Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41029748›Full record

ArticleRadiation oncology (London, England)2025

Fiducial tracking fidelity in robotic prostate SBRT: a comparison of a 3-fraction boost following pelvic nodal irradiation and definitive 5-fraction treatment.

Jonathan W Lischalk, Vianca F Santos, Brianna Vizcaino, Andwele Murray, Astrid Sanchez, Christopher Mendez, Todd Carpenter, Joseph Kim, Owen Clancey, Scot Niglio and 4 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Radiation oncology (London, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Determination of HU override for gold fiducial markers in proton therapy.Journal of applied clinical medical physics · 2026
    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

14 authors.

Jonathan W LischalkDepartment of Radiation Oncology, NYCyberKnife at Perlmutter Cancer Center - Manhattan, 150 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY, 10023, USA. jonathan.w.lischalk@gunet.georgetown.edu.
Vianca F SantosDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, New York, NY, 10023, USA.
Brianna VizcainoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, New York, NY, 10023, USA.
Andwele MurrayDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, New York, NY, 10023, USA.
Astrid SanchezDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Christopher MendezDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Todd CarpenterDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Joseph KimDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, New York, NY, 10023, USA.
Owen ClanceyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Scot NiglioDepartment of Medicine, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10017, USA.
Aaron KatzDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA.
Anthony CorcoranDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola, NY, USA.
Anand MahadevanDepartment of Urology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
Jonathan A HaasDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Hospital - Long Island, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePelvic nodal irradiation is often used for high-risk prostate adenocarcinoma. A commonly used alternative to low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy, a 3-fraction SBRT boost with fiducial tracking may allow for better coverage of extracapsular extension and macroscopic seminal vesicle invasion. This study evaluates the practical impact of prior pelvic nodal irradiation on fiducial tracking during a subsequent 3-fraction robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) boost for high-risk prostate cancer and compares these outcomes to a cohort of patients undergoing definitive 5-fraction SBRT.

methodsIn this institutional analysis, we prospectively collected fiducial tracking data for patients receiving a 3-fraction boost to the prostate and seminal vesicles after conventional nodal radiation. We also identified patients treated with 5-fraction SBRT with a low risk of nodal involvement. Monte Carlo estimates of the Fisher's Exact Test assessed fiducial tracking loss. Continuous variables within the 5- and 3-fraction cohorts were compared using the Mann-Whitney Test. Changes in fiducial tracking and their association with pre-treatment factors were analyzed through the Kruskal-Wallis test and Monte Carlo for tracking patterns, and Spearman Correlation Coefficient and Mann-Whitney Test for deviations in tracking over 5 fractions.

resultsA total of 405 patients were treated from April 2021 to September 2023 with: (1) 5-fraction SBRT (n = 309, 76%), and (2) 3-fraction boost after nodal irradiation (n = 96, 24%). There was no significant fiducial tracking loss over the three-fraction boost treatment regimen that proceeded nodal treatment (p = 0.63). However, there was a significant (p < 0.001) loss of fiducial tracking fidelity as demonstrated by progressive loss of one tracked fiducial over 5-fractions. There was significantly more volatility observed in the 5-fraction versus 3-fraction boost treatment (median volatility 2.4 vs. 0.0, p < 0.001). There were no significant associations between fiducial tracking, independently for 3- or 5-fractions, using either analysis method or volatility for ADT, time from fiducial placement to SBRT, CTV, and QOD vs. daily SBRT.

conclusionsPelvic nodal treatment does not affect the quantity/quality of fiducial tracking in 3-fraction treatments. However, 5-fraction treatments showed a progressive loss and increased volatility in fiducial tracking over time. No pre-treatment factors significantly influenced fiducial tracking changes in either cohort, though ADT use trended towards increased volatility in the 5-fraction group. With a minimum of 4 fiducials placed for treatment, the loss/volatility of a single fiducial had no clinical impact on the tracking system.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaFiducial MarkersProstatic NeoplasmsRadiosurgeryRobotic Surgical ProceduresAgedDose Fractionation, RadiationHumansMaleMiddle AgedMonte Carlo MethodPelvisProspective StudiesProstateRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedSeminal VesiclesFiducial trackingProstate cancerStereotactic body radiation therapy

Identifiers

PMID41029748
PMCPMC12487326

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.