Spatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT): a scoping review of dosimetric and biological evidence supporting a valley dose-driven translational framework.

Suyan Bi, Changyou Zhong, Ying Long, Zhongqing Huang, Zhitao Dai

Abstract readScoping Review

In one paragraph

Article in Radiation oncology (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Suyan Bi *Post-Doctoral Research Center, Yuebei People's Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, China.

Changyou Zhong *Radiotherapy Center, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, Guangdong Province, China.

Ying LongDepartment of Medical Image Center, Yuebei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China.

Zhongqing HuangDepartment of Medical Image Center, Yuebei People's Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China. hzq5964296@sina.com.

Zhitao DaiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518116, China. daizhitao@cicams-sz.org.cn.

Funding

the Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2020A1515110335

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSpatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT)-mainly including GRID, LATTICE, minibeam, and microbeam-widens the therapeutic window for bulky or radioresistant tumors. Yet clinical translation faces two persistent hurdles: technical heterogeneity across modalities and a lack of evidence-based, tumor-specific dose prescription guidelines.

methodsThis scoping review maps the SFRT evidence landscape from 2005 to 2025. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we synthesized 60 studies (preclinical, clinical, technical) and identified valley dose (D

resultsBased on this pattern, we outline an evidence-informed organizational framework. Synthesizing the extracted data, we delineate a tripartite structure that emerged from the literature: (1) a tumor-and modality-specific dosimetric decision frame work (Level 1) capturing histology-dependent D

conclusionBy mapping the shift from peak-centric ablation to a valley-dose-driven approach reflected in the literature, this review provides a structured, evidence-informed scaffold for future clinical trial design and technical harmonization. The framework presented is intended as a hypothesis-generating tool to inform the standardized implementation of SFRT in precision radiation oncology.

Indexed as

Dose Fractionation, RadiationNeoplasmsHumansRadiometryRadiotherapy DosageRadiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedTranslational Research, BiomedicalBulky tumorsGRID therapyLATTICE radiotherapyPeak-to-valley dose ratio (PVDR)Scoping reviewSpatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT)Valley dose

Identifiers

PMID42243868

DOI10.1186/s13014-026-02865-2

PMCPMC13455314

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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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.