Xu Hua, Gong Guanzhong, Wei Hong, Chen Lusheng, Chen Jinhu, Lu Jie, Liu Tonghai, Zhu Jian, Yin Yong
Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, 250117, China.
Radiat Oncol. 2014 Oct 16;9:221. doi: 10.1186/s13014-014-0221-7.
To study the feasibility and the potential benefits of defining the internal gross tumor volume (IGTV) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using contrast-enhanced 4D CT images obtained by combining arterial-phase (AP) contrast-enhanced (CE) 3D CT and non-contrast-enhanced (NCE) 4D CT images using deformable registration (DR).
Ten HCC patients who had received radiotherapy beforehand were selected for this study. The following CT simulation images were acquired sequentially: NCE 4D CT in free breathing, NCE 3D CT and APCE 3D CT in end-expiration breath holding. All 4D CT images were sorted into ten phases according to breath cycle (CT00 ~ CT90). Gross tumor volumes (GTVs) were contoured on all CT images and the IGTV-1 was obtained by merging the GTVs in each phase of 4D CT images. The GTV on the APCE 3D CT image was deformably registered to each 4D CT phase image according to liver shape using RayStation(TM) 3.99.0.7 version treatment planning system. The IGTV-DR was obtained by merging the GTVs after DR on the 4D CT images. Volume differences among the GTVs and between the IGTV-1 and the IGTV-DR were compared.
The edge of most lesions could be definitively identified using APCE 3D CT images compared to NCE 4D and 3D CT images. The GTV volume on APCE 3D CT images increased by an average of 34.79% (P<0.05). There was no significant difference among the GTV volumes obtained using NCE 4D and 3D CT images (P>0.05). The GTV volumes after DR on 4D CT different phase images increased by an average of 36.29% (P<0.05), as was observed using the APCE 3D CT image (P>0.05). Lastly, the volume of IGTV-DR increased by an average of 19.91% compared to that of IGTV-1 (P<0.05).
NCE 4D CT imaging alone has the potential risk of missing a partial volume of the HCC. The combination of APCE 3D CT and NCE 4D CT images using the DR technique improved the accuracy of the definition of the IGTV in HCC.
研究通过将动脉期(AP)对比增强(CE)三维CT与非对比增强(NCE)四维CT图像经可变形配准(DR)相结合获得的对比增强四维CT图像来定义肝细胞癌(HCC)的内部大体肿瘤体积(IGTV)的可行性及潜在益处。
选取10例曾接受过放疗的HCC患者进行本研究。依次采集以下CT模拟图像:自由呼吸状态下的NCE四维CT、呼气末屏气状态下的NCE三维CT和APCE三维CT。所有四维CT图像根据呼吸周期分为十个时相(CT00~CT90)。在所有CT图像上勾勒出大体肿瘤体积(GTV),并通过合并四维CT图像各时相的GTV得到IGTV-1。使用RayStation(TM) 3.99.0.7版本治疗计划系统,根据肝脏形状将APCE三维CT图像上的GTV与四维CT各时相图像进行可变形配准。通过合并四维CT图像上经配准后的GTV得到IGTV-DR。比较GTV之间以及IGTV-1与IGTV-DR之间的体积差异。
与NCE四维CT和三维CT图像相比,多数病灶的边缘在APCE三维CT图像上能更明确地显示。APCE三维CT图像上的GTV体积平均增加34.79%(P<0.05)。使用NCE四维CT和三维CT图像获得的GTV体积之间无显著差异(P>0.05)。四维CT不同时相图像经配准后的GTV体积平均增加36.29%(P<0.05),与APCE三维CT图像的情况相似(P>0.05)。最后,与IGTV-1相比,IGTV-DR的体积平均增加19.91%(P<0.05)。
单纯的NCE四维CT成像存在遗漏部分HCC体积的潜在风险。采用DR技术将APCE三维CT与NCE四维CT图像相结合可提高HCC中IGTV定义的准确性。