Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29550033›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics2018

Impact of Spot Size and Spacing on the Quality of Robustly Optimized Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy Plans for Lung Cancer.

Chenbin Liu, Steven E Schild, Joe Y Chang, Zhongxing Liao, Shawn Korte, Jiajian Shen, Xiaoning Ding, Yanle Hu, Yixiu Kang, Sameer R Keole and 5 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

40 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. AI in Proton Therapy Treatment Planning: A Narrative Review.International journal of particle therapy · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Chenbin LiuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Steven E SchildDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Joe Y ChangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Zhongxing LiaoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Shawn KorteDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Jiajian ShenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Xiaoning DingDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Yanle HuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Yixiu KangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Sameer R KeoleDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Terence T SioDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
William W WongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Narayan SahooDepartment of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
Martin BuesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona.
Wei LiuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona. Electronic address: Liu.Wei@mayo.edu.

Funding

4D Robust Optimization in Intensity-Modulated Proton TherapyK25CA168984 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI LIU, WEI · 2012 to 2015
$450k
NCI NIH HHS K25 CA168984
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo investigate how spot size and spacing affect plan quality, robustness, and interplay effects of robustly optimized intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for lung cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two robustly optimized IMPT plans were created for 10 lung cancer patients: first by a large-spot machine with in-air energy-dependent large spot size at isocenter (σ: 6-15 mm) and spacing (1.3 σ), and second by a small-spot machine with in-air energy-dependent small spot size (σ: 2-6 mm) and spacing (5 mm). Both plans were generated by optimizing radiation dose to internal target volume on averaged 4-dimensional computed tomography scans using an in-house-developed IMPT planning system. The dose-volume histograms band method was used to evaluate plan robustness. Dose evaluation software was developed to model time-dependent spot delivery to incorporate interplay effects with randomized starting phases for each field per fraction. Patient anatomy voxels were mapped phase-to-phase via deformable image registration, and doses were scored using in-house-developed software. Dose-volume histogram indices, including internal target volume dose coverage, homogeneity, and organs at risk (OARs) sparing, were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

resultsCompared with the large-spot machine, the small-spot machine resulted in significantly lower heart and esophagus mean doses, with comparable target dose coverage, homogeneity, and protection of other OARs. Plan robustness was comparable for targets and most OARs. With interplay effects considered, significantly lower heart and esophagus mean doses with comparable target dose coverage and homogeneity were observed using smaller spots.

conclusionsRobust optimization with a small spot-machine significantly improves heart and esophagus sparing, with comparable plan robustness and interplay effects compared with robust optimization with a large-spot machine. A small-spot machine uses a larger number of spots to cover the same tumors compared with a large-spot machine, which gives the planning system more freedom to compensate for the higher sensitivity to uncertainties and interplay effects for lung cancer treatments.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell LungEsophagusFour-Dimensional Computed TomographyHeartHumansLungLung NeoplasmsOrgans at RiskOrgan Sparing TreatmentsProton TherapyRadiotherapy DosageRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedRadiotherapy Setup ErrorsSoftwareStatistics, Nonparametric

Identifiers

PMID29550033
PMCPMC5935576

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.