Background and purpose:Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) requires high positional accuracy to safely deliver large doses. This study evaluated an integrated surface- and image-guided radiotherapy (SGRT-IGRT) system by analysing (1) the agreement between thermo-optical and stereoscopic X-ray positioning, and (2) the impact of intra-fractional workflows on treatment accuracy and time. Materials and methods:Data from 126 SRS patients treated with 30 Gy/3 fractions (n = 116) or 12 Gy/1 fraction (n = 10) on a Varian Truebeam STx were retrospectively analysed. Patients were positioned and monitored with Brainlab ExacTrac Dynamic, with 0.5 mm/0.5° tolerances for IGRT and 1 mm/1° for SGRT. Three workflows were investigated: (A) SGRT + IntraArc IGRT (imaging every 90° during treatment and between couch rotations); (B) SGRT + InterArc IGRT (imaging between couch rotations only); and (C) SGRT (no additional imaging after initial coplanar setup). Workflows (B) and (C) were simulated by omitting applied couch corrections. Results:Median beam-on times were 5.5 min for workflow A, 5.0 min for workflow B, and 3.2 min for workflow C. The median differences between thermo-optical and stereoscopic X-ray patient positioning were ≤0.1 mm. The 3D positioning uncertainty remained within 0.5 mm (2.5th-97.5th percentile) using SGRT-IGRT. Omitting inter-arc imaging increased positional deviation ranges from 0.1-0.5 mm to 0.1-0.7 mm. Conclusion:Thermo-optical and stereoscopic X-ray imaging showed good agreement within the set institutional tolerances. Inter-arc imaging increased treatment time by 2 min compared with SGRT alone but improved positioning accuracy. Intra-arc imaging added an additional small accuracy benefit at minor time cost.

Purpose:Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) accounts for anatomical changes during treatment and may improve target coverage and spare organs-at-risk (OARs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aimed to develop a protocol defining dose evaluation criteria for target volumes and OARs to assess the need for ART. The protocol was applied to compare compliance between daily-ART and non-ART plans with varying CTV-PTV-margins. Materials and methods:A protocol defining dose criteria for target and OAR volumes was developed and used to evaluate ART in a retrospective cohort of 80 patients (2,170 fractions) treated with radiotherapy to 60.0-68.0 Gy (2 Gy/fraction). Synthetic CTs were generated from daily kVCTs and contours propagated using deformable image registration. Delivered doses (no-ART) and daily-ART treatments using 5 mm and 2 mm PTV plans were simulated. All daily distributions were evaluated using the protocol. Results:With 2 mm margins, daily-ART significantly reduced protocol violations compared to no-ART(7% vs 20.3%, p < 0.001), while no significant difference was observed with 5 mm margins(15.1% vs 17.3%, p > 0.8). For 2 mm margins, daily-ART resolved 610 violations but introduced 152 new violations. With 5 mm margins, 391 violations were resolved, while 472 violations were introduced. When adaptation was limited to fractions that initially presented violations, fewer new violations were introduced (2 mm: 60; 5 mm: 49). Conclusion:Daily-ART with 2 mm margins improved target coverage and reduced protocol violations, while larger margins increased OAR doses by enforcing full PTV coverage. Restricting daily ART to fractions with identified violations minimized the occurrence of newly introduced violations.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into radiotherapy workflows, yet such pipelines remain vulnerable to out-of-distribution image data that may introduce unexpected behavior in clinical tasks. Deep learning-based anomaly detection for pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains largely unexplored, and transparent evaluation of its feasibility for full automation is limited. We developed and evaluated a fully automated, unsupervised anomaly-detection framework for pelvic and brain MRI. A two-stage framework was trained on reference images from public datasets: LUND-PROBE for pelvic MRI, and IXI, fastMRI, and fastMRI+ for brain MRI. In the first stage, MRI slices were compressed into discrete tokens; in the second, the distribution of normal tokens was modeled. Anomaly evidence was estimated by combining perceptual image differences with token-surprisal scores based on negative log-likelihood. Automated detection was evaluated on pelvic MRI with synthetic global and real clinical anomalies, and on brain MRI with clinically annotated fastMRI+ abnormalities. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and false-positive behavior in held-out normal cases were assessed. The framework achieved robust detection across hidden evaluation cohorts, with AUCs of 0.97 (95

Background and Purpose: Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) involves treatment re-planning based on anatomical changes, which may improve target coverage and sparing of organs-at-risk (OARs). This study retrospectively assessed the technical feasibility and potential benefits of daily ART in combination with reduced planning target volume (PTV) margins for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and Methods: Thirty-one patients, encompassing 902 treatment fractions, treated with radiotherapy to 60.0-68.0 Gy in 2 Gy/fraction were studied. Synthetic CTs (sCT) from daily kVCT images were created and contours propagated using deformable image registration (DIR). Target contours were reviewed and corrected. On the sCT, non-adapted delivered doses and ART-plans with 5 mm (clinical standard) and 2 mm PTV-margin were evaluated. All daily dose distributions were then accumulated. Results: Target contours required correction in 48 % of the fractions. Daily non-adapted D98%,CTV was > 95 % in 890 (5 mm) and 825 (2 mm) out of 902 fractions. All adapted plans achieved D98%,CTV > 95 %. Significant reductions in mean doses to OARs were observed for PTV = 2 mm ART-plans: 4.1 Gy for parotid, 2.6 Gy for submandibular, 3.3 Gy for oral cavity, 4.0 Gy for esophagus, and 3.8 Gy for larynx. Conclusion: ART-planning on sCT and DIR propagated contours was feasible and promising for further clinical testing. To obtain a potential clinical benefit of ART, a synchronous reduction of the PTV-margin was warranted. Daily ART can be used to maintain adequate target dosimetry for every fraction, though for the accumulated treatment, insufficient target coverage without ART is unlikely to occur.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:Ultra-high dose rate radiotherapy (RT) has shown potential for differential normal tissue (NT) sparing (a phenomenon termed the "FLASH effect"), particularly for larger fraction doses (>5 Gy). However, transitioning to hypofractionation may increase late-reacting NT toxicity, counteracting the FLASH effect. This study evaluates whether FLASH-RT can provide netsparing for organs at risk (OARs) and NT within the PTV under the assumption of standard-of-care dose-conformity. MATERIAL/METHODS:Five patients per tumor-site (breast, head-and-neck, prostate, and glioblastoma) were analyzed. Using the Linear-Quadratic model, dose-distributions with higher dose per fraction were derived from standard schedules while maintaining tumor control efficacy. FLASH-modified dose-distributions were simulated voxel-by-voxel using logistic regression-based dose-modifying factors modeled from preclinical data. These plans were converted to standard fractionation equivalents for radiobiological comparisons of NT damage. Netsparing was defined as the difference in OAR dose-volume histogram parameters between standard and FLASH-modified plans, normalized to the prescribed dose. Commonly used α/β-ratios for tumors and late-reacting NT were applied. RESULTS:The netsparing for OARs and PTV varied strongly by tumor location. Breast and prostate cases showed positive netsparing, indicating that the FLASH effect outweighed increased toxicity. Even under a conservative scenario (higher α/βT vs. α/βNT), most OARs showed positive netsparing. In glioblastoma and head-and-neck cases, no netsparing was observed, indicating increased toxicity even with FLASH induced NT-sparing. CONCLUSION:FLASH-RT appears to be beneficial for tumor sites where α/βT ≲ α/βNT, such as breast and prostate. However, not all tumor sites may benefit from FLASH-RT, highlighting the need for site-specific consideration for FLASH-RT implementation.

Purpose: Indications for radiotherapy (RT) of the internal mammary nodes (IMN) in early breast cancer vary between countries. While studies indicate benefits, IMN RT increases the dose to the heart and lungs, and the risk-benefit ratio of this treatment is debated. This study investigates how IMN RT affects dose to organs at risk (OAR) and pneumonitis incidence in a clinical setting. Methods: This retrospective study includes breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant locoregional RT with and without IMN included in the target volume at Skåne University Hospital, Sweden, from 2018 to 2021. Treatment plans followed national dose-volume criteria, prioritizing lung and heart over IMN coverage. A total of 247 treatment plans for locoregional RT with IMN were compared to 397 without. Dose to OAR, IMN coverage and pneumonitis incidence were investigated. Results: The mean ipsilateral lung dose increased by 2.7 Gy with IMN RT (p < 0.001), and the mean heart dose (left-sided treatment) by 0.5 Gy (p < 0.001). Both irradiated and treated volume in relation to planning target volume (PTV) increased with ~20% (p < 0.001). Desired IMN coverage was achieved in 76% of the plans, with lung dose exceeding recommended constraints as the primary reason for decreased target coverage in the remaining plans. Of the 220 patients with follow-up of ≥6 months, 2 (0.9%) were diagnosed with pneumonitis grade 2. Interpretation: Introduction of IMN RT primarily resulted in an increased lung dose. However, rate of symptomatic pneumonitis was low. Most patients achieved desired IMN coverage using 3D-CRT, with lung dose being the limiting factor.

Precise patient positioning and daily anatomical verification are crucial in external beam radiotherapy to ensure accurate dose delivery and minimize harm to healthy tissues. However, Current image-guided radiotherapy techniques struggle to balance high-quality volumetric anatomical visualization and rapid low-dose imaging. Addressing this, reconstructing volumetric images from ultra-sparse X-ray projections holds promise for significantly reducing patient radiation exposure and potentially enabling real-time anatomy verification. Here, we present a novel DL-based framework that generates synthetic volumetric cone-beam CT in real-time from two orthogonal projection views and a reference planning CT for prostate cancer patients. Our model learns the mapping between 2D and 3D domains and generalizes across patients without retraining. We demonstrate that our framework produces high-fidelity volumetric reconstructions in real-time, potentially supporting clinical workflows without hardware modifications. This approach could reduce imaging dose and treatment time while preserving comprehensive anatomical information, offering a pathway for safer, more efficient prostate radiotherapy workflows.

Spatially fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) is emerging as a powerful tool in cancer therapy for patients who are ineligible for treatment with clinically established irradiation techniques. Microbeam radiotherapy (MRT) is characterized by spatial dose fractionation in the micrometre range. This presents challenges in both treatment planning and dosimetry. While a dosimetry system with a spatial resolution of 10 µm and an option for real-time readout already exists, this system can only record dose in a very small volume. Thus, we are exploring dosimetry in an N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) gel as an option for 3D dose visualization and, potentially, also three-dimensional dosimetry in larger volumes. In the current study, we have recorded the geometric patterns of single- and multiport irradiation with microbeam arrays in NIPAM gel. Data for 3D dose distribution was acquired in a 7T small animal MRI scanner. We found that the resolution of the gel is well suited for a detailed 3D visualization of microbeam patterns even in complex multiport geometries, similar to that of radiochromic film, which is well established for recording 2D dose distribution in MRT. The results suggest that a dose–response calibration is required for reliable quantitative dosimetry.

Purpose This study investigated the use of surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) in combination with a tomotherapy treatment mode using discrete delivery angles for deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) treatments of breast cancer (bc). We aimed to assess the feasibility and dosimetric advantages of this approach. Materials and methods We evaluated camera occlusion in the Radixact treatment system bore and the stability of DIBH signals during couch movement. The SGRT system's ability to maintain signal and surface image accuracy was analyzed at different depths within the bore. Dosimetric parameters were compared and measured for 20 left-sided bc patients receiving TomoDirect (TD) tangential radiotherapy in both DIBH and free breathing (FB). Results The SGRT system maintained surface coverage and precise DIBH-signal at depths up to 40 cm beyond the treatment center. Camera occlusion occurred in the clavicular and neck regions due to the patient's morphology and gantry geometry. Nonetheless, the system accurately detected respiratory motion for all measurements. The DIBH plans significantly (p < 0.001) reduced mean heart and left anterior descending artery (LAD) radiation doses by up to 40%, with a 50% reduction in near-maximum heart and LAD doses, respectively. No significant dosimetric differences between DIBH and FB were observed in other investigated parameters and volumes. Conclusions Camera occlusion and couch movement minimally impacted the real-time surface image accuracy needed for DIBH treatments of bc. DIBH reduced heart and LAD radiation doses significantly compared to FB, indicating the feasibility and dosimetric benefits of combining these modalities.

With nearly two decades of expertise in the field of radiotherapy physics, she possesses a specialized focus on motion management, including surface-guided radiotherapy and breathing adaptive treatments.Her doctoral studies were focused on polymer gel dosimetry for 3D verification of dynamic radiotherapy.In the early 2000s, she obtained certification as a medical physicist from both the Swedish and Danish National Boards of Health and Welfare.Gaining international experience in Belfast, Sydney, and Copenhagen, she received in 2015 a research grant for promising young clinical researcher in Sweden.Throughout her clinical career, she has assumed a leading role in introducing motion management techniques in Sweden, such as breathing-adapted treatment and surfaceguided radiotherapy.Under her leadership, collaborative efforts involving industry, university hospital resulted in the world-leading clinical implementation of motion management technology.In 2018, she attained a career development position as an Associate University Lecturer at Lund University within the Department of Medical Radiation Physics.Since then, she has been able to dedicate even more time to activities aligned with her passions, including research, supervising doctoral and master's level students,

Background and purpose: Motion management techniques are important to spare the healthy tissue adequately. However, they are complex and need dedicated quality assurance. The aim of this study was to create a dynamic phantom designed for quality assurance and to replicate a patient's size, anatomy, and tissue density. Materials and methods: A computed tomography (CT) scan of a cancer patient was used to create molds for the lungs, heart, ribs, and vertebral column via additive manufacturing. A pump system and software were developed to simulate respiratory dynamics. The extent of respiratory motion was quantified using a 4DCT scan. End- to-end tests were conducted to evaluate two motion management techniques for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Results: The chest wall moved between 4 mm and 13 mm anteriorly and 2 mm to 7 mm laterally during the breathing. The diaphragm exhibited superior-inferior movement ranging from 5 mm to 16 mm in the left lung and 10 mm to 36 mm in the right lung. The left lung tumor displaced f 7 mm superior-inferiorly and anterior- posteriorly. The CT numbers were for lung:-716 f 108 HU (phantom) and-713 f 70 HU (patient); bone: 460 f 20 HU (phantom) and 458 f 206 HU (patient); soft tissue: 92 f 9 HU (phantom) and 60 f 25 HU (patient). The end-to-end testing showed an excellent agreement between the measured and the calculated dose for ion chamber and film dosimetry. Conclusions: The phantom is recommended for quality assurance, evaluating the institution's specific planning and motion management strategies either through end-to-end testing or as an external audit phantom.

BACKGROUND:During recent years FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) has shown promising results in radiation oncology, with the potential to spare normal tissue while maintaining the antitumor effects. The high speed of the FLASH-RT delivery increases the need for fast and precise motion monitoring to avoid underdosing the target. Surface guided radiotherapy (SGRT) uses surface imaging (SI) to render a 3D surface of the patient. SI provides real-time motion monitoring and has a large scanning field of view, covering off-isocentric positions. However, SI has so far only been used for human patients with conventional setup and treatment. PURPOSE:The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of SI as a motion management tool during electron FLASH-RT of canine cancer patients. METHODS:To evaluate the SI system's ability to render surfaces of fur, three fur-like blankets in white, grey, and black were used to imitate the surface of canine patients and the camera settings were optimized for each blanket. Phantom measurements using the fur blankets were carried out, simulating respiratory motion and sudden shift. Respiratory motion was simulated using the QUASAR Respiratory Motion Phantom with the fur blankets placed on the phantom platform, which moved 10 mm vertically with a simulated respiratory period of 4 s. Sudden motion was simulated with an in-house developed phantom, consisting of a platform which was moved vertically in a stepwise motion at a chosen frequency. For sudden measurements, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 Hz were measured. All measurements were both carried out at the conventional source-to-surface distance (SSD) of 100 cm, and in the locally used FLASH-RT setup at SSD = 70 cm. The capability of the SI system to reproduce the simulated motion and the sampling time were evaluated. As an initial step towards clinical implementation, the feasibility of SI for surface guided FLASH-RT was evaluated for 11 canine cancer patients. RESULTS:The SI camera was capable of rendering surfaces for all blankets. The deviation between simulated and measured mean peak-to-peak breathing amplitude was within 0.6 mm for all blankets. The sampling time was generally higher for the black fur than for the white and grey fur, for the measurement of both respiratory and sudden motion. The SI system could measure sudden motion within 62.5 ms and detect motion with a frequency of 10 Hz. The feasibility study of the canine patients showed that the SI system could be an important tool to ensure patient safety. By using this system we could ensure and document that 10 out of 11 canine patients had a total vector offset from the reference setup position <2 mm immediately before and after irradiation. CONCLUSIONS:We have shown that SI can be used for surface guided FLASH-RT of canine patients. The SI system is currently not fast enough to interrupt a FLASH-RT beam while irradiating but with the short sampling time sudden motion can be detected. The beam can therefore be held just prior to irradiation, preventing treatment errors such as underdosing the target.