The use of isodose levels to interpret radiation induced lung injury: a quantitative analysis of computed tomography changes

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), has been adopted as an effective method for treating lung cancer, including early stage lung cancer in inoperable patients (1) and patients with lung oligo metastases (2). The use of SBRT will likely increase over time, both due to the increasing cancer burden worldwide, as well as the efficacy, low toxicity profile, cost effectiveness, and ease of compliance with SBRT (3). High local control rates have been reported in numerous prospective and retrospective series. In a phase II trial of 59 patients, Timmerman et al. (4) demonstrated a 3-year primary tumor control rate, local control rate, and local-regional control rate of 97.6%, 90.6% and 87.2%, respectively. Other studies have found similar high local control rates for both primary lung cancers and lung oligo metastases (5-7)