• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2010

Purpose: We report the results of an external audit on the absorbed dose of radiotherapy beams independently performed by third parties. For this effort, we developed a method to measure the absorbed dose to water in an easy and convenient setup of solid water phantom. Materials and Methods: In 2008, 12 radiotherapy centers voluntarily participated in the external auditing program and 47 beams of X-ray and electron were independently calibrated by the third party’s American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) task group (TG)-51 protocol. Even though the AAPM TG-51 protocol recommended the use of water, water as a phantom has a few disadvantages, especially in a busy clinic. Instead, we used solid water phantom due to its reproducibility and convenience in terms of setup and transport. Dose conversion factors between solid water and water were determined for photon and electron beams of various energies by using a scaling method and experimental measurements. Results: Most of the beams (74%) were within ${\pm}2%$ of the deviation from the third party's protocol. However, two of 20 X-ray beams and three of 27 electron beams were out of the tolerance (${\pm}3%$), including two beams with a >10% deviation. X-ray beams of higher than 6 MV had no conversion factors, while a 6 MV absorbed dose to a solid water phantom was 0.4% less than the dose to water. The electron dose conversion factors between the solid water phantom and water were determined: The higher the electron energy, the less is the conversion factor. The total uncertainty of the TG-51 protocol measurement using a solid water phantom was determined to be ${\pm}1.5%$. Conclusion: The developed method was successfully applied for the external auditing program, which could be evolved into a credential program of multi-institutional clinical trials. This dosimetry saved time for measuring doses as well as decreased the uncertainty of measurement possibly resulting from the reference setup in water.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1125-1131
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• 2011

This paper presents a control theoretic approach to realizing fault tolerance in asynchronous sequential circuits. The considered asynchronous circuit is assumed to work in space environment and is subject to faults caused by total ionizing dose (TID) effects. In our setting, TID effects cause permanent changes in state transition characteristics of the asynchronous circuit. Under a certain condition of reachability redundancy, it is possible to design a corrective controller so that the closed-loop system can maintain the normal behavior despite occurrences of TID faults. As a case study, the proposed control scheme is applied to an asynchronous arbiter implemented in FPGA.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to introduce the accuracy of Ir-192 source's apparent activity using the well-type chamber and the Farmer-type ionization chamber in the high dose rate brachytherapy. We measured the apparent activity of Ir-192 that each medical center in the country has and the apparent activity of calibration certificate provided by manufacturer is compared with that by our experimental measurement. The number of sources used for the activity comparison was 5. The accuracy of the measured activity was in the range of -2.8% to -1.0% and -2.1% to 0.2% for the Farmer-type chamber system (Jig) and for the well-type, respectively. The maximum difference was within 1.0% for comparison with two calibration's tool. Our results demonstrate that well-type chamber as wall as Farmer-type chamber is a appropriate system as the routine source calibration procedures in HDR brachytherapy. Whenever a new source is installed to use in clinics, by periods, a source calibration should be carried out.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.25-31
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• 2019

Purpose: Metals induce metal artifact during CT-image for therapy planning, and it occurs images distortion, which affects the volumetric measurement and radiation calculation. In the case of using megavoltage computed tomography(MVCT), the volume of metals can be measured as similar to true volume due to minimal metal artifact outcome. In this study, radiation assessment was conducted by comparing teeth volume from images of kVCT and MVCT of head and neck cancer patients, then assigning to kVCT image to calculate radiation after obtaining the similar volume of true teeth volume from MVCT. Also, formal IR image was able to verify the accuracy of radiation calculation. Material and method: 5 head and neck cancer patients who had intensity-modulated radiation therapy from Radixact^® Series were of the subject in this study. Calculations of radiation when constraining true teeth volume out of kVCT image(A-CT) and when designated specific HU after teeth assigned using MVCT image were compared with formal IR image. Treatment planning was devised at the same constraints and mean dose was measured at the radiation assess points. The points were anterior of the teeth, between PTV and the teeth, the interior of PTV near the teeth, and the teeth where 5cm distance from PTV. Result: A difference of metals volume from kVCT and MVCT image was mean 3.49±2.61cc, maximum 7.43cc. PTV was limited to where the internal teeth were fully contained. The results of PTV dose evaluation showed that the average CI value of the kVCT treatment planning without the artifact correction was 0.86, and the average CI value of the kVCT with the artifact correction using MVCT image was 0.9. Conclusion: When the Treatment Planning was made without correction of metal artifacts, the dose of PTV was underestimated, indicating that dose uncertainty occurred. When the computerized treatment plan was made without correction of metal artifacts, the dose of PTV was underestimated, indicating that dose uncertainty occurred.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose is to correct for position errors caused by long treatment times. By correcting the target motion that can occur during lung SBRT using IntraFraction CBCT. Methods and materials: We analyzed retrospectively the IFM data of 14 patients with two treatment arc in the treatment plan for lung cancer with stereotactic radiotherapy. An IntraFraction Motion was applied to the Arccheck phantom to acquire the Gamma index data. Results : IntraFraction Motion during the first treatment arc is in the left-right(LR), superiorinferior(SI), anterior-posterior(AP) directions were $0.16{\pm}0.05cm$, 0.72 cm(max error), $0.2{\pm}0.14cm$, 1.26 cm, $0.24{\pm}0.08cm$, 0.82 cm and rotational directions was $0.84{\pm}0.23^{\circ}$, $2.8^{\circ}$(pitch), $0.72{\pm}0.23^{\circ}$, $2.5^{\circ}$(yaw), $0.7{\pm}0.19^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$(roll). IntraFraction Motion during the second treatment arc is in the LR, SI, AP directions were $0.1{\pm}0.04cm$, 0.37 cm, $0.14{\pm}0.17cm$, 2 cm, $0.12{\pm}0.04cm$, 0.5 cm and rotational directions was $0.45{\pm}0.12^{\circ}$, $1.3^{\circ}$, $0.37{\pm}0.1^{\circ}$, $1^{\circ}$, $0.35{\pm}0.1^{\circ}$, $1.2^{\circ}$. Gamma index pass rates were $82.64{\pm}10.51%$, 48.4 %. Conclusions : In this study, we examined the validity of IntraFraction Motion correction in lung SBRT and the efficiency of IntraFraction CBCT. Due to the nature of SBRT treatment, IFM may increase due to the increased treatment time. It is believed that the increase in IFM with the increase in treatment time can be improved with the use of FFF Beam and additional position correction using CBCT during treatment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

Technisium $(^{99m}Tc)$ is one of the most widely used radioactive isotopes for diagnosis in nuclear medicine. In general, technisium is produced inside the so called $^{99m}Tc$ generator which is usually made out of lead to shield relatively high energy radiation from $^{99}Mo$ and its daughter nuclide $^{99m}Tc$. In this paper, a GEANT4 simulation is carried out to test the safety of the $^{99m}Tc$ generator, taking the Daiichi product with radioactivity of 500 mCi as an example. According to the domestic regulation on radiation safety, the dose at 10 cm and 100 cm away from the surface of shielding container should not exceed 2.0 mSv/h and 0.02 mSv/h, respectively. The simulated dose turned out to be less than the limit, satisfying the domestic regulation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.263-272
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• 1997

A Radiation Alarm Monitor has been developed and manufactured in order to protect radiation workers from over-exposure. A visual and audible alarm system has been attached to initiate evacuation when accident occurs such as an unexpected change of radiation level or an over-exposure. The Radiation Alarm Monitor installed with microprocessor can record the information of radiation field change between 90 min. before the alarm and 30 min. after the alarm and also provide the data to an IBM compatible computer to analyze the accidents and to set a counterplan. It features a wide detection range of radiation field(10 mR/h-100 R/h), radiation field data storage, portability, high precision (${\pm}5%$) due to self-calibration function, and adaption of a powerful alarm system. According to ANSI N42.17A, the most stringent test standards, performance tests were carried out under various conditions of temperature, humidity, vibration, and electromagnetic wave hindrance at Korea Research Institute of Standards & Science (KRISS). As a result, the Radiation Alarm Monitor passed all tests.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.742-749
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• 2009

The use of cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) has been proposed for guiding the delivery of radiation therapy. A kilovoltage imaging system capable of radiography, fluoroscopy, and cone-beam computed tomography(CT) has been integrated with a medical linear accelerator. A standard clinical linear accelerator, operating in arc therapy mode, and an amorphous-silicon (a-Si) with an on-board electronic portal imager can be used to treat palliative patient and verify the patient's position prior to treatment. On-board CBCT images are used to generate patient geometric models to assist patient setup. The image data can also, potentially, be used for dose reconstruction in combination with the fluence maps from treatment plan. In this study, the accuracy of Hounsfield Units of CBCT images as well as the accuracy of dose calculations based on CBCT images of a phantom and compared the results with those of using CT simulator images. Phantom and patient studies were carried out to evaluate the achievable accuracy in using CBCT and CT stimulator for dose calculation. Relative electron density as a function of HU was obtained for both planning CT stimulator and CBCT using a Catphan-600 (The Phantom Laboratory, USA) calibration phantom. A clinical treatment planning system was employed for CT stimulator and CBCT based dose calculations and subsequent comparisons. The dosimetric consequence as the result of HU variation in CBCT was evaluated by comparing MU/cCy. The differences were about 2.7% (3-4MU/100cGy) in phantom and 2.5% (1-3MU/100cGy) in patients. The difference in HU values in Catphan was small. However, the magnitude of scatter and artifacts in CBCT images are affected by limitation of detector's FOV and patient's involuntary motions. CBCT images included scatters and artifacts due to In addition to guide the patient setup process, CBCT data acquired prior to the treatment be used to recalculate or verify the treatment plan based on the patient anatomy of the treatment area. And the CBCT has potential to become a very useful tool for on-line ART.)

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.1159-1166
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• 2009

The use of cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) has been proposed for guiding the delivery of radiation therapy. A kilovoltage imaging system capable of radiography, fluoroscopy, and cone-beam computed tomography(CT) has been integrated with a medical linear accelerator. A standard clinical linear accelerator, operating in arc therapy mode, and an amorphous-silicon (a-Si) with an on-board electronic portal imager can be used to treat palliative patient and verify the patient's position prior to treatment. On-board CBCT images are used to generate patient geometric models to assist patient setup. The image data can also, potentially, be used for dose reconstruction in combination with the fluence maps from treatment plan. In this study, the accuracy of Hounsfield Units of CBCT images as well as the accuracy of dose calculations based on CBCT images of a phantom and compared the results with those of using CT simulator images. Phantom and patient studies were carried out to evaluate the achievable accuracy in using CBCT and CT stimulator for dose calculation. Relative electron density as a function of HU was obtained for both planning CT stimulator and CBCT using a Catphan-600 (The Phantom Laboratory, USA) calibration phantom. A clinical treatment planning system was employed for CT stimulator and CBCT based dose calculations and subsequent comparisons. The dosimetric consequence as the result of HU variation in CBCT was evaluated by comparing MU/cCy. The differences were about 2.7% (3-4MU/100cGy) in phantom and 2.5% (1-3MU/100cGy) in patients. The difference in HU values in Catphan was small. However, the magnitude of scatter and artifacts in CBCT images are affected by limitation of detector's FOV and patient's involuntary motions. CBCT images included scatters and artifacts due to In addition to guide the patient setup process, CBCT data acquired prior to the treatment be used to recalculate or verify the treatment plan based on the patient anatomy of the treatment area. And the CBCT has potential to become a very useful tool for on-line ART.)

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.35 no.1 s.108
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• pp.60-68
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• 2005

The evaluation of malocclusion has to be done quantitatively and qualitatively. This will be lead toward an analysis of malocclusion severity as well as treatment difficulty. The method of proper evaluation of malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty is necessary to assess treatment effect and efficiency for the orthodontists and to establish fundamentals for planning and executing the health-related policies in private and public institutions. The purposes of this study as the first part of the objective and quantitative analysis of malocclusion were 1) to measure treatment difficulty based on the opinions of several orthodontists. and 2) to investigate the relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty 100 pairs of dental casts that had various types and severity of malocclusion were selected from the orthodontic departments of Kyurghee University and Samsung Medical Center The objective malocclusion severity was measured with the PAR (Peer Assessment Rating) index and the subjective treatment difficulty was evaluated by 8 experienced orthodontists. The relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty were statistically evaluated. There were significant relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty especially in the measurements of the upper anterior alignment, the buccal occlusion. the overjet, the overbite and the midline discrepancy en the malocclusion components. The results of this study can provide the background knowledge to develop a new occlusal index. which contains both the malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty for Korean orthodontists.