SRS Flashcards
What are SRS treatments?
Techniques that are highly conformal radiotherapy treatments delivered to precisely delineated targets, delivered using stereotactic localisation techniques
What is the difference between SRS, SRT, and fSRT?
SRS - 1 fraction
SRT - 2-5 fractions
fSRT - conventional fractionation
What are the indications for SRS?
Metasteses
Benign tumours
Vascular lesions
Functional treatments - neurological conditions
What is the difference between frame based and frameless immobilisation?
Frame based - stereotactic system of external coordinates used for localisation and positioning
Frameless - Anatomy and IGRT - can’t lose accuracy, needs online monitoring
What is the difference between invasive and non-invasive immobilisation?
Invasive - patient rigidly fixed to stereotactic system using invasive techniques
Non-invasive - patient friendly immobilisation which can be used for multiple fraction treatments
What are the platforms for delivering SRS?
Linac
Gammaknife
Cyberknife
How do Gammaknife Perfexion systems work?
192 Co-60 sources focused on the isocentre
Circular collimators are inbuilt (4, 8, 16mm)
Sources split into 8 sectors that can use different collimator sizes or be blocked to produce non-spherical shots
Can use relocatable frame for multiple fractions
IGRT on Icon model
What dose algorithms are used for Gammaknife treatment planning?
Historically used factor based algorithm -TMR10 - assumes head is water - planned on MRI scan for target/OAR, head shaped using skull scaling instrument
Now use convolution algorithm to take density variations into account - use CT scan for planning
How does a cyberknife system work?
6MV linac mounted on robotic control system with stereotactic radiographic localisation of bony anatomy or implanted fiducials to track the patient and alter beams accordingly - multiple beams from any angle - except through couch
Used to use collimators - now uses 41 MLCs
How is tumour tracking achieved with cyberknife?
Fiducial tracking
Spine tracking
Lung tracking
6D skull tracking
What are the features of APEX?
Add on to head
Dynamic micro-multileaf collimator
2.5mm MLCs
Largest treatable area - 12x14cm
Why were cones used for SRS delivery?
Produces sharp penumbra and dose gradients
Dose delivered in several arcs intersecting at isocentre - produces spherical dose distribution
What are the issues with cones?
For larger or irregular leasions multiple isocentres are needed - inhomogeneous dose, long treatment times
Why are MLC techniques used?
More precise shaping for larger and/or irregular lesions - use conformal fields, dynamic arcs (forward planned), or IMRT
What are the advantages for Gammaknife?
Very conformal Sharpest dose gradient Lowest reported uncertainties No couch or gantry movements Can treat very small lesions
What are the disadvantages of Gammaknife?
Long treatment times
Radioactive sources need to be replaced
Intracranial targets only
Have to use multiple isocentres for multiple lesions
What are the advantages of Cyberknife?
Non-isocentric - very conformal treatments
Excellent motion management
Can treat extracranial lesions
What are the disadvantages of Cyberknife?
Long treatment times
Can’t treat through couch
What are the advantages of Linacs?
Used for other techniques Fast treatment times - FFF Lots of imaging options Some motion management Can treat extracranial lesions Can treat multiple lesions with 1 isocentre
What are the disadvantages of Linacs?
Limited non-coplanar treatments
Minimum treatment size limited by MLC leaf width and dosimetric accuracy