• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.178-183
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• 2011

The applicability and feasibility of TomoTherapy in the lung radiation surgery was analyzed by comparison of the calculated dose distribution in TomoTherapy planning with the results of conventional IMRS (intensity modulated radiation surgery) using LINAC (linear accelerator). The acquired CT (computed tomograph) images of total 10 patients whose tumors' motion were less than 5 mm were used in the radiation surgery planning and the same prescribed dose and the same dose constraints were used between TomoTherapy and LINAC. The results of TomoTherapy planning fulfilled the dose requirement in GTV (gross tumor volume) and OAR (organ at risk) in the same with the conventional IMRS using LINAC. TomoTherapy was superior in the view point of low dose in the normal lung tissue and conventional LINAC was superior in the dose homogeneity in GTV. The calculated time for treatment beam delivery was long more than two times in TomoTherapy compared with the conventional LINAC. Based on the results in this study, TomoTherapy can be evaluated as an effective way of lung radiation surgery for the patients whose tumor motion is little when the optimal planning is produced considering patient's condition and suitability of dose distribution.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.154-161
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• 2013

This study assessed compared photon and proton treatment techniques, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), uniform scanning proton therapy (USPT), and intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT), for a total of 10 prostate cancers. All treatment plans delivered 70 Gy to 95% of the planned target volume in 28 fractions. IMRT plans had 7 fields for the step and shoot technique, while USPT and IMPT plans employed two equally weighted, parallel-opposed lateral fields to deliver the prescribed dose to the planned target. Inverse planning was then incorporated to optimize IMPT. The homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) for the target and the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for organ at risk (OAR) were calculated. Although the mean HI and CI for target were not significantly different for each treatment techniques, the NTCP of the rectum was 2.233, 3.326, and 1.707 for IMRT, USPT, and IMPT, respectively. The NTCP of the bladder was 0.008, 0.003, and 0.002 respectively. The NTCP values at the rectum and bladder were significantly lower using IMPT. Our study shows that using proton therapy, particularly IMPT, to treat prostate cancer could be beneficial compared to 7-field IMRT with similar target coverage. Given these results, radiotherapy using protons, particularly optimized IMPT, is a worthwhile treatment option for prostate cancer.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2016

Since the head and neck region is densely located with organs at risk (OAR), OAR-sparing is an important issue in the treatment of head and neck cancers. This study-in which different treatment plans were performed varying the head tilt angle on brain tumor patients-investigates the optimal head elevation angle for sparing normal organs (e.g. the hippocampus) and further compares the dosimetric characteristics of different types of radiation equipment. we performed 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and tomotherapy on 10 patients with brain tumors in the frontal lobe while varying the head tilt angle of patients to analyze the dosimetric characteristics of different therapy methods. In each treatment plan, 95% of the tumor volume was irradiated with a dose of 40 Gy in 10 fractions. The step and shoot technique with nine beams was used for IMRT, and the same prescription dose was delivered to the tumor volume for the 3D-CRT and tomotherapy plans. The homogeneity index, conformity index, and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were calculated. At a head elevation angle of $30^{\circ}$, conformity of the isodose curve to the target increased on average by 53%, 8%, and 5.4%. In 3D-CRT, the maximum dose received by the brain stem decreased at $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, and $40^{\circ}$, compared to that observed at $0^{\circ}$. The NTCP value of the hippocampus observed in each modality was the highest at a head and neck angle of $0^{\circ}$ and the lowest at $30^{\circ}$. This study demonstrates that the elevation of the patients' head tilt angle in radiation therapy improves the target region's homogeneity of dose distribution by increasing the tumor control rate and conformity of the isodose curve to the target. Moreover, the study shows that the elevation of the head tilt angle lowers the NTCP by separating the tumor volume from the normal tissues, which helps spare OARs and reduce the delivered dose to the hippocampus.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 2012

Purpose: It is essential to minimize the movement of tumor due to respiratory movement at the time of respiration controlled radiotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer patient. Accordingly, this Study aims to evaluate the usefulness of restricted respiratory period by comparing and analyzing the treatment plans that apply free and restricted respiration period respectively. Materials and Methods: After having conducted training on 9 non-small cell lung cancer patients (tumor n=10) from April to December 2011 by using 'signal monitored-breathing (guided- breathing)' method for the 'free respiratory period' measured on the basis of the regular respiratory period of the patents and 'restricted respiratory period' that was intentionally reduced, total of 10 CT images for each of the respiration phases were acquired by carrying out 4D CT for treatment planning purpose by using RPM and 4-dimensional computed tomography simulator. Visual gross tumor volume (GTV) and internal target volume (ITV) that each of the observer 1 and observer 2 has set were measured and compared on the CT image of each respiratory interval. Moreover, the amplitude of movement of tumor was measured by measuring the center of mass (COM) at the phase of 0% which is the end-inspiration (EI) and at the phase of 50% which is the end-exhalation (EE). In addition, both observers established treatment plan that applied the 2 respiratory periods, and mean dose to normal lung (MDTNL) was compared and analyzed through dose-volume histogram (DVH). Moreover, normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of the normal lung volume was compared by using dose-volume histogram analysis program (DVH analyzer v.1) and statistical analysis was performed in order to carry out quantitative evaluation of the measured data. Results: As the result of the analysis of the treatment plan that applied the 'restricted respiratory period' of the observer 1 and observer 2, there was reduction rate of 38.75% in the 3-dimensional direction movement of the tumor in comparison to the 'free respiratory period' in the case of the observer 1, while there reduction rate was 41.10% in the case of the observer 2. The results of measurement and comparison of the volumes, GTV and ITV, there was reduction rate of $14.96{\pm}9.44%$ for observer 1 and $19.86{\pm}10.62%$ for observer 2 in the case of GTV, while there was reduction rate of $8.91{\pm}5.91%$ for observer 1 and $15.52{\pm}9.01%$ for observer 2 in the case of ITV. The results of analysis and comparison of MDTNL and NTCP illustrated the reduction rate of MDTNL $3.98{\pm}5.62%$ for observer 1 and $7.62{\pm}10.29%$ for observer 2 in the case of MDTNL, while there was reduction rate of $21.70{\pm}28.27%$ for observer 1 and $37.83{\pm}49.93%$ for observer 2 in the case of NTCP. In addition, the results of analysis of correlation between the resultant values of the 2 observers, while there was significant difference between the observers for the 'free respiratory period', there was no significantly different reduction rates between the observers for 'restricted respiratory period. Conclusion: It was possible to verify the usefulness and appropriateness of 'restricted respiratory period' at the time of respiration controlled radiotherapy on non-small cell lung cancer patient as the treatment plan that applied 'restricted respiratory period' illustrated relative reduction in the evaluation factors in comparison to the 'free respiratory period.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose-volume indices and radiobiological indices according to the change in dose calculation grid size during the planning of nasopharyngeal cancer VMAT treatment. After performing the VMAT treatment plan using the 3.0 mm dose calculation grid size, dose calculation from 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm was performed repeatedly to obtain a dose volume histogram. The dose volume index and radiobiological index were evaluated using the obtained dose volume histogram. The smaller the dose calculation grid size, the smaller the mean dose for CTV and the larger the mean dose for PTV. For OAR of spinal cord, brain stem, lens and parotid gland, the mean dose did not show a significant difference according to the change in dose calculation grid size. The smaller the grid size, the higher the conformity of the dose distribution as the CI of the PTV increases. The CI and HI showed the best results at 3.0 mm. The smaller the dose calculation grid size, the higher the TCP of the PTV. The smaller the dose calculation grid size, the lower the NTCP of lens and parotid. As a result, when performing the nasopharynx cancer VMAT plan, it was found that the dose calculation grid size should be determined in consideration of dose volume index, radiobiological index, and dose calculation time. According to the results of various experiments, it was determined that it is desirable to apply a grid size of 2.0 - 3.0 mm.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.261-267
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the association between radiation pneumonitis and dose-volume histogram parameters and to provide practical guidelines to prevent radiation pneumonitis following radiotherapy administered for breast cancer including internal mammary lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with early breast cancer who underwent a partial mastectomy were involved in this study. The entire breast, supraclavicular lymph nodes, and internal mammary lymph nodes were irradiated with a dose of 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions. Radiation pneumonitis was assessed by both radiological pulmonary change (RPC) and by evaluation of symptomatic radiation pneumonitis. Dose-volume histogram parameters were compared between patients with grade <2 RPC and those with grade ${\geq}$2 RPC. The parameters were the mean lung dose, V10 (percent lung volume receiving equal to and more than 10 Gy), V20, V30, V40, and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Results: Of the 20 patients, 9 (45%) developed grade 2 RPC and 11 (55%) did not develop RPC (grade 0). Only one patient developed grade 1 symptomatic radiation pneumonitis. Univariate analysis showed that among the dose-volume histogram parameters, NTCP was significantly different between the two RPC grade groups (p<0.05). Fisher's exact test indicated that an NTCP value of 45% was appropriate as an RPC threshold level. Conclusion: This study shows that NTCP can be used as a predictor of RPC after radiotherapy of the internal mammary lymph nodes in breast cancer. Clinically, it indicates that an RPC is likely to develop when the NTCP is greater than 45%.