TY - JOUR
T1 - High Dose-Per-Fraction Irradiation of Limited Lung Volumes Using an Image-Guided, Highly Focused Irradiator
T2 - Simulating Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Regimens in a Small-Animal Model
AU - Cho, Jaeho
AU - Kodym, Reinhard
AU - Seliounine, Serguei
AU - Richardson, James A.
AU - Solberg, Timothy D.
AU - Story, Michael D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by Varian Medical Systems , the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology . We thank Richard Lamphier for technical expertise while constructing the small animal irradiator, John Shelton's advice when preparing histopathologic slides, and the Mouse Metabolic Imaging Core for conducting micro-CT. We also acknowledge Dee Hill and Vanessa Perez for assistance in preparing the manuscript.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Purpose: To investigate the underlying biology associated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), both in vivo models and image-guided, highly focal irradiation systems are necessary. Here, we describe such an irradiation system and use it to examine normal tissue toxicity in a small-animal model at lung volumes similar to those associated with human therapy. Methods and Materials: High-dose radiation was delivered to a small volume of the left lung of C3H/HeJCr mice using a small-animal stereotactic irradiator. The irradiator has a collimation mechanism to produce focal radiation beams, an imaging subsystem consisting of a fluorescent screen coupled to a charge-coupled device camera, and a manual positioning stage. Histopathologic examination and micro-CT were used to evaluate the radiation response. Results: Focal obliteration of the alveoli by fibrous connective tissue, hyperplasia of the bronchiolar epithelium, and presence of a small number of inflammatory cells are the main reactions to low-volume/high-dose irradiation of the mouse lung. The tissue response suggested a radiation dose threshold for early phase fibrosis lying between 40 and 100 Gy. The irradiation system satisfied our requirements of high-dose-rate, small beam diameter, and precise localization and verification. Conclusions: We have established an experimental model and image-guided animal irradiation system for the study of high dose per fraction irradiations such as those used with SBRT at volumes analogous to those used in human beings. It will also allow the targeting of specific anatomical structures of the thorax or ultimately, orthotopic tumors of the lung.
AB - Purpose: To investigate the underlying biology associated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), both in vivo models and image-guided, highly focal irradiation systems are necessary. Here, we describe such an irradiation system and use it to examine normal tissue toxicity in a small-animal model at lung volumes similar to those associated with human therapy. Methods and Materials: High-dose radiation was delivered to a small volume of the left lung of C3H/HeJCr mice using a small-animal stereotactic irradiator. The irradiator has a collimation mechanism to produce focal radiation beams, an imaging subsystem consisting of a fluorescent screen coupled to a charge-coupled device camera, and a manual positioning stage. Histopathologic examination and micro-CT were used to evaluate the radiation response. Results: Focal obliteration of the alveoli by fibrous connective tissue, hyperplasia of the bronchiolar epithelium, and presence of a small number of inflammatory cells are the main reactions to low-volume/high-dose irradiation of the mouse lung. The tissue response suggested a radiation dose threshold for early phase fibrosis lying between 40 and 100 Gy. The irradiation system satisfied our requirements of high-dose-rate, small beam diameter, and precise localization and verification. Conclusions: We have established an experimental model and image-guided animal irradiation system for the study of high dose per fraction irradiations such as those used with SBRT at volumes analogous to those used in human beings. It will also allow the targeting of specific anatomical structures of the thorax or ultimately, orthotopic tumors of the lung.
KW - High-dose focused radiotherapy
KW - Image-guided radiotherapy
KW - Small-animal model
KW - Stereotactic body radiotherapy
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.12.074
DO - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2009.12.074
M3 - Article
C2 - 20510200
AN - SCOPUS:77952578717
SN - 0360-3016
VL - 77
SP - 895
EP - 902
JO - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
JF - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
IS - 3
ER -