Imaging tumour motion for radiotherapy planning using MRI

Statistical breathing curve sampling to quantify interplay effects of moving lung tumors in a 4D Monte Carlo dose calculation framework

PURPOSE

The interplay between respiratory tumor motion and dose application by intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques can potentially lead to undesirable and non-intuitive deviations from the planned dose distribution. We developed a 4D Monte Carlo (MC) dose recalculation framework featuring statistical breathing curve sampling, to precisely simulate the dose distribution for moving target volumes aiming at a comprehensive assessment of interplay effects.

METHODS

We implemented a dose accumulation tool that enables dose recalculations of arbitrary breathing curves including the actual breathing curve of the patient. This MC dose recalculation framework is based on linac log-files, facilitating a high temporal resolution up to 0.1 s. By statistical analysis of 128 different breathing curves, interplay susceptibility of different treatment parameters was evaluated for an exemplary patient case. To facilitate prospective clinical application in the treatment planning stage, in which patient breathing curves or linac log-files are not available, we derived a log-file free version with breathing curves generated by a random walk approach. Interplay was quantified by standard deviations σ in D_5%, D_50% and D_95%.

RESULTS

Interplay induced dose deviations for single fractions were observed and evaluated for IMRT and volumetric arc therapy (σ_D95% up to 1.3 %) showing a decrease with higher fraction doses and an increase with higher MU rates. Interplay effects for conformal treatment techniques were negligible (σ<0.1%). The log-file free version and the random walk generated breathing curves yielded similar results (deviations in σ< 0.1 %) and can be used as substitutes for interplay assessment.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to combine statistically sampled breathing curves with MC dose calculations. The universality of the presented framework allows comprehensive assessment of interplay effects in retrospective and prospective clinically relevant scenarios.

Integration of spatial distortion effects in a 4D computational phantom for simulation studies in extra-cranial MRI-guided radiation therapy: Initial results

PURPOSE

Spatial distortions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are mainly caused by inhomogeneities of the static magnetic field, nonlinearities in the applied gradients, and tissue-specific magnetic susceptibility variations. These factors may significantly alter the geometrical accuracy of the reconstructed MR image, thus questioning the reliability of MRI for guidance in image-guided radiation therapy. In this work, we quantified MRI spatial distortions and created a quantitative model where different sources of distortions can be separated. The generated model was then integrated into a four-dimensional (4D) computational phantom for simulation studies in MRI-guided radiation therapy at extra-cranial sites.

METHODS

A geometrical spatial distortion phantom was designed in four modules embedding laser-cut PMMA grids, providing 3520 landmarks in a field of view of (345 × 260 × 480) mm³ . The construction accuracy of the phantom was verified experimentally. Two fast MRI sequences for extra-cranial imaging at 1.5 T were investigated, considering axial slices acquired with online distortion correction, in order to mimic practical use in MRI-guided radiotherapy. Distortions were separated into their sources by acquisition of images with gradient polarity reversal and dedicated susceptibility calculations. Such a separation yielded a quantitative spatial distortion model to be used for MR imaging simulations. Finally, the obtained spatial distortion model was embedded into an anthropomorphic 4D computational phantom, providing registered virtual CT/MR images where spatial distortions in MRI acquisition can be simulated.

RESULTS

The manufacturing accuracy of the geometrical distortion phantom was quantified to be within 0.2 mm in the grid planes and 0.5 mm in depth, including thickness variations and bending effects of individual grids. Residual spatial distortions after MRI distortion correction were strongly influenced by the applied correction mode, with larger effects in the trans-axial direction. In the axial plane, gradient nonlinearities caused the main distortions, with values up to 3 mm in a 1.5 T magnet, whereas static field and susceptibility effects were below 1 mm. The integration in the 4D anthropomorphic computational phantom highlighted that deformations can be severe in the region of the thoracic diaphragm, especially when using axial imaging with 2D distortion correction. Adaptation of the phantom based on patient-specific measurements was also verified, aiming at increased realism in the simulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The implemented framework provides an integrated approach for MRI spatial distortion modeling, where different sources of distortion can be quantified in time-dependent geometries. The computational phantom represents a valuable platform to study motion management strategies in extra-cranial MRI-guided radiotherapy, where the effects of spatial distortions can be modeled on synthetic images in a virtual environment.

Enhancement of Long-Term External-Internal Correlation by Phase-Shift Detection and Correction Based on Concurrent External Bellows and Internal Navigator Signals

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to enhance the correlation between external and internal respiratory motions by dynamically determining and correcting the patient-specific phase shift between external and internal respiratory waveforms acquired concurrently during respiratory-correlated 4-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Methods and Materials

Internal-navigator and external-bellows waveforms were acquired simultaneously during 6- to 15-minute respiratory-correlated 4-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging scans in 10 healthy participants under an institutional review board–approved protocol. The navigator was placed at the right lung–diaphragm interface, and the bellows were placed ∼5 cm inferior to the sternum. Three segments of each respiratory waveform, at the beginning, middle, and end of a scan, were analyzed. Three phase-domain methods were employed to estimate the phase shift, including analytical signal analysis, phase-space oval fitting, and principal component analysis. A robust strategy for estimating the phase shift was realized by combining these methods in a weighted average and by eliminating outliers (>2 σ) caused by breathing irregularities. Whether phase-shift correction affects the external-internal correlation was evaluated. The cross-correlation between the 2 waveforms in the time domain provided an independent check of the correlation enhancement.

Results

Phase-shift correction significantly enhanced the external-internal correlation in all participants across the entire 6- to 15-minute scans. On average, the correlation increased from 0.45 ± 0.28 to 0.85 ± 0.15 for the combined method. The combined method exhibited a 99.5% success rate and revealed that the phase of the external waveform leads that of the internal waveform in all 10 participants by 57 ^o ± 17^o (1.6 ± 0.5 bins) on average. Seven participants exhibited highly reproducible phase shifts over time, evidenced by standard deviations (σ) < 4^o, whereas 8^o < σ < 12^o in the remaining 3 participants. Regardless, phase-shift correction significantly improved the correlation in all participants.

Conclusions

Correcting the phase shift estimated by the phase-domain methods provides a new approach for enhancing the correlation between external and internal respiratory motions. This strategy holds promise for improving the accuracy of respiratory-gated radiation therapy.

The Diagnostic Value of MR Imaging in Determining the Lymph Node Status of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose To summarize existing evidence of thoracic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in determining the nodal status of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the aim of elucidating its diagnostic value on a per-patient basis (eg, in treatment decision making) and a per-node basis (eg, in target volume delineation for radiation therapy), with results of cytologic and/or histologic examination as the reference standard. Materials and Methods A systematic literature search for original diagnostic studies was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and MEDLINE. The methodologic quality of each study was evaluated by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2, or QUADAS-2, tool. Hierarchic summary receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to estimate the diagnostic performance of MR imaging. Subgroup analyses, expressed as relative diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) (rDORs), were performed to evaluate whether publication year, methodologic quality, and/or method of evaluation (qualitative [ie, lesion size and/or morphology] vs quantitative [eg, apparent diffusion coefficients in diffusion-weighted images]) affected diagnostic performance. Results Twelve of 2551 initially identified studies were included in this meta-analysis (1122 patients; 4302 lymph nodes). On a per-patient basis, the pooled estimates of MR imaging for sensitivity, specificity, and DOR were 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78, 0.92), 0.88 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.94), and 48.1 (95% CI: 23.4, 98.9), respectively. On a per-node basis, the respective measures were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.94), 0.95 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.98), and 129.5 (95% CI: 49.3, 340.0). Subgroup analyses suggested greater diagnostic performance of quantitative evaluation on both a per-patient and per-node basis (rDOR = 2.76 [95% CI: 0.83, 9.10], P = .09 and rDOR = 7.25 [95% CI: 1.75, 30.09], P = .01, respectively). Conclusion This meta-analysis demonstrated high diagnostic performance of MR imaging in staging hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in NSCLC on both a per-patient and per-node basis. (©) RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

A treatment planning comparison between modulated tri-cobalt-60 teletherapy and linear accelerator-based stereotactic body radiotherapy for central early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

We evaluated the feasibility of planning stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for large central early-stage non-small cell lung cancer with a tri-cobalt-60 (tri-(60)Co) system equipped with real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance, as compared to linear accelerator (LINAC)-based SBRT. In all, 20 patients with large central early-stage non-small cell lung cancer who were treated between 2010 and 2015 with LINAC-based SBRT were replanned using a tri-(60)Co system for a prescription dose of 50Gy in 4 fractions. Doses to organs at risk were evaluated based on established MD Anderson constraints for central lung SBRT. R100 values were calculated as the total tissue volume receiving 100% of the dose (V100) divided by the planning target volume and compared to assess dose conformity. Dosimetric comparisons between LINAC-based and tri-(60)Co SBRT plans were performed using Student׳s t-test and Wilcoxon Ranks test. Blinded reviews by radiation oncologists were performed to assess the suitability of both plans for clinical delivery. The mean planning target volume was 48.3cc (range: 12.1 to 139.4cc). Of the tri-(60)Co SBRT plans, a mean 97.4% of dosimetric parameters per patient met MD Anderson dose constraints, whereas a mean 98.8% of dosimetric parameters per patient were met with LINAC-based SBRT planning (p = 0.056). R100 values were similar between both plans (1.20 vs 1.21, p = 0.79). Upon blinded review by 4 radiation oncologists, an average of 90% of the tri-(60)Co SBRT plans were considered acceptable for clinical delivery compared with 100% of the corresponding LINAC-based SBRT plans (p = 0.17). SBRT planning using the tri-(60)Co system with built-in MRI is feasible and achieves clinically acceptable plans for most central lung patients, with similar target dose conformity and organ at risk dosimetry. The added benefit of real-time MRI-guided therapy may further optimize tumor targeting while improving normal tissue sparing, which warrants further investigation in a prospective feasibility clinical trial.

Accelerating dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for lung tumor tracking based on low-rank decomposition in the spatial-temporal domain: a feasibility study based on simulation and preliminary prospective undersampled MRI

PURPOSE

To evaluate a low-rank decomposition method to reconstruct down-sampled k-space data for the purpose of tumor tracking.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Seven retrospective lung cancer patients were included in the simulation study. The fully-sampled k-space data were first generated from existing 2-dimensional dynamic MR images and then down-sampled by 5 × -20 × before reconstruction using a Cartesian undersampling mask. Two methods, a low-rank decomposition method using combined dynamic MR images (k-t SLR based on sparsity and low-rank penalties) and a total variation (TV) method using individual dynamic MR frames, were used to reconstruct images. The tumor trajectories were derived on the basis of autosegmentation of the resultant images. To further test its feasibility, k-t SLR was used to reconstruct prospective data of a healthy subject. An undersampled balanced steady-state free precession sequence with the same undersampling mask was used to acquire the imaging data.

RESULTS

In the simulation study, higher imaging fidelity and low noise levels were achieved with the k-t SLR compared with TV. At 10 × undersampling, the k-t SLR method resulted in an average normalized mean square error <0.05, as opposed to 0.23 by using the TV reconstruction on individual frames. Less than 6% showed tracking errors >1 mm with 10 × down-sampling using k-t SLR, as opposed to 17% using TV. In the prospective study, k-t SLR substantially reduced reconstruction artifacts and retained anatomic details.

CONCLUSIONS

Magnetic resonance reconstruction using k-t SLR on highly undersampled dynamic MR imaging data results in high image quality useful for tumor tracking. The k-t SLR was superior to TV by better exploiting the intrinsic anatomic coherence of the same patient. The feasibility of k-t SLR was demonstrated by prospective imaging acquisition and reconstruction.

Four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D-MRI) using image-based respiratory surrogate: a feasibility study

PURPOSE

Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) has been widely used in radiation therapy to assess patient-specific breathing motion for determining individual safety margins. However, it has two major drawbacks: low soft-tissue contrast and an excessive imaging dose to the patient. This research aimed to develop a clinically feasible four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D-MRI) technique to overcome these limitations.

METHODS

The proposed 4D-MRI technique was achieved by continuously acquiring axial images throughout the breathing cycle using fast 2D cine-MR imaging, and then retrospectively sorting the images by respiratory phase. The key component of the technique was the use of body area (BA) of the axial MR images as an internal respiratory surrogate to extract the breathing signal. The validation of the BA surrogate was performed using 4D-CT images of 12 cancer patients by comparing the respiratory phases determined using the BA method to those determined clinically using the Real-time position management (RPM) system. The feasibility of the 4D-MRI technique was tested on a dynamic motion phantom, the 4D extended Cardiac Torso (XCAT) digital phantom, and two healthy human subjects.

RESULTS

Respiratory phases determined from the BA matched closely to those determined from the RPM: mean (± SD) difference in phase: -3.9% (± 6.4%); mean (± SD) absolute difference in phase: 10.40% (± 3.3%); mean (± SD) correlation coefficient: 0.93 (± 0.04). In the motion phantom study, 4D-MRI clearly showed the sinusoidal motion of the phantom; image artifacts observed were minimal to none. Motion trajectories measured from 4D-MRI and 2D cine-MRI (used as a reference) matched excellently: the mean (± SD) absolute difference in motion amplitude: -0.3 (± 0.5) mm. In the 4D-XCAT phantom study, the simulated "4D-MRI" images showed good consistency with the original 4D-XCAT phantom images. The motion trajectory of the hypothesized "tumor" matched excellently between the two, with a mean (± SD) absolute difference in motion amplitude of 0.5 (± 0.4) mm. 4D-MRI was able to reveal the respiratory motion of internal organs in both human subjects; superior-inferior (SI) maximum motion of the left kidney of Subject #1 and the diaphragm of Subject #2 measured from 4D-MRI was 0.88 and 1.32 cm, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Preliminary results of our study demonstrated the feasibility of a novel retrospective 4D-MRI technique that uses body area as a respiratory surrogate.

Maximum intensity projection (MIP) imaging using slice-stacking MRI

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility of acquiring maximum intensity projection (MIP) images using a novel slice-stacking MRI (SS-MRI) technique.

METHODS

The proposed technique employed a steady state acquisition sequence to image multiple axial slices. At each axial slice, the scan is repeated throughout one respiratory cycle. Four objects (small, medium, and large triangles, and a cylinder) moving with a patient breathing trajectory were imaged repeatedly for six times using the slice-stacking MRI and 4D-CT. MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(4D-CT) were reconstructed. The internal target volume (ITV) was segmented for each object on the six scans and compared between MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(4D-CT). The medium triangle was also imaged with various motion patterns using slice-stacking MRI, 4D-CT, and sagittal cine-MRI. The corresponding MIP images were reconstructed and volume/area measurements were performed and compared between different imaging methods. Three healthy volunteers underwent the slice-stacking MRI and sagittal cine-MRI scans. A region of interest (ROI) was selected and contoured for each subject in both MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(cine-MRI). The area of the selected ROI was computed and compared.

RESULTS

Volume comparison between MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(4D-CT) showed statistically insignificant (p > 0.05 in all cases) difference in the mean ITVs for all four objects. For the study of the medium triangle with multiple motion patterns, there was a good agreement in the measured ITVs between MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(4D-CT) (p = 0.46, correlation coefficient = 0.91), with a mean difference of 1.4% +/- 4.4%. The area measurements between MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(cine-MRI) also showed good agreement (p=0.47, correlation coefficient = 0.97), with a mean difference of 0.2% +/- 2.9%. For the healthy volunteer study, the average difference in the area of selected ROI was -2.5% +/- 2.5% between MIP(SS-MRI) and MIP(cine-MRI).

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary results showed good agreement in volume/area measurements between the slice-stacking MRI technique and 4D-CT/cine-MRI, indicating that it is feasible to use this technique for MIP imaging.

The clinical feasibility of using non-breath-hold real-time MR-echo imaging for the evaluation of mediastinal and chest wall tumor invasion

Objective

We wanted to determine the clinical feasibility of using non-breath-hold real-time MR-echo imaging for the evaluation of mediastinal and chest wall tumor invasion.

Materials and Methods

MR-echo imaging was prospectively applied to 45 structures in 22 patients who had non-small cell lung cancer when the tumor invasion was indeterminate on CT. The static MR imaging alone, and the static MR imaging combined with MR-echo examinations were analyzed. The surgical and pathological findings were compared with using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test and McNemar's test.

Results

The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the combined MR-echo examination and static MR imaging for determining the presence of invasion were 84%, 83% and 85%, respectively, for the first reading session and they were 87%, 83% and 87%, respectively, for the second reading session (there was substantial interobserver agreement, k = 0.74). For the static MR imaging alone, these values were 62%, 83% and 59%, respectively, for the first reader and they were 69%, 67% and 74%, respectively, for the second reader (there was moderate interobserver agreement, k = 0.49). The diagnostic confidence for tumor invasion was also higher for the combined MR-echo examination and static MR imaging than that for the static MR imaging alone (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The combined reading of a non-breath-hold real-time MR-echo examination and static MR imaging provides higher specificity and diagnostic confidence than those for the static MR imaging reading alone to determine the presence of mediastinal or chest wall tumor invasion when this was indeterminate on CT scanning.

4D-MRI analysis of lung tumor motion in patients with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis

PURPOSE

To investigate the complex breathing patterns in patients with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis due to malignant infiltration using four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D-MRI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seven patients with bronchial carcinoma infiltrating the phrenic nerve were examined using 1.5 T MRI. The motion of the tumor and of both hemi-diaphragms were measured on dynamic 2D TrueFISP and 4D FLASH MRI sequences.

RESULTS

For each patient, 3-6 breathing cycles were recorded. The respiratory-induced mean cranio-caudal displacement of the tumor was 6.6 mm (+/-2.8 SD). The mean displacement anterior-posterior was 7.4 mm (+/-2.6), while right-left movement was about 7.4 mm (+/-4.5). The mediastinum moved sidewards during inspiration, realizing a "mediastinal shift". The paralyzed hemidiaphragm and the tumor showed a paradox motion during respiration in five patients. In two patients, the affected hemidiaphragm had a regular, however minimal and asynchronous motion during respiration. Respiratory variability of both tumor and diaphragm motions was about 20% although patients were instructed to breath normally. The findings showed significant differences compared to breathing patterns of patients without diaphragm dysfunction.

CONCLUSION

4D-MRI is a promising tool to analyze complex breathing patterns in patients with lung tumors. It should be considered for use in planning of radiotherapy to account for individual tumor motion.

Current concepts on imaging in radiotherapy

New high-precision radiotherapy (RT) techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or hadrontherapy, allow better dose distribution within the target and spare a larger portion of normal tissue than conventional RT. These techniques require accurate tumour volume delineation and intrinsic characterization, as well as verification of target localisation and monitoring of organ motion and response assessment during treatment. These tasks are strongly dependent on imaging technologies. Among these, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been applied in high-precision RT. For tumour volume delineation and characterization, PET has brought an additional dimension to the management of cancer patients by allowing the incorporation of crucial functional and molecular images in RT treatment planning, i.e. direct evaluation of tumour metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis, hypoxia and angiogenesis. The combination of PET and CT in a single imaging system (PET/CT) to obtain a fused anatomical and functional dataset is now emerging as a promising tool in radiotherapy departments for delineation of tumour volumes and optimization of treatment plans. Another exciting new area is image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), which focuses on the potential benefit of advanced imaging and image registration to improve precision, daily target localization and monitoring during treatment, thus reducing morbidity and potentially allowing the safe delivery of higher doses. The variety of IGRT systems is rapidly expanding, including cone beam CT and US. This article examines the increasing role of imaging techniques in the entire process of high-precision radiotherapy.