Quantification of the influence of the choice of the algorithm and planning system on the calculation of a treatment plan

Abstract

In this work an analysis of the influence of the choice of the algorithm or planning system, on the calculus of the same treatment plan is introduced. For this purpose specific software has been developed for comparing plans of a series of IMRT cases of prostate and head and neck cancer calculated using the convolution, superposition and fastsuperposition algorithms implemented in the XiO 4.40 planning system (CMS). It has also been used for the comparison of the same treatment plan for lung pathology calculated in XiO with the mentioned algorithms, and calculated in the iPlan 4.1 planning system (Brainlab) using its pencil beam algorithm.

Differences in dose among the treatment plans have been quantified using a set of metrics. The recommendation for the dosimetrist of a careful choice of the algorithm has been numerically confirmed.