A Comparative Study of Dosimetric Analysis of Three Different Sets of Five Fields and Seven Fields IMRT Plans for Prostate Cancer

Abstract

The advent of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is rapidly changing the field of Radiation Oncology. IMRT has the potential to improve clinical implementation of highly conformal non-convex dose distributions. Nonetheless, a number of IMRT approaches including coplanar and noncoplanar beam techniques with 5 to 9 beams at different angles have been used in an effort to get the best dose distribution. The purpose of this study is to compare the dose to normal tissue and dose-limiting structures, conformity index, homogeneity index, number of monitor units required for the treatment of prostate cancer in 3 sets of five and seven beam IMRT plans and thus to select the best IMRT approach for patients with prostate cancer.