Exploratory Investigation of Dose-Linear Energy Transfer (LET) Volume Histogram (DLVH) for Adverse Events Study in Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT)

Purpose We proposed a novel tool—a dose linear energy transfer (LET)-volume histogram (DLVH)—and performed an exploratory study to investigate rectal bleeding in prostate cancer treated with intensity modulated proton therapy. Methods and Materials The DLVH was constructed with dose and LET as 2 axes, and the normalized volume of the structure was contoured in the dose-LET plane as isovolume lines. We defined the DLVH index, DL v % ( d , l )...