A study of nonuniform CTV to PTV margin expansion incorporating both rotational and translational uncertainties

Abstract Purpose In this work, we implemented a method to obtain a nonuniform clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margin caused by both rotational and translational uncertainties and evaluated it in the treatment planning system (TPS). Materials and method Based on a previously published statistical model, the relationship between a target margin and the distance d (from isocenter to target point), setup uncertainties, and significance level was established. For a single CTV, it can be thought as a combination of many small volume elements or target points. The margin of each point could be obtained using the suggested statistical model. The whole nonuniform CTV–PTV margin was determined by the union of all possible margins of the CTV boundary points. This method was implemented in the Pinnacle3 treatment planning system and compared with uniform margin algorithm. Ten vertebral metastases targets and multiple brain metastases targets were chosen for evaluation. Results The combined CTV–PTV margin as a function of d for various initial translational margin and rotational uncertainties was calculated. The combined margin increases as d, rotational uncertainties and translational margin increase. For the same rotational uncertainty, a smaller initial translational margin requires a larger rotational margin to compensate for the rotational error. Compared with the uniform margin algorithm, the advantage of this method is that it could minimize the PTVs volume for given CTVs to obtain same significance level. Using vertebral metastases targets and multiple brain metastases targets, a series of volume difference was obtained for various translational margins and rotational uncertainties. The volume difference of PTV could be more than 17% when translational margin is 2 mm and rotational uncertainty is 1.4°. Conclusion Nonuniform margin algorithm could avoid excessive compensation for the CTV boundary points near isocenter. This method could be used for clinical margin determination and might be useful for the protection of risk organs.