Published online Dec 16, 2022. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i35.12822
Peer-review started: September 30, 2022
First decision: October 13, 2022
Revised: October 20, 2022
Accepted: November 14, 2022
Article in press: November 14, 2022
Published online: December 16, 2022
Processing time: 74 Days and 22.8 Hours
This work aims to summarize and evaluate the current planning progress based on the linear accelerator in stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). The specific techniques include 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, dynamic conformal arc therapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). They are all designed to deliver higher doses to the target volume while reducing damage to normal tissues; among them, VMAT shows better prospects for application. This paper reviews and summarizes several issues on the planning of SRT to provide a reference for clinical application.
Core Tip: In recent years, stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) has been moving towards large-scale applications with radiotherapy device hardware and software development. SRT has the advantages of a high single dose (6-30 Gy/fraction), low treatment frequency (1-5 fraction), a high biological effect dose ≥ 100, high target volume conformity index, and a hefty dose gradient index outside the target volume. This paper analyzes the SRT planning issues such as the treatment technology, energy, number of isocenters, number of fields, coplanar/noncoplanar issue, the dose calculation algorithm of treatment planning system, multileaf collimator leaf width, flattening filter free mode, auxiliary contours such as ring/shell, small field dosimetry, grid size and auto planning.