Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40504103›Full record

ArticleJournal of applied clinical medical physics2025

Simulation-free workflow for lattice radiation therapy using deep learning predicted synthetic computed tomography: A feasibility study.

Libing Zhu, Nathan Y Yu, Safia K Ahmed, Jonathan B Ashman, Diego Santos Toesca, Michael P Grams, Christopher L Deufel, Jingwei Duan, Quan Chen, Yi Rong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of applied clinical medical physics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Deep Learning for CT Synthesis in Radiotherapy.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  4. Article
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

10 authors.

Libing ZhuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Nathan Y YuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Safia K AhmedDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Jonathan B AshmanDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Diego Santos ToescaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Michael P GramsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Christopher L DeufelDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Jingwei DuanDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6551-9127
Quan ChenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Yi RongDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2620-1893

Funding

Mayo Clinic Marley Endowment Funds 90966220
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeLattice radiation therapy (LRT) is a form of spatially fractionated radiation therapy that allows increased total dose delivery aiming for improved treatment response without an increase in toxicities, commonly utilized for palliation of bulky tumors. The LRT treatment planning process is complex, while eligible patients often have an urgent need for expedited treatment start. In this study, we aimed to develop a simulation-free workflow for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT)-based LRT planning via deep learning-predicted synthetic CT (sCT) to expedite treatment initiation.

methodsTwo deep learning models were initially trained using 3D U-Net architecture to generate sCT from diagnostic CTs (dCT) of the thoracic and abdomen regions using a training dataset of 50 patients. The models were then tested on an independent dataset of 15 patients using image similarity analysis assessing mean absolute error (MAE) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) as metrics. VMAT-based LRT plans were generated based on sCT and recalculated on the planning CT (pCT) for dosimetric accuracy comparison. Differences in dose volume histogram (DVH) metrics between pCT and sCT plans were assessed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

resultsThe final sCT prediction model demonstrated high image similarity to pCT, with a MAE and SSIM of 38.93 ± 14.79 Hounsfield Units (HU) and 0.92 ± 0.05 for the thoracic region, and 73.60 ± 22.90 HU and 0.90 ± 0.03 for the abdominal region, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between sCT and pCT plans in terms of organ-at-risk and target volume DVH parameters, including maximum dose (Dmax), mean dose (Dmean), dose delivered to 90% (D90%) and 50% (D50%) of target volume, except for minimum dose (Dmin) and (D10%).

conclusionWith demonstrated high image similarity and adequate dose agreement between sCT and pCT, our study is a proof-of-concept for using deep learning predicted sCT for a simulation-free treatment planning workflow for VMAT-based LRT.

Indexed as

Deep LearningImage Processing, Computer-AssistedNeoplasmsRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedTomography, X-Ray ComputedWorkflowFeasibility StudiesHumansOrgans at RiskRadiotherapy Dosagediagnosis CTexpeditious treatment planninglattice radiation therapysynthetic CT generation

Identifiers

PMID40504103
PMCPMC12256696

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Registered trials

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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.