• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.351-359
• /
• 1991

The current LINAC technique for radiosurgery utilizes a single isocenter approach with multiple noncoplanar arcs. This approach results in spherical dose distributions in the target. Many arteriovenous malformations and tumors suitable for radiosurgical treatment have non-spherical or irregular shapes. The basic approach presented in this paper is to use two or multiple isocenters with standard arcs to shape irregular target volumes through the use of multiple spherical targets. Selection of reasonable irradiation parameters in the first stage is critical to the success of real-time optimization. A useful guideline for optimum isocenter separation and collimator size is developed to shape the target margin uniformly with an desired isodose surface for an elongated target. The implementation of multiple isocenters with three dimensional dose model and application of multiple isocenters approach to several cases are discussed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.95-100
• /
• 1992

Since LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery uses multiple noncoplanar arcs, three-dimensional dose evaluation and many beam parameters, a lengthy computation time is required to optimize even the simplest case by a trial and error. The basic approach presented in this paper is to show promising methods using an experimental optimization and an analytic optimization The purpose of this paper is not to describe the detailed methods, but introduce briefly, proceeding research done currently or in near future. A more detailed description will be shown in ongoing published papers. Experimental optimization is based on two approaches. One is shaping the target volumes through the use of multiple isocenters determined from dose experience and testing. The other method is conformal therapy using a beam's eye view technique and field shaping. The analytic approach is to adapt computer-aided design optimization in finding optimum irradiation parameters automatically.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 1994

The purpose of this paper is to develop an efficient method for the quick determination of multiple isocenters plans to provide optimal dose distribution in sterotactic radiosurgery. A Spherical dose model was developed through the use of fit to the exact dose data calculated in a 18cm diameter of spherical head phantom. It computes dose quickly for each spherical part and is useful to estimate dose distribution for multiple isocenters. An automatic computer search algorithm was developed using the relationship between the isocenter move and the change of dose shape, and adapted with a spherical dose model to determine isocenter separation and cellimator sizes quickly and automatically. A spheric81 dose model shows a comparable isodose distribution with exact dose data and permits rapid calculations of 3-D isodoses. the computer search can provide reasonable isocenter settings more quickly than trial and error types of plans, while producing steep dose gradient around target boundary. A spherical dose model can be used for the quick determination of the multiple isocenter plans with 3 computer automatic search. Our guideline is useful to determine the initial multiple isocenter plans.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.439-448
• /
• 1993

The B-type gamma knife unit was installed at Kyung-Hee University Hospital in March 1992. The selective beam plugging method can be used to reduce the low percentage isodose profiles of normal sensitive organ and to modify the isodose curves of treatment volume for better shaping of the target volume. For representing the changes of the low percentage isodose profiles, the variations of dose distribution for several cases were discussed in this paper. The film dosimetry was peformed for the evaluation of calculated isodose profiles predicted by KULA dose planning system. The results were verified by RFA-3 automatic densitometry. The clinical application of selective beam shielding method was peformed in 17 patients in 100 patients who have undergone gamma knife radiosurgery for a year. The calculated and the measured isodose profiles for the high percentage regions were well consistent with each other. When the target of pituitary tumor is macro-size, the selective beam shielding method is the most applicable method. When the target size, however, is small, the correct selection of the proper helmet size is very important. All patients were exposed almost about 3~12 Gy for brain stem, and 3~11.2 Gy for optic apparatus. It is recommended that the same or other plugging patterns with multiple isocenters should be used for protection of the radiosensitive normal structures with precise treatment of CNS lesions.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.431-437
• /
• 1993

An important problem in radiosurgery is the utilization of the proper beam parameters, to which dose shape is sensitive. Streotactic radiosurgery techniques for a linear accelerator typically, use circular radiation fields with multiple arcs to produce an spherical radiation distribution. Target volumes are irregular in shape for a certain case, and spherical distributions can irradiate normal tissues to high dose as well as the target region. The current improvement to dose distribution utilizes treating multiple isocenters or weighting various arcs to change treatment volume shape. in this paper another promising study relies upon dynamically shaping the treatment beam to fit the beam's eye view of the target. This conformal irradiation technique was evaluated by means of visual three dimensional dose distribution, dose volume histograms to the target volume and surrounding normal brain. It is shown that using even less arcs than multiple isocenter irradiation technique, the conformal therapy yields comparable dose gradients and superior homogeneity of dose within the target volume.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.84-93
• /
• 2004

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a technique that delivers a high dose to a target legion and a low dose to a critical organ through only one or a few irradiations. For this purpose, many mathematical methods for optimization have been proposed. There are some limitations to using these methods: the long calculation time and difficulty in finding a unique solution due to different tumor shapes. In this study, many clinical target shapes were examined to find a typical pattern of tumor shapes from which some possible ideal geometrical shapes, such as spheres, cylinders, cones or a combination, are assumed to approximate real tumor shapes. Using the arrangement of multiple isocenters, optimum variables, such as isocenter positions or collimator size, were determined. A database was formed from these results. The optimization procedure consisted of the following steps: Any shape of tumor was first assumed to an ideal model through a geometry comparison algorithm, then optimum variables for ideal geometry chosen from the predetermined database, followed by a final adjustment of the optimum parameters using the real tumor shape. Although the result of applying the database to other patients was not superior to the result of optimization in each case, it can be acceptable as a plan starling point.