• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.491-502
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the upper and lower control limits of treatment planning parameters using EBT film based delivery quality assurance (DQA) results and to analyze the results of statistical process control (SPC) in helical tomotherapy (HT). A total of 152 patients who passed or failed DQA results were retrospectively included in this study. Prostate (n = 66), rectal (n = 51), and large-field cancer patients, including lymph nodes (n = 35), were randomly selected. The absolute point dose difference (DD) and global gamma passing rate (GPR) were analyzed for all patients. Control charts were used to evaluate the upper and lower control limits (UCL and LCL) for all the assessed treatment planning parameters. Treatment planning parameters such as gantry period, leaf open time (LOT), pitch, field width, actual and planning modulation factor, treatment time, couch speed, and couch travel were analyzed to provide the optimal range using the DQA results. The classification and regression tree (CART) was used to predict the relative importance of variables in the DQA results from various treatment planning parameters. We confirmed that the proportion of patients with an LOT below 100 ms in the failure group was relatively higher than that in the passing group. SPC can detect QA failure prior to over dosimetric QA tolerance levels. The acceptable tolerance range of each planning parameter may assist in the prediction of DQA failures using the SPC tool in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.13-24
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• 2019

Purpose: CT scan range is insufficient for various reasons in head and neck Tomotherapy^®. To solve that problem, Re-CT simulation is good because CT scan range affects accurate dose calculations, but there are problems such as increased exposure dose, inconvenience, and a change in treatment schedule. We would like to evaluate the minimum CT scan range required by changing the plan setup parameter of the existing CT scan range. Materials and methods: CT Simulator(Discovery CT590 RT, GE, USA) and In House Head & Neck Phantom are used, CT image was acquired by increasing the image range from 0.25cm to 3.0cm at the end of the target. The target and normal organs were registered in the Head & Neck Phantom and the treatment plan was designed using ACCURAY Precision^®. Prescription doses are Daily 2.2Gy, 27 Fxs, Total Dose 59.4Gy. Target is designed to 95%~107% of prescription dose and normal organ dose is designed according to SMC Protocol. Under the same treatment plan conditions, Treatment plans were designed by using five methods(Fixed-1cm, Fixed-2.5cm, Fixed-5cm, Dynamic-2.5cm Dynamic-5cm) and two pitches(0.43, 0.287). The accuracy of dose delivery for each treatment plan was analyzed by using EBT3 film and RIT(Complete Version 6.7, RIT, USA). Results: The accurate treatment plan that satisfying the prescribed dose of Target and the tolerance dose in normal organs(SMC Protocol) require scan range of at least 0.25cm for Fixed-1cm, 0.75cm for Fixed-2.5cm, 1cm for Dynamic-2.5cm, and 1.75cm for Fixed-5cm and Dynamic-5cm. As a result of AnalysisAnalysis by RIT. The accuracy of dose delivery was less than 3% error in the treatment plan that satisfied the SMC Protocol. Conclusion: In case of insufficient CT scan range in head and neck Tomotherapy^®, It was possible to make an accurate treatment plan by adjusting the FW among the setup parameter. If the parameter recommended by this author is applied according to CT scan range and is decide whether to re-CT or not, the efficiency of the task and the exposure dose of the patient are reduced.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate feasibility of Vertical Multileaf Collimator for determination of irradiation size using Vertical Multileaf Collimator and lead block to determine 4 different irradiation shape in case of Co-60 gamma-ray and 6 MV X-ray. We chose ion chamber, glass dosimeter and EBT chromic film to compare with Vertical Multileaf Collimator results and lead block results. In case of Co-60 gamma-ray and 6 MV X-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with ion chamber results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 5.1%, 4.2%. In case of Co-60 gamma-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with glass dosimeter results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 2.2%, 7.8%, 7.2%, 4.0% for reference, circle, triangle, cross field, respectively. In case of 6 MV X-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with glass dosimeter results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 6.7%, 6.2%, 3.8%, 6.2% for reference, circle, triangle, cross field, respectively. The results of EBT chromic film, Vertical Multileaf Collimator of penumbra size for all irradiation shape was smaller than lead block of those size that 2.0~3.5 mm for Co-60 gamma-ray, 0.5~1.0 mm for 6 MV X-ray. The results from this study, radiation treatment volume that results in shielding block can be minimized. In addition, during radiation treatment for 2, 3-dimensional radiation therapy using a Vertical Multileaf Collimator of this survey can be used to determine variety of irradiation fields.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2014

Purpose : If electron, chosen for superficial oncotherapy, was applied with bolus, it could work as an important factor to a therapy result by showing a drastic change in surface dose. Hence the calculation value and the actual measurement value of surface dose of Treatment Planning System (TPS) according to four variables influencing surface dose when using bolus on an electron therapy were compared and analyzed in this paper. Materials and Methods : Four variables which frequently occur during the actual therapies (A: bolus thickness - 3, 5, 10 mm, B: field size - $6{\time}6$, $10{\time}10$, $15{\time}15cm2$, C: energy - 6, 9, 12 MeV, D: gantry angle - $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$) were set to compare the actual measurement value with TPS(Pinnacle 9.2, philips, USA). A computed tomography (lightspeed ultra 16, General Electric, USA) was performed using 16 cm-thick solid water phantom without bolus and total 54 beams where A, B, C, and D were combined after creating 3, 5 and 10 mm bolus on TPS were planned for a therapy. At this moment SSD 100 cm, 300 MU was investigated and measured twice repeatedly by placing it on iso-center by using EBT3 film(International Specialty Products, NJ, USA) to compare and analyze the actual measurement value and TPS. Measured film was analyzed with each average value and standard deviation value using digital flat bed scanner (Expression 10000XL, EPSON, USA) and dose density analyzing system (Complete Version 6.1, RIT, USA). Results : For the values according to the thickness of bolus, the actual measured values for 3, 5 and 10 mm were 101.41%, 99.58% and 101.28% higher respectively than the calculation values of TPS and the standard deviations were 0.0219, 0.0115 and 0.0190 respectively. The actual values according to the field size were $6{\time}6$, $10{\time}10$ and $15{\time}15cm2$ which were 99.63%, 101.40% and 101.24% higher respectively than the calculation values and the standard deviations were 0.0138, 0.0176 and 0.0220. The values according to energy were 6, 9, and 12 MeV which were 99.72%, 100.60% and 101.96% higher respectively and the standard deviations were 0.0200, 0.0160 and 0.0164. The actual measurement value according to beam angle were measured 100.45% and 101.07% higher at $0^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ respectively and standard deviations were 0.0199 and 0.0190 so they were measured 0.62% higher at $15^{\circ}$ than $0^{\circ}$. Conclusion : As a result of analyzing the calculation value of TPS and measurement value according to the used variables in this paper, the values calculated with TPS on 5 mm bolus, $6{\time}6cm2$ field size and low-energy electron at $0^{\circ}$ gantry angle were closer to the measured values, however, it showed a modest difference within the error bound of maximum 2%. If it was beyond the bounds of variables selected in this paper using electron and bolus simultaneously, the actual measurement value could differ from TPS according to each variable, therefore QA for the accurate surface dose would have to be performed.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2014

Purpose : In case of the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using Tomotherapy and linear accelerator (Linac), it was to compare and to evaluate the imaging dose of MVCT and CBCT that were performed daily for the correct set up of the patient. Materials and Methods : The human body model Phantom (Anderson rando Phantom, USA) was divided into the three parts as Head, Thorax, pelvis, and after GafChromic EBT3 film cut to the size of $0.5{\times}0.5cm2$.in the center of the recording area were situated on the ant, post, left, and right surface of the phantom and 2cm in depth from the ant, post, left, right, and center surface of the phantom, the surface dose and inner dose were measured repeatedly three times, respectively, using the tomotherapy (Hi Art) and the OBI of NovalisTx. The measured film calculated the output value by RIP version6.0 and then the average value of the dose was calculated by the one-way analysis of variance. Results : Using the human body model phantom, the results of MVCT and CBCT performance were that measurements of MVCT inner dose were showed $15.43cGy{\pm}6.05$ in the head, $16.62cGy{\pm}3.08$ in the thorax, $16.81cGy{\pm}5.24$ in the pelvis, and measurements of CBCT inner dose were showed $13.28{\pm}3.68$ in the head, from $13.66{\pm}4.04$ in the thorax, $15.52{\pm}3.52$ in the pelvis. The measurements of surface dose were showed in case of MVCT performance, $11.64{\pm}4.05$ in the head, $12.16{\pm}4.38$ in the thorax, $12.05{\pm}2.71$ in the pelvis, and in case of CBCT performance, $14.59{\pm}3.51$ in the head, $15.82{\pm}2.89$ in the thorax, $17.48{\pm}2.80$ in the pelvis, respectively. Conclusion : In case of Inner dose, the MVCT using MV energy showed higher than the CBCT using kV energy at 1.16 times in the head, at 1.22 times in the thorax, at 1.08 times in the pelvis, and in case of surface dose, the CBCT was higher than MVCT, at 1.25 times in the head, at 1.30 times in the thorax, at 1.45 times in the pelvis. Imaging dose was a small amount compared to the therapeutic dose but it was thought to affect partially to normal tissue because it was done in daily schedule. However, IMRT treatment was necessarily parallel with the IGRT treatment through the image-guide to minimize errors between planned and actual treatment. Thus, to minimize imaging dose that the patients receive, when planning the treatment, it should be set up a treatment plan considering imaging dose, or it must be performed by minimizing the scan range when shooting MVCT.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.447-454
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• 2019

In order to improve and supplement the shielding method for electron beam treatment, we designed a patient-specific shielding method using a 3D printer, and evaluated the usefulness by comparing and analyzing the distribution of electron beam doses to adjacent organs. In order to treat 5 cm sized superficial tumors around the lens, a CT Simulator was used to scan the Alderson Rando phantom and the DICOM file was converted into an STL file. The converted STL file was used to design a patient-specific shield and mold that matched the body surface contour of the treatment site. The thickness of the shield was 1 cm and 1.5 cm, and the mold was printed using a 3D printer, and the patient customized shielding block (PCSB) was fabricated with a cerrobend alloy with a thickness of 1 cm and 1.5 cm. The dosimetry was performed by attaching an EBT3 film on the surface of the Alderson Rando phantom eyelid and measuring the dose of 6, 9, and 12 MeV electron beams on the film using four shielding methods. Shielding rates were 83.89%, 87.14%, 87.39% at 6, 9, and 12 MeV without shielding, 1 cm (92.04%, 87.48%, 86.49%), 1.5 cm (91.13%, 91.88% with PSCB), 92.66%) The shielding rate was measured as 1 cm (90.7%, 92.23%, 88.08%) and 1.5 cm (88.31%, 90.66%, 91.81%) when the shielding block and the patient-specific shield were used together. PCSB fabrication improves shielding efficiency over conventional shielding methods. Therefore, PSCB may be useful for clinical application.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2013

Purpose: We are to find out the difference of calculated dose of treatment planning system (TPS) and measured dose in case of inhomogeneous organ structure. Materials and Methods: Inhomogeneous phantom is made with solid water phantom and cork plate. CT image of inhomogeneous phantom is acquired. Treatment plan is made with TPS (Pinnacle3 9.2. Royal Philips Electronics, Netherlands) and calculated dose of point of interest is acquired. Treatment plan was delivered in the inhomogeneous phantom by ARTISTE (Siemens AG, Germany) measured dose of each point of interest is obtained with Gafchromic EBT2 film (International Specialty Products, US) in the gap between solid water phantom or cork plate. To simulate lung cancer radiation treatment, artificial tumor target of paraffin is inserted in the cork volume of inhomogeneous phantom. Calculated dose and measured dose are acquired as above. Results: In case of inhomogeneous phantom experiment, dose difference of calculated dose and measured dose is about -8.5% at solid water phantom-cork gap and about -7% lower in measured dose at cork-solid water phantom gap. In case of inhomogeneous phantom inserted paraffin target experiment, dose difference is about 5% lower in measured dose at cork-paraffin gap. There is no significant difference at same material gap in both experiments. Conclusion: Radiation dose at the gap between two organs with different electron density is significantly lower than calculated dose with TPS. Therefore, we must be aware of dose calculation error in TPS and great care is suggested in case of radiation treatment planning on inhomogeneous organ structure.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.324-330
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• 2009

In this study, we evaluated accuracy and usefulness of CyberKnife Respiratory Tracking System ($Synchrony^{TM}$, Accuray, USA) about a moving during stereotactic radiosurgery. For this study, we used moving phantom that can move the target. We also used Respiratory Tracking System called Synchrony of the Cyberknife in order to track the moving target. For treatment planning of the moving target, we obtained an image using 4D-CT. To measure dose distribution and point dose at the moving target, ion chamber (0.62 cc) and gafchromic EBT film were used. We compared dose distribution (80% isodose line of prescription dose) of static target to that of moving target in order to evaluate the accuracy of Respiratory Tracking System. We also measured the point dose at the target. The mean difference of synchronization for TLS (target localization system) and Synchrony were $11.5{\pm}3.09\;mm$ for desynchronization and $0.14{\pm}0.08\;mm$ for synchronization. The mean difference between static target plan and moving target plan using 4D CT images was $0.18{\pm}0.06\;mm$. And, the accuracy of Respiratory Tracking System was less 1 mm. Estimation of usefulness in Respiratory Tracking System was $17.39{\pm}0.14\;mm$ for inactivity and $1.37{\pm}0.11\;mm$ for activity. The mean difference of absolute dose was $0.68{\pm}0.38%$ in static target and $1.31{\pm}0.81%$ in moving target. As a conclusion, when we treat about the moving target, we consider that it is important to use 4D-CT and the Respiratory Tracking System. In this study, we confirmed the accuracy and usefulness of Respiratory Tracking System in the Cyberknife.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.253-260
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• 2010

Most brachytherapy treatment planning systems employ a dosimetry formalism based on the AAPM TG-43 report which does not appropriately consider tissue heterogeneity. In this study we aimed to set up a simple Monte Carlo-based intracavitary high-dose-rate brachytherapy (IC-HDRB) plan verification platform, focusing particularly on the robustness of the direct Monte Carlo dose calculation using material and density information derived from CT images. CT images of slab phantoms and a uterine cervical cancer patient were used for brachytherapy plans based on the Plato (Nucletron, Netherlands) brachytherapy planning system. Monte Carlo simulations were implemented using the parameters from the Plato system and compared with the EBT film dosimetry and conventional dose computations. EGSnrc based DOSXYZnrc code was used for Monte Carlo simulations. Each $^{192}Ir$ source of the afterloader was approximately modeled as a parallel-piped shape inside the converted CT data set whose voxel size was $2{\times}2{\times}2\;mm^3$. Bracytherapy dose calculations based on the TG-43 showed good agreement with the Monte Carlo results in a homogeneous media whose density was close to water, but there were significant errors in high-density materials. For a patient case, A and B point dose differences were less than 3%, while the mean dose discrepancy was as much as 5%. Conventional dose computation methods might underdose the targets by not accounting for the effects of high-density materials. The proposed platform was shown to be feasible and to have good dose calculation accuracy. One should be careful when confirming the plan using a conventional brachytherapy dose computation method, and moreover, an independent dose verification system as developed in this study might be helpful.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2011

Purpose: It's essential to minimize the tumor motion and identify the exact location of the lesions to achieve the improvement in radiation therapy efficiency during SBRT. In this study, we made the established compression belt to reduce respiratory motion and evaluated the usefulness of clinical application in SBRT. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the merits and demerits of the established compression belt to reduce the respiratory motion and improved the reproducibility and precision in use. To evaluate the usefulness of improved compression belt for respiratory motion reduction in SBRT, firstly, we reviewed the spiral CT images acquired in inspiration and expiration states of 8 lung cancer cases, respectively, and analyzed the three dimensional tumor motion related to respiration. To evaluate isodose distribution, secondly, we also made the special phantom using EBT2 film (Gafchronic, ISP, USA) and we prepared the robot (Cartesian Robot-2 Axis, FARARCM4H, Samsung Mechatronics, Korea) to reproduce three dimensional tumor motion. And analysis was made for isodose curves and two dimensional isodose profiles with reproducibility of respiratory motion on the basis of CT images. Results: A respiratory motion reduction compression belt (Velcro type) that has convenient use and good reproducibility was developed. The moving differences of three dimensional tumor motion of lung cancer cases analyzed by CT images were mean 3.2 mm, 4.3 mm and 13 mm each in LR, AP and CC directions. The result of characteristic change in dose distribution using the phantom and rectangular coordinates robot showed that the distortion of isodose has great differences, mean length was 4.2 mm; the differences were 8.0% and 16.8% each for cranio-caudal and 8.1% and 10.9% each for left-right directions in underdose below the prescribed dose. Conclusion: In this study, we could develop the convenient and efficient compression belt that can make the organs' motion minimize. With this compression belt, we confirmed that underdose due to respiration can be coped with when CTV-PTV margins of mean 6 mm would be used. And we conclude that the respiratory motion reduction compression belt we developed can be used for clinical effective aids along with the gating system.