Semiautomatic method to identify the best phase for gated RT in lung region by 4D-PET/CT acquisitions

Journal Article · Sat Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Medical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1118/1.3528225· OSTI ID:22096872

Mancosu, Pietro; Danna, Massimo; Bettinardi, Valentino; Aquilina, Mark Anthony; Lobefalo, Francesca; Cozzi, Luca; Fogliata, Antonella; Scorsetti, Marta ^[1]

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1. Department of Radiotherapy, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, 20089 Milano (Italy)

Purpose: Delineating tumor motion by four-dimensional positron emission tomography/computed tomography (4D-PET/CT) is a crucial step for gated radiotherapy (RT). This article quantitatively evaluates semiautomatic algorithms for tumor shift estimation in the lung region due to patient respiration by 4D-PET/CT, in order to support the selection of the best phases for gated RT, by considering the most stable phases of the breathing cycle. Methods: Three mobile spheres and ten selected lesions were included in this study. 4D-PET/CT data were reconstructed and classified into six/ten phases. The semiautomatic algorithms required the generation of single sets of images representative of the full target motion, used as masks for segmenting the phases. For 4D-CT, a pre-established HU range was used, whereas three thresholds (100%, 80%, and 40%) were evaluated for 4D-PET. By using these segmentations, the authors estimated the lesion motion from the shifting centroids, and the phases with the least motion were also deduced including the phases with a curve slope less than 2 mm/{Delta}phase. The proposed algorithms were validated by comparing the results to those generated entirely by manual contouring. Results: In the phantom study, the mean difference between the manual contour and the semiautomatic technique was 0.1{+-}0.1 mm for 4D-CT and 0.2{+-}0.1 mm for the 4D-PET based on 40% threshold. In the patients' series, the mean difference was 0.9{+-}0.6 mm for 4D-CT and 0.8{+-}0.2 mm for the 4D-PET based on 40% threshold. Conclusions: Estimation of lesion motion by the proposed semiautomatic algorithm can be used to evaluate tumor motion due to breathing.

• OSTI ID: 22096872
• Journal Information: Medical Physics, Journal Name: Medical Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 38; ISSN 0094-2405; ISSN MPHYA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALGORITHMS
IMAGE PROCESSING
IMAGES
LUNGS
NEOPLASMS
PATIENTS
PHANTOMS
POSITRON COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
RADIOTHERAPY
RESPIRATION