Analysis of prostate intensity‐ and volumetric‐modulated arc radiation therapy planning quality with PlanIQ^TM

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of treatment planning using the PlanIQTM software and to investigate whether it is possible to improve the quality of treatment planning using the “Feasibility dose‐volume histogram (DVH)TM” implemented in the PlanIQTM software. Methods Using the PlanIQTM software, we retrospectively analyzed the learning curve regarding the quality of the treatment plans for 148 patients of prostate intensity‐modulated radiation therapy and volumetric‐modulated radiation therapy performed at our institution over the past eight years. We also sought to examine the possibility of improving treatment planning quality by re‐planning in 47 patients where the quality of the target dose and the dose limits for organs at risk (OARs) were inadequate. The re‐planning treatment plans referred to the Feasibility DVHTM implemented in the PlanIQTM software and modified the treatment planning system based on the target dose and OAR constraints. Results Analysis of the learning curve of the treatment plans quality using PlanIQTM software retrospectively showed a trend of improvement in the treatment plan quality from year to year. The improvement in the treatment plans quality was more influenced by dose reduction in the OARs than by target coverage. In all cases where re‐planning was performed, the improvement in the treatment plan's quality resulted in a better treatment plan than the one adopted for delivery to patients in the clinical plan. Conclusions The PlanIQTM provided insights into the quality of the treatment plans at our institution and identified problems and areas for improvement in the treatment plans, allowing for the development of appropriate treatment plans for specific patients.

Treatment Optimization in Linac-Based SBRT for Localized Prostate Cancer: A Single-Arc versus Dual-Arc Plan Comparison

“…These results were achievable due to the accumulated expertise acquired over the years of working with prostate cancer patients and using the same planning system. Sasaki et al [ 40 ] retrospectively analyzed 148 plans over eight years using the PlanIQ™ software for learning curve evaluation and showed a trend of improvement in the quality of the plans over each successive year. Moreover, in all cases where re-planning was performed, the new treatment plan was better than the initial clinical plan administered to patients.…”

Predicting the complexity of head-and-neck volumetric-modulated arc therapy planning using a radiation therapy planning quality assurance software

“…To predict the complexity of clinical plans in advance, PlanIQ was used to evaluate the quality of the treatment plans. To evaluate the quality of clinical plans using PlanIQ, we adopted the “plan quality metric” (PQM) algorithm implemented in PlanIQ [ 8 ]. The PQMs used in this study were based on 28 treatment plans for 16 patients who underwent head-and-neck VMAT at our institution, as described above.…”

“…It scores the quality of treatment plans, objectively evaluates them, and calculates the ideal dose-volume histogram (DVH), which is expected to be used in clinical applications. Previous studies have evaluated the quality of treatment plans using PlanIQ [6][7][8] and improved the treatment plans before and after the intervention of PlanIQ [9][10][11]. However, no study has examined the efficiency of dose verification and dose validation using ideal treatment plans.…”

Differences between professionals in treatment planning for patients with stage III lung cancer using treatment-planning QA software

“…Previous studies have reported that confirming the FDVH for OARs calculated using PlanIQ before treatment planning can help reduce the variation in quality from one treatment plan to another [ 9 – 11 ].…”