Dosimetric Consequences of Interobserver Variability in Delineating the Organs at Risk in Gynecologic Interstitial Brachytherapy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Saint Anne's Hospital Regional Cancer Center, Fall River, Massachusetts (United States)
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
- Harvard Radiation Oncology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)
Purpose: To investigate the dosimetric variability associated with interobserver organ-at-risk delineation differences on computed tomography in patients undergoing gynecologic interstitial brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: The rectum, bladder, and sigmoid of 14 patients treated with gynecologic interstitial brachytherapy were retrospectively contoured by 13 physicians. Geometric variability was calculated using κ statistics, conformity index (CI{sub gen}), and coefficient of variation (CV) of volumes contoured across physicians. Dosimetric variability of the single-fraction D{sub 0.1cc} and D{sub 2cc} was assessed through CV across physicians, and the standard deviation of the total EQD2 (equivalent dose in 2 Gy per fraction) brachytherapy dose (SD{sup TOT}) was calculated. Results: The population mean ± 1 standard deviation of κ, CI{sub gen}, and volume CV were, respectively: 0.77 ± 0.06, 0.70 ± 0.08, and 20% ± 6% for bladder; 0.74 ± 06, 0.67 ± 0.08, and 20% ± 5% for rectum; and 0.33 ± 0.20, 0.26 ± 0.17, and 82% ± 42% for sigmoid. Dosimetric variability was as follows: for bladder, CV = 31% ± 19% (SD{sup TOT} = 72 ± 64 Gy) for D{sub 0.1cc} and CV = 16% ± 10% (SD{sup TOT} = 9 ± 6 Gy) for D{sub 2cc}; for rectum, CV = 11% ± 5% (SD{sup TOT} = 16 ± 17 Gy) for D{sub 0.1cc} and CV = 7% ± 2% (SD{sup TOT} = 4 ± 3 Gy) for D{sub 2cc}; for sigmoid, CV = 39% ± 28% (SD{sup TOT} = 12 ± 18 Gy) for D{sub 0.1cc} and CV = 34% ± 19% (SD{sup TOT} = 4 ± 4 Gy) for D{sub 2cc.} Conclusions: Delineation of bladder and rectum by 13 physicians demonstrated substantial geometric agreement and resulted in good dosimetric agreement for all dose-volume histogram parameters except bladder D{sub 0.1cc.} Small delineation differences in high-dose regions by the posterior bladder wall may explain these results. The delineation of sigmoid showed fair geometric agreement. The higher dosimetric variability for sigmoid compared with rectum and bladder did not correlate with higher variability in the total brachytherapy dose but rather may be due to the sigmoid being positioned in low-dose regions in the cases analyzed in this study.
- OSTI ID:
- 22420355
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 89, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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