Method of Identifying Dynamic Multileaf Collimator Irradiation that is Highly Sensitive to a Systematic MLC Calibration Error

In Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), radiation is delivered in a multiple of Multileaf Collimator (MLC) subfields. A subfield with a small leaf-to-leaf opening is highly sensitive to a leaf-positional error. We introduce a method of identifying and rejecting IMRT plans that are highly sensitive to a systematic MLC gap error (sensitivity to possible random leaf-positional errors is not addressed here). There are two sources of a systematic MLC gap error: Centerline Mechanical Offset (CMO) and, in the case of a rounded end MLC, Radiation Field Offset (RFO). In IMRT planning system, using an incorrect value of RFO introduces a systematic error ΔRFO that results in all leaf-to-leaf gaps that are either too large or too small by (2ㆍΔRFO), whereas assuming that CMO is zero introduces systematic error ΔCMO that results in all gaps that are too large by ΔCMO = CMO. We introduce a concept of the Average Leaf Pair Opening (ALPO) that can be calculated from a dynamic MLC delivery file. We derive an analytic formula for a fractional average fluence error resulting from a systematic gap error of Δ$\chi$ and show that it is inversely proportional to ALPO; explicitly it is equal to, (equation omitted) in which $\varepsilon$ is generally of the order of 1 mm and Δx=2ㆍΔRFO+CMO. This analytic relationship is verified with independent numerical calculations.