Effects of Setup Errors on Dose Distribution for Tangential Wedge Field and Field-in-Field Techniques During Breast Irradiation

Abstract

This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of setup errors on dose distribution for target volume and healthy tissue within the irradiated volume and also critical surrounding organs for breast radiotherapy (RT) using both the tangential field and the field-in-field (FIF) technique. Ten patients with breast cancer were enrolled. For each patients two plans were generated; tangential field plan and FIF-plan. The setup errors were simulated for a series of displacements of +/- 5 mm and +/- 10 mm in superior-inferior (x-axis), medial-lateral (y-axis), and anterior-posterior (z-axis) directions and dose volume comparisons were made both between and within groups. The most prominent changes were observed in setup errors at z-axis. In wedge plan, 10-mm setup error at the +z axis caused a significant decrease in tumor coverage compared with the plan with no setup error (96.5% vs. 99.2%; p= 0.01). The 5 and 10 mm setup errors at the +z-axis resulted in significantly higher healthy tissue doses in wedge plans compared with FIF plans. The setup errors along z-axis had a significant effect on the dose distribution for target volume and also to the lungs. The setup error in the isocenter should be kept strictly below 5 mm.