Deep inspiration breath hold during breast cancer irradiation reduces mean heart doses by 25-67% and mean left anterior descending artery doses by 20-73% compared to free breathing.
Does deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) reduce mean heart and LAD radiation doses in patients undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer compared to free breathing?
Deep inspiration breath hold during breast cancer radiotherapy significantly reduces radiation exposure to the heart and LAD, which may mitigate long-term radiation-induced cardiac toxicity.
Historically, heart dose from left-sided breast radiotherapy has been associated with a risk of cardiac injury. Data suggests that there is not a threshold for the deleterious effects from radiation on the heart. Over the past several years, advances in radiation delivery techniques have reduced cardiac morbidity due to treatment. Deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) is a technique that takes advantage of a more favorable position of the heart during inspiration to minimize heart doses over a course of radiation therapy. In the accompanying review article, we outline several methods used to deliver treatment with DIBH, quantify the benefits of DIBH treatment, discuss considerations for patient selection, and identify challenges associated with DIBH techniques.
Bergom et al. (Wed,) conducted a review in Breast cancer. Deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) vs. Free breathing was evaluated on Mean heart dose and mean left anterior descending artery (LAD) dose. Deep inspiration breath hold during breast cancer irradiation reduces mean heart doses by 25-67% and mean left anterior descending artery doses by 20-73% compared to free breathing.