ArticleMedical physics2025
The Cut-Sort-Group algorithm for efficient delivery of collimated step-and-shoot proton arc therapy.
Article in Medical physics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundProton arc therapy is an emerging technology offering considerably more geometric flexibility than traditional multi-field treatments, thereby enhancing potential for more conformal proton treatments. The Dynamic Collimation System (DCS) offers energy-specific collimation during pencil beam scanning to further improve target conformity and reduce dose to normal tissues. Collimation with the DCS during arc delivery is referred to as dynamically collimated proton arc therapy (DC-PAT). The time required for energy switching, gantry movement during step-and-shoot arc delivery, and trimmer movement associated with dynamic collimation necessitates careful planning to create DC-PAT plans efficient enough to fit within a typical clinical workflow. PURPOSE: To demonstrate a post-processing algorithm to improve the delivery efficiency of DC-PAT plans while maintaining plan quality.
methodsA genetic optimizer was used to create baseline DC-PAT plans for three intracranial cases. These plans were then modified in the post-processing stage with the Cut-Sort-Group (CSG) algorithm. Specifically, each plan was modified through low-weight control point removal ("Cut"), a novel approach to energy layer sorting ("Sort"), and efficient DCS-trimmer reconfiguration ("Group"). The components of CSG were evaluated individually and in combination for changes in efficiency, plan quality, and robustness when compared to baseline plans.
resultsAfter applying the CSG algorithm, the beam delivery time (BDT) for the three patients was reduced to between 10 and 14 min, more than 64% faster than the reference baseline plans. These efficiency gains were achieved with minimal impact on plan quality. The dose coverage to the PTV of the CSG-derived plans was comparable to the baseline plans for each patient, with the PTV D
conclusionsThe CSG algorithm demonstrates a relatively simple approach to modifying step-and-shoot proton arc therapy plans to be more efficient in the post-processing stage regardless of the treatment planning system or optimization algorithm used to generate the initial plans and with minimal impact on plan quality. The overall BDT was reduced to just over 10 min, approaching plans produced using other advanced optimization algorithms in previous investigations, and fast enough for potential clinical implementation.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.