HyperArc performance in radiotherapy and its correlations with number and volume of multiple brain metastases

Objective

To assess the performance and advantages of HyperArc for radiotherapy of multiple brain metastases with dosimetric parameters with respect to coplanar volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (c-VMAT), and characterize implicit correlations between tumor features and dosimetric parameters.

Methods

This retrospective study involved 40 patients with multiple brain metastases (4–16 tumors, 12.8–240.8 cm³) who received simultaneous radiotherapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Shenzhen People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022. Both HyperArc and c-VMAT plans were designed by the same and qualified physicist using the Eclipse system with Truebeam. A single isocenter and a 6 ​MV flattening filter-free (6FFF) photon beam were used for radiotherapy of multiple brain metastases in each plan. Dosimetric parameters of tumors and organs at risk (OARs) were compared between HyperArc and c-VMAT plans. Correlations between tumor features (number and volume) and dosimetric parameters were revealed and analyzed. Furthermore, monitor units (MUs) of both plan types were recorded to assess rays utilization and delivery efficiency.

Results

Compared to c-VMAT plans, HyperArc plans achieved higher maximum dose (D_max) (5.23%, t ​= ​7.87, P ​< ​0.01), but lower minimum dose (D_min) (3.94%, t ​= ​−2.12, P ​= ​0.04) and mean dose (D_mean) (1.05%, t ​= ​−3.29, P < ​0.01) for planning gross tumor volumes (PGTVs). The conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), gradient index (GI) and R_50% of PGTVs with HyperArc were better than those with c-VMAT, with the improvements of 20.78%, 1.68%, 19.83% and 36.20%, respectively (P ​< ​0.01). The dosimetric parameters of OARs were significantly improved in HyperArc plans compared to c-VMAT plans. Specifically, the D_max and the D_mean to the brainstem decreased by 16.14% and 11.37%, respectively. The D_max for eye_L decreased by 16.88%, for eye_R decreased by 11.67%, for optical nerve_L decreased by 12.56 ​%, and for chiasm decreased by 18.12%. Few correlations were observed between the differences of CI/HI/GI/R_50% and the number of PGTVs between the two plan types. Whereas, regression analysis indicated that the differences of CI/ GI/ R_50% were negatively correlated with the volume of PGTVs, respectively. Moreover, although HyperArc plans reduced the MUs by 4.74 ​% compared to c-VMAT, no significant difference was observed (P ​> ​0.05).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the promising performance of HyperArc for radiotherapy of multiple brain metastases, including better dose conformity for the tumors, more rapid dose drop and less dose spillage outside the tumors area, effective reduction of dose bridges among close tumors, and sparing OARs. It also reveals the correlations between the number or volume of tumors and dose parameters, which can help optimize the use of HyperArc and predict clinical benefits.