• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2017

This study assessed the feasibility of a dual-channel (DC) compound method for film dosimetry. The red channel (RC) is usually used to ensure dosimetric quality using a conventional fraction dose because the RC is more accurate at low doses within 3 Gy than is the green channel (GC). However, the RC is prone to rapid degradation of sensitivity at high doses, while degradation of the GC is slow. In this study, the DC compound method combining the RC and GC was explored as a means of providing accurate film dosimetry for high doses. The DC compound method was evaluated at various dose distributions using EBT3 film inserted in a solid-water phantom. Measurements with $10{\times}20cm^2$ radiation field and $60^{\circ}$ dynamic-wedge were done. Dose distributions acquired using the RC and GC were analyzed with root-mean-squares-error (RMSE) and gamma analyses. The DC compound method was used based on the RC after correcting the GC for high doses in the gamma analysis. The RC and GC produced comparatively more accurate RMSE values for low and high doses, respectively. Gamma passing rates with an acceptance criterion of 3%/3 mm revealed that the RC provided rapid reduction in the high dose region, while the GC displayed a gradual decrease. In the whole dose range, the DC compound method had the highest agreement (93%) compared with single channel method using either the RC (80%) or GC (85%). The findings indicate that the use of DC compound method is more appropriate in dosimetric quality assurance for radiotherapy using high doses.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surface and superficial dose for patients requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy(PMRT) with different treatment techniques. Materials and Methods : Computed tomography images were acquired for the phantom(I'mRT, IBA) consisting of tissue equivalent material. Hypothetical chestwall and lung were outlined and modified. Five treatment techniques(Wedged Tangential; WT, 4-field IMRT, 7-field IMRT, TOMO DIRECT, TOMO HELICAL) were evaluated using only 6MV photon beam. GafChromic EBT3 film was used for dose measurements at the surface and superficial dose. Surface dose profiles around the phantom were obtained for each treatment technique. For superficial dose measurements, film were used inside the phantom and analyzed superficial region for depth from 1-6mm. Results : TOMO DIRECT showed the highest surface dose by 47~70% of prescribed dose, while 7-field IMRT showed the lowest by 35~46% of prescribed dose. For the WT, 4-field IMRT and 7-field IMRT, superficial dose were measured over 60%, 70%, and 80% for 1mm, 2mm, and 5mm depth, respectively. In case of TOMO DIRECT and TOMO HELICAL, over 75%, 80%, and 90% of prescribed dose was measured, respectively. Surface and superficial dose range were uniform in overall chestwall for the 7-field IMRT and TOMO HELICAL. In contrast, Because of the dose enhancement effect with oblique incidence, The dose was gradually increased toward the obliquely tangential angle for the WT and TOMO DIRECT. Conclusion : For PMRT, TOMO DIRECT and TOMO HELICAL deliver the higher surface and superficial doses than treatment techniques based linear accelerator. It showed adequate dose(over 75% of prescribed dose) at 1mm depth in skin region.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.269-278
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• 2012

Aquaplast Thermoplastic (AT) is a tissue-equivalent oral compensator that has been developed to improve dose uniformity at the common boundary and around the treated area during radiotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. In order to assess the usefulness of AT, the degree of improvement in dose distribution and physical properties were compared to those of oral compensators made using paraffin, alginate, and putty, which are materials conventionally used in dental imprinting. To assess the physical properties, strength evaluations (compression and drop evaluations) and natural deformation evaluations (volume change over time) were performed; a Gafchromic EBT2 film and a glass dosimeter inserted into a developed phantom for dose verification were used to measure the common boundary dose and the beam profile to assess the dose delivery. When the natural deformation of the oral compensators was assessed over a two-month period, alginate exhibited a maximum of 80% change in volume from moisture evaporation, while the remaining tissue-equivalent properties, including those of AT, showed a change in volume that was less than 3%. In a free-fall test at a height of 1.5 m (repeated 5 times as a strength evaluation), paraffin was easily damaged by the impact, but AT exhibited no damage from the fall. In compressive strength testing, AT was not destroyed even at 8 times the force needed for paraffin. In dose verification using a glass dosimeter, the results showed that in a single test, the tissue-equivalent (about 80 Hounsfield Units [HU]) AT delivered about 4.9% lower surface dose in terms of delivery of an output coefficient (monitor unit), which was 4% lower than putty and exhibited a value of about 1,000 HU or higher during a dose delivery of the same formulation. In addition, when the incident direction of the beam was used as a reference, the uniformity of the dose, as assessed from the beam profile at the boundary after passing through the oral compensators, was 11.41, 3.98, and 4.30 for air, AT, and putty, respectively. The AT oral compensator had a higher strength and lower probability of material transformation than the oral compensators conventionally used as a tissue-equivalent material, and a uniform dose distribution was successfully formed at the boundary and surrounding area including the mouth. It was also possible to deliver a uniformly formulated dose and reduce the skin dose delivery.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.153-162
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• 2020

Purpose: We aim to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of an automatically converted radiation therapy plan between Radixact machines by comparing the original plan with the transferred plan. Methods: The study involved a total of 20 patients for each randomly selected treatment site who received radiation treatment with Radixact. We set up the cheese phantom (Gammex RMI, Middleton, WI, USA) with an Exradin A1SL ion chamber (Standard Imaging, Madison, WI, USA) and GAFCHROMIC EBT3 film (International Specialty Products, Wayne, NJ, USA) inserted. We used three methods to evaluate an automatically converted radiation therapy plan using the features of the Plan transfer. First, we evaluated and compared Planning target volume (PTV) coverage (homogeneity index, HI; conformity index, CI) and organs at risk (OAR) dose statistics. Second, we compared the absolute dose using an ion chamber. Lastly, we analyzed gamma passing rates using film. Results: Our results showed that the difference in PTV coverage was 1.72% in HI and 0.17% in CI, and majority of the difference in OAR was within 1% across all sites. The difference (%) in absolute dose values was averaging 0.74%. In addition, the gamma passing rate was 99.64% for 3%/3 mm and 97.08% for 2%/2 mm. Conclusions: The Plan transfer function can be reliably used in appropriate situations.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 2016

This paper aims to verify the clinical feasibility of a custom-made film created by a laser cutting tool for End-to-End (E2E) quality assurance in robotic intensity modulated radiation therapy system. The custom-made film was fabricated from the Gafchromic EBT3 film with the size of $8^{{\prime}{\prime}}{\times}10^{{\prime}{\prime}}$ using a drawing that is identical to the shape and scale of the original E2E film. The drawing was created by using a computer aided design program with the image file, which is obtained by scanning original E2E film. Beam delivery and evaluations were respectively performed with the original film and the custom-made film using fixed-cone collimator on three tracking modes: 6D skull (6DS), Xsight spine (XS), and Xsight lung (XL). The differences between total targeting errors of the original and custom-made films were recorded as 0.17 mm, 0.3 mm, and 0.17 mm at 6DS, XS, and XL tracking modes, respectively. This indicates that the custom-made film could yield nearly equivalent results to those of the original E2E film, given the uncertainties caused by distortions during film scanning and vibrations associated with film cutting. By confirming the clinical feasibility of a custom-made film for E2E testing, it can be expected that economic efficiency of the testing will increase accordingly.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.77-81
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• 2014

Purpose : In the current whole brain Radiation Therapy, Optimold was used to immobilize the head. However, skin dose was increased about 22% due to the scattering radiation by the Optimold. Since the minimum dose causing cataracts was 2 Gy, it could be seen that the effects were large especially on the lens. Therefore, in the whole brain Radiation Therapy, it was to compare and to evaluate the lens absorbed dose according to the presence of Optimold in the eyeball part. Materials and Methods : In order to compare and to evaluate the lens absorbed dose according to the presence of Optimold in the eyeball part, the Optimold mask was made ??up to 5mm bolus on the part of the eye lens in the human model phantom (Anderson Rando Phantom, USA). In the practice treatment, to measure the lens dose, the simulation therapy was processed by placing the GafChromic EBT3 film under bolus, and after the treatment plan was set up through the treatment planning system (Pinnacle, PHILIPS, USA), the treatments were measured repeatedly three times in the same way. After removing the Optimold mask in the eyeball part, it was measured in the same way as above. After scanning the film and measuring the dose by using the Digital Flatbed Scanner (Expression 10000XL, EPSON, USA), the doses were compared and evaluated according to the presence of Optimold mask in the eyeball part. Results : When there was the Optimold mask in the eyeball part, it was measured at $10.2cGy{\pm}1.5$ in the simulation therapy, and at $24.8cGy{\pm}2.7$ in the treatment, and when the Optimold mask was removed in the eye part, it was measured at $12.9cGy{\pm}2.2$ in the simulation therapy, and at $17.6cGy{\pm}1.5$ in the treatment. Conclusion : In case of removing the Optimold mask in the eyeball part, the dose was increased approximately 3 cGy in the simulation therapy and was reduced approximately 7 cGy in the treatment in comparison to the case that the Optimold mask was not removed. During the whole treatment, since the lens absorbed dose was reduced about 27%, the chance to cause cataracts and side effects was considered to be reduced due to decrease of the absorbed dose to the eye lens which had the high sensitivity on the radiation.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2019

Purpose: Helmet type bolus for 3D printer is being manufactured because of the disadvantages of Bolus materials when photon beam is used for the treatment of scalp malignancy. However, PLA, which is a used material, has a higher density than a tissue equivalent material and inconveniences occur when the patient wears PLA. In this study, we try to treat malignant scalp tumors by using M3 wax helmet with 3D printer. Methods and materials: For the modeling of the helmet type M3 wax, the head phantom was photographed by CT, which was acquired with a DICOM file. The part for helmet on the scalp was made with Helmet contour. The M3 Wax helmet was made by dissolving paraffin wax, mixing magnesium oxide and calcium carbonate, solidifying it in a PLA 3D helmet, and then eliminated PLA 3D Helmet of the surface. The treatment plan was based on Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) of 10 Portals, and the therapeutic dose was 200 cGy, using Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) of Eclipse. Then, the dose was verified by using EBT3 film and Mosfet (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor: USA), and the IMRT plan was measured 3 times in 3 parts by reproducing the phantom of the head human model under the same condition with the CT simulation room. Results: The Hounsfield unit (HU) of the bolus measured by CT was $52{\pm}37.1$. The dose of TPS was 186.6 cGy, 193.2 cGy and 190.6 cGy at the M3 Wax bolus measurement points of A, B and C, and the dose measured three times at Mostet was $179.66{\pm}2.62cGy$, $184.33{\pm}1.24cGy$ and $195.33{\pm}1.69cGy$. And the error rates were -3.71 %, -4.59 %, and 2.48 %. The dose measured with EBT3 film was $182.00{\pm}1.63cGy$, $193.66{\pm}2.05cGy$ and $196{\pm}2.16cGy$. The error rates were -2.46 %, 0.23 % and 2.83 %. Conclusions: The thickness of the M3 wax bolus was 2 cm, which could help the treatment plan to be established by easily lowering the dose of the brain part. The maximum error rate of the scalp surface dose was measured within 5 % and generally within 3 %, even in the A, B, C measurements of dosimeters of EBT3 film and Mosfet in the treatment dose verification. The making period of M3 wax bolus is shorter, cheaper than that of 3D printer, can be reused and is very useful for the treatment of scalp malignancies as human tissue equivalent material. Therefore, we think that the use of casting type M3 wax bolus, which will complement the making period and cost of high capacity Bolus and Compensator in 3D printer, will increase later.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2014

Wedge filter could use to increase the dose distribution at the hot dose regions. We evaluated dose discrepancy at surface and build region in the infield and outfield that Metal Wedge (MW) and Enhance Dynamic Wedge (EDW) were interact with photon. In this paper, we used Gafchromic EBT3 film that had excellent spatial resolution, composed the water equivalent materials and changed the optical density without development. The set up conditions of linear accelerator were fixed 6 MV photon, 100 cm SSD, $10{\times}10cm^2$ field size and were irradiated 400 cGy at Dmax. The dose distribution and absorbed dose were evaluated when we compared the open field with $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$ metal wedge and enhanced dynamic wedge. A $15^{\circ}$ metal wedge could increase the surface and build up region dose than using a $15^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. A $30^{\circ}$ metal wedge could decrease the surface and build up region dose than using a $30^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. A $45^{\circ}$ metal wedge could decrease by large deviation the surface and build up region dose than using a $15^{\circ}$ enhanced dynamic wedge. The dose of penumbra region at outfield were increased on the thick side but were decreased on the thin side. It could be decrease the surface dose and build up region dose, if the metal wedge filters were properly used to make a good dose distribution and not closed the distance of surface.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.31-42
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• 2022

Purpose: This study measures and compares the surface dose values in the virtual target volume using Tomotherapy, Halcyon, and TrueBeam equipment using 6MV-Flattening Filter-Free(FFF) energy. Materials and Methods: CT scan was performed under three conditions of without bolus, 0.5 cm bolus, and 1 cm bolus using an IMRT phantom (IBA, Germany). The Planning Target Volume (PTV) was set at the virtual target depth, and the treatment plan was established at 200 cGy at a time. For surface dosimetry, the Gafchromic EBT3 film was placed in the same section as the treatment planning system and repeated measurements were performed 10 times and then analyzed. Result: As a result of measuring the surface dose for each equipment, without, 0.5 cm, 1 cm bolus is in this order, and the result of Tomotherapy is 115.2±2.0 cGy, 194.4±3.3 cGy, 200.7±2.9 cGy, The result in Halcyon was 104.7±3.0 cGy, 180.1±10.8 cGy, 187.0±10.1 cGy, and the result in TrueBeam was 92.4±3.2 cGy, 148.6±5.7 cGy, 155.8±6.1 cGy, In all three conditions, the same as the treatment planning system, Tomotherapy, Halcyon, TreuBeam was measured highly in that order. Conclusion: Higher surface doses were measured in Tomotherapy and Halcyon compared to TrueBeam equipment. If the characteristics of each equipment are considered according to the treatment site and treatment purpose, it is expected that the treatment efficiency of the patient will increase as well as the treatment satisfaction of the patient.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2015

Purpose : The goal of this study was to verify and analyze the source position according to the curvature of the universal applicator and 4 different angle applicators when using RALS(Remote After Loading System). Materials and Methods : An interval of 1 cm and 15 second dwell times in each source position were applied for plan. To verify the accuracy of source position, we narrowed the distance between MultiSource container and GAFCHROMIC$^{(R)}$ EBT3 film by 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm so that the universal applicator transfer tube had some curvature. Also 4 applicators(Intrauterine tube: $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, Ovoid tube: $65^{\circ}$) were used in the same condition. The differences between desired and actual source position were measured by using Image J. Results : In case of using 4 different angles of applicator with the straight universal applicator transfer tube, the average error was the lowest for $0^{\circ}$ applicator, greatest for $65^{\circ}$ applicator. However, All average errors were within ${\pm}2mm$ recommended in TG-56. When MultiSource container was moved 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm towards the EBT3 film, the average errors were beyond ${\pm}2mm$. The first dwell position was relatively located in accuracy, while the second and third dwells were displaced by an increasing magnitude with increasing curvature of the transfer tube. Furthermore, with increasing the angle of applicators, the error of all other dwell positioning was increased. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that both the curvature of universal applicator transfer tube and the angle of applicators affect the source dwell position. It is recommended that using straight universal applicator transfer tubes is followed in all cases, in order to avoid deviations in the delivered source dwell position. Also, It is advisable to verify the actual dwell position, using video camera quality control tool prior to all treatments.