Subpopulation-based correspondence modelling for improved respiratory motion estimation in the presence of inter-fraction motion variations

TY - JOUR

T1 - Subpopulation-based correspondence modelling for improved respiratory motion estimation in the presence of inter-fraction motion variations

AU - Wilms, Matthias

AU - Werner, René

AU - Yamamoto, Tokihiro

AU - Handels, Heinz

AU - Ehrhardt, Jan

PY - 2017/6/26

Y1 - 2017/6/26

N2 - Correspondence modelling between low-dimensional breathing signals and internal organ motion is a prerequisite for application of advanced techniques in radiotherapy of moving targets. Patient-specific correspondence models can, for example, be built prior to treatment based on a planning 4D CT and simultaneously acquired breathing signals. Reliability of pre-treatment-built models depends, however, on the degree of patient-specific inter-fraction motion variations. This study investigates whether motion estimation accuracy in the presence of inter-fraction motion variations can be improved using correspondence models that incorporate motion information from different patients. The underlying assumption is that inter-patient motion variations resemble patient-specific inter-fraction motion variations for subpopulations of patients with similar breathing characteristics. The hypothesis is tested by integrating a sparse manifold clustering approach into a regression-based correspondence modelling framework that allows for automated identification of patient subpopulations. The evaluation is based on a total of 73 lung 4D CT data sets, including two cohorts of patients with repeat 4D CT scans (cohort 1: 14 patients; cohort 2: ten patients). The results are consistent for both cohorts: The subpopulation-based modelling approach outperforms general population modelling (models built on all data sets available) as well as pre-treatment-built models trained on only the patient-specific motion information. The results thereby support the hypothesis and illustrate the potential of subpopulation-based correspondence modelling.

AB - Correspondence modelling between low-dimensional breathing signals and internal organ motion is a prerequisite for application of advanced techniques in radiotherapy of moving targets. Patient-specific correspondence models can, for example, be built prior to treatment based on a planning 4D CT and simultaneously acquired breathing signals. Reliability of pre-treatment-built models depends, however, on the degree of patient-specific inter-fraction motion variations. This study investigates whether motion estimation accuracy in the presence of inter-fraction motion variations can be improved using correspondence models that incorporate motion information from different patients. The underlying assumption is that inter-patient motion variations resemble patient-specific inter-fraction motion variations for subpopulations of patients with similar breathing characteristics. The hypothesis is tested by integrating a sparse manifold clustering approach into a regression-based correspondence modelling framework that allows for automated identification of patient subpopulations. The evaluation is based on a total of 73 lung 4D CT data sets, including two cohorts of patients with repeat 4D CT scans (cohort 1: 14 patients; cohort 2: ten patients). The results are consistent for both cohorts: The subpopulation-based modelling approach outperforms general population modelling (models built on all data sets available) as well as pre-treatment-built models trained on only the patient-specific motion information. The results thereby support the hypothesis and illustrate the potential of subpopulation-based correspondence modelling.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6560/aa70cc

DO - 10.1088/1361-6560/aa70cc

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 28467314

VL - 62

SP - 5823

EP - 5839

JO - PHYS MED BIOL

JF - PHYS MED BIOL

SN - 0031-9155

IS - 14

ER -