Abstract:
Objective To explore the feasibility of quantitative grading of radiation-induced lung toxicity (RILT) using the range of imaging changes on computed tomography (CT) after radiotherapy.
Methods Data of lung cancer patients who received thoracic radiotherapy in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2017 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Follow-up CT images showing the most RILT-related imaging changes after the end of radiotherapy were fused with localized CT images, delineating the range of RILT-related imaging changes (VRL). Using the patients' localized CT images and treatment plan, the volume of the bilateral lungs (Vbilateral lungs) were obtained, so did VRL and Vbilateral lungs for different dose ranges. To obtain multiple indexes that can be used to quantitatively express the degree of RILT, the aforementioned parameters were substituted into the four ratios: VRL/Vbilateral lungs, VRL(different dose intervals)/VRL, VRL(different dose intervals)/Vbilateral lungs(corresponding dose intervals), and VRL(different dose intervals)/Vbilateral lungs. The relationship between each index and clinical RILT grade was then examined to determine the optimal diagnostic index for grade ≥2 RILT.
Results In total, 181 patients were included in this study. All indexes, except VRL(0–10 Gy)/VRL, VRL(40–50 Gy)/VRL, and VRL(0–10 Gy)/Vbilateral lungs(0–10 Gy), can be used in the diagnosis of grade ≥2 RILT. The area under the curve values of VRL(10–40 Gy)/Vbilateral lungs and VRL(20–40 Gy)/Vbilateral lungs were the highest, at 0.821 for both. The sensitivity values of these two indexes were 0.796 and 0.741, respectively, and the specificity values were 0.701 and 0.756, respectively.
Conclusions Quantitative grading of RILT is feasible according to the range of imaging changes on CT during follow-up; VRL(10–40 Gy)/Vbilateral lungs can be used as the best diagnostic index for grade ≥2 RILT.