• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.687-695
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• 2022

To find a 3D printer material that can replace lead used as a shield for high-energy electron beam treatment, the shielding composites were simulated by using MCNP6 programs. The Percent Depth Dose (PDD), Flatness, and Symmetry of linear accelerators emitting high-energy electron beams were measured, and the linear accelerator was compared with MCNP6 after simulation, confirming that the source term between the actual measurement and simulation was consistent. By simulating the lead shield, the appropriate thickness of the lead shield capable of shielding 95% or more of the absorbed dose was selected. Based on the absorption dose data for lead shield with a thickness of 3 mm, the shielding performance was analyzed by simulating 1, 5, 10, and 15 mm thicknesses of ABS+W (10%), ABS+Bi (10%), and PLA+Fe (10%). Each prototype was manufactured with a 3D printer, measured and analyzed under the same conditions as in the simulation, and found that when ABS+W (10%) material was formed to have a thickness of at least 10mm, it had a shielding performance that could replace lead with a thickness of 3mm. The surface morphology and atomic composition of the ABS+W (10%) material were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). From these results, it was confirmed that replacing the commercialized lead shield with ABS+W (10%) material not only produces a shielding effect such as lead, but also can be customized to patients using a 3D printer, which can be very useful for high-energy electron beam treatment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.218-225
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• 2017

Effects on skin caused by the dose from linear accelerator (LINAC) opposing portal irradiation and TomoDirect 3-D modeling treatment according to the radiation devices and treatment methods were measured, and a comparative analysis was performed. Two groups of 10 patients each were created and measurements were carried out using an optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter. These patients were already receiving radiation treatment in the hospital. Using the SPSS statistical program, the minimum and maximum average standard deviations of the measured skin dose data were obtained. Two types of treatment method were selected as independent variables; the measured points and total average were the dependent variables. An independent sample T-test was used, and it was checked whether there was a significance probability between the two groups. The average of the measured results for the LINAC opposing portal radiation was 117.7 cGy and PDD 65.39% for the inner breast, 144.7 cGy and PDD 80.39% for the outer breast, 143.2 cGy and PDD 79.56% for the upper breast, 151.4 cGy and PDD 84.11% for the lower breast, 149.6 cGy and PDD 83.11% for the axilla, and 141.32 cGy and PDD 78.51% for the total average. In contrast, for TomoDirect 3-D conformal radiotherapy, the corresponding measurement values were 137.6 cGy and PDD 76.44%, 152.3 cGy and PDD 84.61%, 148.6 cGy and PDD 82.56%, 159.7 cGy and PDD 88.72%, and 148.6 cGy PDD 82.56%, respectively, and the total average was 149.36 cGy and PDD 82.98%. To determine if the difference between the total averages was statistically significant, the independent sample T-test of the SPSS statistical program was used, which indicated that the P-value was P=0.024, which was 0.05 lower than the significance level. Thus, it can be understood that the null hypothesis can be dismissed, and that there was a difference in the averages. In conclusion, even though the treatment dose was similar, there could be a difference in the dose entering the body surface from the radiation treatment plan; however, depending on the properties of the treatment devices, there is a difference in the dose affecting the body surface. Thus, the absorbed dose entering the body surface can be high. During breast cancer radiotherapy, radiation dermatitis occurs in almost all patients. Most patients have a difficult time while undergoing treatment, and therefore, when choosing a radiotherapy treatment method, minimizing radiation dermatitis is an important consideration.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1999

There is necessity for making a smaller and more sensitive detector in small field sizes. This report assesses the suitability of metal-loaded thermoluminescent dosimeters for this purpose. Measurements were performed in the 6 MV photon and 6 MeV electron beams of a medical linear accelerator with LiF thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD-100) embedded in solid water phantom. TLD-100 chips(surface area 3.2 $\times$ 3.2 $\textrm{mm}^2$) loaded with a metal plate(Tin or gold respectively) were used to enhance dose readings to TLD-100. Surface dose was measured for field size 10 $\times$ 10 $\textrm{cm}^2$ and 100 em SSD. Measurements have been made of the enhanced signal intensity and good linearity for absorbed dose with each metal. Using a 1 mm each metal on TLD-l00 in the beam increased the surface dose to 14% and 56% respectively for 6MV photon. In the case of 6 MeV electron, gold plate enhanced the TL response to 13%, but there is no difference for tin plate. The specific dose response of TLD-100 with thin metal plate increases with electron concentration of metal film, this is most likely due to increased electron scattered from the additional material with electron density higher than TLD-100. This emphasizes the role of TL dosimeters with metal as amplified dosimeters for therapeutic high energy x-ray beams. Due to the enhanced dose reading of TLD-100 with metal plate, it could be possible to develop smaller TL dosimeter with high sensitivity.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.218-222
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• 2010

As radiation is irradiated from various directions in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), longer treatment time than conventional treatment method is taken. In case of the patients who have problem to keep same posture for long time because of pain and injury, reducing treatment time through increased dose rate is a way for effective treatment. This study measured and found out the variation of dose and dose distribution in accordance with dose rate variation. IMRT treatment plan was set up to investigate from 5 directions - $0^{\circ}$, $72^{\circ}$, $144^{\circ}$, $216^{\circ}$, $288^{\circ}$ - using ECLIPSE system (Varian, SomaVision 6.5, USA). To confirm dose and dose rate in accordance with dose rate variation, dose rate was set up as 100, 300, 500 MU/min, and dose and dose distribution were measured using ionization chamber (PTW, TN31014) and film dosimeter (EDR2, Kodak). At this time, film dosimeter was inserted into acrylic phantom, then installed to run parallel with beam's irradiating direction, 21EX-S (Varian, USA) was utilized as linear accelerator for irradiation. The measured film dosimeter was analyzed using VXR-16 (Vidar System Corporation) to confirm dose distribution.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2012

Verification of internal organ motion during treatment and its feedback is essential to accurate dose delivery to the moving target. We developed an offline based internal organ motion verification system (IMVS) using cine EPID images and evaluated its accuracy and availability through phantom study. For verification of organ motion using live cine EPID images, a pattern matching algorithm using an internal surrogate, which is very distinguishable and represents organ motion in the treatment field, like diaphragm, was employed in the self-developed analysis software. For the system performance test, we developed a linear motion phantom, which consists of a human body shaped phantom with a fake tumor in the lung, linear motion cart, and control software. The phantom was operated with a motion of 2 cm at 4 sec per cycle and cine EPID images were obtained at a rate of 3.3 and 6.6 frames per sec (2 MU/frame) with $1,024{\times}768$ pixel counts in a linear accelerator (10 MVX). Organ motion of the target was tracked using self-developed analysis software. Results were compared with planned data of the motion phantom and data from the video image based tracking system (RPM, Varian, USA) using an external surrogate in order to evaluate its accuracy. For quantitative analysis, we analyzed correlation between two data sets in terms of average cycle (peak to peak), amplitude, and pattern (RMS, root mean square) of motion. Averages for the cycle of motion from IMVS and RPM system were $3.98{\pm}0.11$ (IMVS 3.3 fps), $4.005{\pm}0.001$ (IMVS 6.6 fps), and $3.95{\pm}0.02$ (RPM), respectively, and showed good agreement on real value (4 sec/cycle). Average of the amplitude of motion tracked by our system showed $1.85{\pm}0.02$ cm (3.3 fps) and $1.94{\pm}0.02$ cm (6.6 fps) as showed a slightly different value, 0.15 (7.5% error) and 0.06 (3% error) cm, respectively, compared with the actual value (2 cm), due to time resolution for image acquisition. In analysis of pattern of motion, the value of the RMS from the cine EPID image in 3.3 fps (0.1044) grew slightly compared with data from 6.6 fps (0.0480). The organ motion verification system using sequential cine EPID images with an internal surrogate showed good representation of its motion within 3% error in a preliminary phantom study. The system can be implemented for clinical purposes, which include organ motion verification during treatment, compared with 4D treatment planning data, and its feedback for accurate dose delivery to the moving target.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.31-36
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• 1988

In recent years there has been a growing interest in all forms of rotational therapy, and many different types of therapy machines designed for this kind of treatment have become available. To the medical radiation physicist, the dosimetry of rotation therapy has presented a number of interesting problems, and much useful work has been published on the basic data of dose distribution and dosage calculation. The setting dose for ARC therapy were obtained by computer calculation and measurement with cylindrical phantom. Authors compared computer calculation with measured value. And in ARC therapy, the region of maximum dose is shifted from the tumor center. The extent of shift was analyzed by isodose distribution for ARC therapy techniques.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.332-336
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• 2006

In this study, we have fabricated a fiber-optic radiation sensor using an organic scintillator for high energy electron beam therapy. The intensities of scintillating light from a fiber-optic radiation sensor are measured with different field size, electron beam energy and monitor unit of a clinical linear accelerator. To obtain percent depth dose(PDD), the amount of scintillating light is measured at different depth of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) phantom. Also the intensity of Cerenkov light is measured and characterized as a function of incident angle of electron beam and a subtraction method is investigated using a background optical fiber to remove a Cerenkov light.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 1986

Determination of the relation between the kerma(Kinetic Energy Released in Material) and the absorbed dose is one of the basic problems of dosimetry. Kerma and absorbed dose were measured for 6 MV X-ray from the high energy medical linear accelerator and $^{60}Co$ gamma-ray. The experimental results show that the absorbed dose in the transient equilibrium region practically coincide with the kerma in water and Al for $^{60}Co$. The maximum dose depths were $1.45g/cm^2$ for 6MV X-ray and $0.48g/cm^2\;for\;^{60}Co$ gamma-ray. The ratios of the absorbed dose at maximum build-up to the collision kerma at the surface, ($K^{att}$), were 0.949 for 6MV X-ray and 0.992 for $^{60}Co$ gamma-ray. No difference was found between water and Al when the standard field size was used. This results show that the dependence of $K^{att}$ on the material is very small.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6932-6939
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• 2015

The respiration is one of important factor in the radiation therapy. The existing commercial method of cone-beam computed tomography on LINAC does not consider respiratory motion of patient hence the images are both distorted and inaccurate. In this study, the cone-beam computed tomography images have been reconstructed from back projection radiography of specific phase on breathing cycle which concerned about respiratory movement in radiation therapy. This study investigated how different between cone-beam CT images with and without gating respiratory movement, and this paper provides that guide and implementation of gated cone-beam CT on radiation therapeutic equipment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2019

Background: The mid-term performance of clinical linear accelerator (LINAC) during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment period is not performed in clinical practice and usually replaced with one-time plan quality assurance (QA). In this research we aim to monitor daily reproducibility of VMAT delivery from tracking individual leaf movement error and dosimetric error to evaluate the mid-term quality of the machine used. Materials and Methods: First, multileaf collimator (MLC) information was imported into MATLAB program to determine which of the MLC leaves in the leaf bank had the maximum RMS position error (maxRMS). We estimated where the maximum positional errors (maxPE) of the chosen leaf occur along its path length and tracked its daily variations over the entire treatment period. Secondly, picture information of dosimetric error from portal dosimetry was imported into MATLAB where representative high gamma index region (HGR) was determined as HGR with length of > 1 cm and their centers were daily tracked. Results and Discussion: The maxPEs in the brain and tongue cases were distributed broader than in other cases, but all data were found located within ${\pm}0.5mm$. From first day to last day all of five cases show the similar visual pattern of HGRs and Centers of the longest HGRs remained within ${\pm}1mm$ of that in first day. These findings prove excellent mid-term performance of the LINAC used in VMAT treatments over a full course of treatment. Conclusion: Tracking the daily location changes of leaf movement and dosimetric error can be a good indicator of predicting the daily quality like stability and reproducibility of beam delivering in VMAT treatment.