gy in five fractions), significantly improving patient compliance and clinic workflow. Pretreatment quality assurance results were similar to Truebeam VMAT plans. We have implemented Halcyon Linac for prostate SBRT treatment in our institution. We recommend that others use Halcyon for prostate SBRT treatments to expand the access of curative hypofractionated treatments to other clinics only equipped with a Halcyon Linac. Clinical follow‐up results for patients who underwent prostate SBRT treatment on our Halcyon Linac is underway.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of lung tumors via the ring‐mounted Halcyon Linac, a fast kilovoltage cone beam CT‐guided treatment with coplanar geometry, a single energy 6MV flattening filter free (FFF) beam and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a fast, safe, and feasible treatment modality for selected lung cancer patients. Four‐dimensional (4D) CT‐based treatment plans were generated using advanced AcurosXB algorithm with heterogeneity corrections using an SBRT board and Halcyon couch insert. Halcyon VMAT‐SBRT plans with stacked and staggered multileaf collimators produced highly conformal radiosurgical dose distribution to the target, lower intermediate dose spillage, and similar dose to adjacent organs at risks (OARs) compared to SBRT‐dedicated highly conformal clinical noncoplanar Truebeam VMAT plans following the RTOG‐0813 requirements. Due to low monitor units per fraction and less multileaf collimator (MLC) modulation, the Halcyon VMAT plan can deliver lung SBRT fractions with an overall treatment time of less than 15 min (for 50 Gy in five fractions), significantly improving patient comfort and clinic workflow. Higher pass rates of quality assurance results demonstrate a more accurate treatment delivery on Halcyon. We have implemented Halcyon for lung SBRT treatment in our clinic. We suggest others use Halcyon for lung SBRT treatments using abdominal compression or 4D CT‐based treatment planning, thus expanding the access of curative ultra‐hypofractionated treatments to other centers with only a Halcyon Linac. Clinical follow‐up results for patients treated on Halcyon Linac with lung SBRT is ongoing.

PurposeTo develop a robust and adaptable knowledge‐based planning (KBP) model with commercially available RapidPlanTM for early stage, centrally located non‐small‐cell lung tumors (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and improve a patient's“simulation to treatment” time.MethodsThe KBP model was trained using 86 clinically treated high‐quality non‐coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (n‐VMAT) lung SBRT plans with delivered prescriptions of 50 or 55 Gy in 5 fractions. Another 20 independent clinical n‐VMAT plans were used for validation of the model. KBP and n‐VMAT plans were compared via Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)–0813 protocol compliance criteria for conformity (CI), gradient index (GI), maximal dose 2 cm away from the target in any direction (D2cm), dose to organs‐at‐risk (OAR), treatment delivery efficiency, and accuracy. KBP plans were re‐optimized with larger calculation grid size (CGS) of 2.5 mm to assess feasibility of rapid adaptive re‐planning.ResultsKnowledge‐based plans were similar or better than n‐VMAT plans based on a range of target coverage and OAR metrics. Planning target volume (PTV) for validation cases was 30.5 ± 19.1 cc (range 7.0–71.7 cc). KBPs provided an average CI of 1.04 ± 0.04 (0.97–1.11) vs. n‐VMAT plan'saverage CI of 1.01 ± 0.04 (0.97–1.17) (P < 0.05) with slightly improved GI with KBPs (P < 0.05). D2cm was similar between the KBPs and n‐VMAT plans. KBPs provided lower lung V10Gy (P = 0.003), V20Gy (P = 0.007), and mean lung dose (P < 0.001). KBPs had overall better sparing of OAR at the minimal increased of average total monitor units and beam‐on time by 460 (P < 0.05) and 19.2 s, respectively. Quality assurance phantom measurement showed similar treatment delivery accuracy. Utilizing a CGS of 2.5 mm in the final optimization improved planning time (mean, 5 min) with minimal or no cost to the plan quality.ConclusionThe RTOG‐compliant adaptable RapidPlan model for early stage SBRT treatment of centrally located lung tumors was developed. All plans met RTOG dosimetric requirements in less than 30 min of planning time, potentially offering shorter “simulation to treatment” times. OAR sparing via KBPs may permit tumorcidal dose escalation with minimal penalties. Same day adaptive re‐planning is plausible with a 2.5‐mm CGS optimizer setting.

No abstract

Purpose: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is gaining popularity for stereotactic treatment of lung lesions for medically inoperable patients. Due to multiple beamlets in delivery of highly modulated VMAT plans, there are dose delivery uncertainties associated with small-field dosimetry error and interplay effects with small lesions. We describe and compare a clinically useful dynamic conformal arc (DCA)-based VMAT (d-VMAT) technique for lung SBRT using flattening filter free (FFF) beams to minimize these effects. Materials and Methods: Ten solitary early-stage I-II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were treated with a single dose of 30 Gy using 3-6 non-coplanar VMAT arcs (clinical VMAT) with 6X-FFF beams in our clinic. These clinically treated plans were re-optimized using a novel d-VMAT planning technique. For comparison, d-VMAT plans were recalculated using DCA with user-controlled field aperture shape before VMAT optimization. Identical beam geometry, dose calculation algorithm, grid size, and planning objectives were used. The clinical VMAT and d-VMAT plans were compared via RTOG-0915 protocol compliances for conformity, gradient indices, and dose to organs at risk (OAR). Additionally, treatment delivery efficiency and accuracy were recorded. Results: All plans met RTOG-0915 requirements. Comparing with clinical VMAT, d-VMAT plans gave similar target coverage with better target conformity, tighter radiosurgical dose distribution with lower gradient indices, and dose to OAR. Lower total number of monitor units and small beam modulation factor reduced beam-on time by 1.75 min (P < 0.001), on average (maximum up to 2.52 min). Beam delivery accuracy was improved by 2%, on average (P < 0.05) and maximum up to 6% in some cases for d-VMAT plans. Conclusion: This simple d-VMAT technique provided excellent plan quality, reduced intermediate dose-spillage, and dose to OAR while providing faster treatment delivery by significantly reducing beam-on time. This novel treatment planning approach will improve patient compliance along with potentially reducing intrafraction motion error. Moreover, with less MLC modulation through the target, d-VMAT could potentially minimize small-field dosimetry errors and MLC interplay effects. If