• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose is to evaluate the accuracy of correcting the targeting error through the Target Location System (TLS) for the location change error of the reference point which arises from the movement or motion of patient during the treatment using the CyberKnife. Materials and Methods: In this test, Gafchromic MD-55 film was inserted into the head and neck phantom to analyze the accuracy of the targeting, and then the 6 MV X-ray of CyberKnife (CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System G4, Accuray, US) was irradiated. End to End (E2E) program was used to analyze the accuracy of targeting, which is provided by Accuray Corporation. To compute the error of the targeting, the test was carried out with the films that were irradiated 12 times by maintaining the distance within the rage of $0{\pm}0.2\;mm$ toward x, y, z from the reference point and maintaining the angle within the rage of $0{\pm}0.2^{\circ}$ toward roll, pitch, yaw, and then with the films which were irradiated 6 times by applying intentional movement. And the correlation in the average value of the reference film and the test film were analyzed through independent samples t-test. In addition, the consistency of dose distribution through gamma-index method (dose difference: 3%) was quantified, compared, and analyzed by varying the distance to agreement (DTA) to 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, respectively. Results: E2E test result indicated that the average error of the reference film was 0.405 mm and the standard deviation was 0.069 mm. The average error of the test film was 0.413 mm with the standard deviation of 0.121 mm. The result of independent sampling t-test for both averages showed that the significant probability was P=0.836 (confidence level: 95%). Besides, by comparing the consistency of dose distribution of DTA through 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, it was found that the average dose distribution of axial film was 95.04%, 97.56%, 98.13%, respectively in 3,314 locations of the reference film, consistent with the average dose distribution of sagittal film that was 95.47%, 97.68%, 98.47%, respectively. By comparing with the test film, it was found that the average dose distribution of axial film was 96.38%, 97.57%, 98.04%, respectively, at 3,323 locations, consistent with the average dose distribution of sagittal film which was 95.50%, 97.87%, 98.36%, respectively. Conclusion: Robotic CyberKnife traces and complements in real time the error in the location change of the reference point caused by the motion or movement of patient during the treatment and provides the accuracy with the consistency of over 95% dose distribution and the targeting error below 1 mm.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2006

This study peformed to confirm the corrected dose In different electron density materials using the superposition/FFT convolution method in radiotherapy Planning system. The experiments of the $K_2HPO_4$ diluted solution for bone substitute, Cork for lung and n-Glucose for soft tissue are very close to effective atomic number of tissue materials. The image data acquisited from the 110 KVp and 130 KVp CT scanner (Siemes, Singo emotions). The electron density was derived from the CT number (H) and adapted to planning system (Xio, CMS) for heterogeneity correction. The heterogeneity tissue phantom used for measurement dose comparison to that of delivered computer planning system. In the results, this investigations showed the CT number is highly affected in photoelectric effect in high Z materials. The electron density in a given energy spectrum showed the relation of first order as a function of H in soft tissue and bone materials, respectively. In our experiments, the ratio of electron density as a function of H was obtained the 0.001026H+1.00 in soft tissue and 0.000304H+1.07 for bone at 130 KVp spectrum and showed 0.000274H+1.10 for bone tissue in low 110 KVp. This experiments of electron density calibrations from CT number used to decide depth and length of photon transportation. The Computed superposition and FFT convolution dose showed very close to measurements within 1.0% discrepancy in homogeneous phantom for 6 and 15 MV X rays, but it showed -5.0% large discrepancy in FFT convolution for bone tissue correction of 6 MV X rays. In this experiments, the evaluated doses showed acceptable discrepancy within -1.2% of average for lung and -2.9% for bone equivalent materials with superposition method in 6 MV X rays. However the FFT convolution method showed more a large discrepancy than superposition in the low electron density medium in 6 and 15 MV X rays. As the CT number depends on energy spectrum of X rays, it should be confirm gradient of function of CT number-electron density regularly.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.130-135
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• 1999

A graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) with matrix modification has been used to determine trace amounts of arsenic, lead and selenium in rice flour samples. A mixed solution of palladium and magnesium nitrate was used as a matrix modifier to convert the analyte elements into a phase of higher thermostability and to increase the volatility of concomitants in graphite furnace. Matrix modification effects by the mixed solution were investigated for several elements (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Se, Zn). It has been found that the matrix modifier substantially increase the pyrolysis and atomization temperature, and absorbance for As, Pb and Se. The concentration of As, Pb and Se in rice flour samples were determined by standard addition method with Zeeman background correction after microwave acid digestion. In this method the characteristic concentrations of As, Pb and Se are 26 ng/g, 18 ng/g, 24 ng/g on the basis of dry sample respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: The purpose of this study is to develop a practical method for determining accurate marker positions for prostate cancer radiotherapy using CT images and kV x-ray images obtained from the use of the on- board imager (OBI). $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Three gold seed markers were implanted into the reference position inside a prostate gland by a urologist. Multiple digital image processing techniques were used to determine seed marker position and the center-of-mass (COM) technique was employed to determine a representative reference seed marker position. A setup discrepancy can be estimated by comparing a computed $COM_{OBI}$ with the reference $COM_{CT}$. A proposed algorithm was applied to a seed phantom and to four prostate cancer patients with seed implants treated in our clinic. $\underline{Results}$: In the phantom study, the calculated $COM_{CT}$ and $COM_{OBI}$ agreed with $COM_{actual}$ within a millimeter. The algorithm also could localize each seed marker correctly and calculated $COM_{CT}$ and $COM_{OBI}$ for all CT and kV x-ray image sets, respectively. Discrepancies of setup errors between 2D-2D matching results using the OBI application and results using the proposed algorithm were less than one millimeter for each axis. The setup error of each patient was in the range of $0.1{\pm}2.7{\sim}1.8{\pm}6.6\;mm$ in the AP direction, $0.8{\pm}1.6{\sim}2.0{\pm}2.7\;mm$ in the SI direction and $-0.9{\pm}1.5{\sim}2.8{\pm}3.0\;mm$ in the lateral direction, even though the setup error was quite patient dependent. $\underline{Conclusion}$: As it took less than 10 seconds to evaluate a setup discrepancy, it can be helpful to reduce the setup correction time while minimizing subjective factors that may be user dependent. However, the on-line correction process should be integrated into the treatment machine control system for a more reliable procedure.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.421-425
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• 2006

It can be important framework data to monitor the change of land-use pattern of river boundary in design and management of river. This study analyzed the change of land-use pattern of Gab and Yudeung River using time-series aerial images. To do this, we carried out radiation and geometric correction of image, and estimated land-use changes in inland and floodplain. As the analysis of inland, the ratio of residential, commercial, industrial, educational and public area, that is urbanized element, increases, but that of agricultural area shows a decline on the basis of 1990. Also, Minimum Distance Method, which is a kind of supervised classification method, is applied to extract water-body and sand bar layer in floodplain. As the analysis of land-use, the ratio of level-upped riverside land and water-body increases, but that of sand bar decreases. These time-series land use information can be important decision making data to evaluate the urbanization of river boundary, and especially it gives us goodness in river development project such as the composition of ecological habitat.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2008

One of the most important task in commissioning intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) into a clinic is the characterization of dosimetry performance under small monitor unit delivery conditions. In this study, method of evaluating dose monitor linearity, beam flatness and symmetry, and MLC positioning accuracy using a diode array is investigated. Siemens Primus linear accelerator (LA) with 6 and 10 MV x-rays was used to deliver radiation and the characteristics were measured using a multi array diodes. Monitor unit stabilities were measured for both x-ray energies. The dose linearity errors for the 6 MV x-ray were 2.1, 3.4, 6.9, 8.6, and 15.4 % when 20 MU, 10 MU, 5 MU, 4 MU, and 2 MU was delivered, respectively. Greater errors were observed for 10 MV x-rays with a maximum of 22% when 2 MU was delivered. These errors were corrected by adjusting D1_C0 values and reduced to less than 2% in all cases. The beam flatness and symmetry were appropriate without any correction. The picket fence test performed using diode array and film measurement showed similar results. The use of diode array is a convenient method in characterizing beam stability, symmetry and flatness, and positioning accuracy of MLC for IMRT commissioning. In addition, adjustment of D1-C0 value must be performed when a Siemens LA is used for IMRT because factory value usually gives unacceptable beam stability error when the MU/segment is smaller than 20.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.45-59
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• 2006

In this study, the effects of the surface topographical characteristics on the meteorological fields are examined in a mesoscale meteorlolgical model. We calculated the direct solar radiation using the illumination angle considering the inclination of topography and tried to find out its effect on meteorological fields. In above experiments, we selected two cases for the clear day and the cloudy day to show the effect of weather and represented the results for two cases. In the correction of the direct solar radiation, the results of two cases indicate that there are obvious differences on the steep Taeback and Soback mountains. And on the time-series analysis the east-facing slope of these mountains receives the more direct solar radiation about $10-60W/m^2$ in the morning hours but lesser in the afternoon hours than the horizontal surface while it is opposite on the west-facing slope. And the results mentioned above are more obvious at clear day. With the same analysis method, at clear day, the surface skin temperature is higher at all hours than that on horizontal surface on the both of slope. At cloudy and rainy day, the surface skin temperature on the east-facing slope is higher in the morning hours but lower in the afternoon hours than that on horizontal surface. But on the west-facing slope, it is higher at all hours than that on horizontal surface. In the two cases, the temperature considering the slope of surface is almost higher than that on the horizontal surface. The wind is stronger than that on the horizontal surface with increasing pressure gradient force according as increasing temperature gradient around the Taeback and the Soback mountains.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2014

The amounts of radioactive wastes to be disposed in the medical institute have been increased due to development of radiation diagnosis and therapy rapidly. They are produced mostly by the very short lived radioisotopes such as $^{18}F$ used in PET/CT, $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{125}I$ and $^{201}Tl$, etc. IAEA proposed a criteria for the clearance level of waste which depends on the individual ($10{\mu}Sv/y$) and collective dose (1 man-Sv/y), and concentration of each nuclide (IAEA Safety Series No 111-P-1.1, 1992 and IAEA RS-G-1.7, 2004). Radioactive wastes of $^{18}F$, $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{125}I$ and $^{201}TI$ in the several types of container like Marinelli beaker, vial and plastic, were collected to measure the concentration of the waste of each nuclide in accordance with IAEA criteria. The measurement method and procedure of determining specific activity of the wastes using gamma emitters like MCA, gamma counter and beta emitters were developed. For the efficiency calibration of the detectors, CRM (certified reference material) which has the same dimension and shape was provided by Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS). Correction factor of the radioactivity decay was calculated based on the measurement results, and the consideration of mutual relation with theoretical equation. The result of this study will be proposed as ISO standard.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.174-181
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• 2003

Purpose: The target volume for the three field technique in breast cancer include the breast tangential and supraclavicular areas. The techniques rotating the gantry and couch angles, to match these two areas, will geometrically produce mismatching of the posterior edge between the medial and lateral tangential beams. This mismatch was confirmed by film dosimetry and three-dimensional computer planning. The correction methods of this mismatching were studied in this article. Materials and Methods: After the supraclavicular field was simulated using a half beam block and the medial and lateral tangential fields, by the rotation of the couch and gantry, we compared the following two methods to correct the mismatch. The first method was the rotation of coillmator until a line drawn on the posterior edge of tangential beams before the rotation of couch aligned the line drawn on the posterior edge after the rotation. The second method was the rotation of collimator according to the formula developed by the author as follows; Co=$2sin^{-1}${$sin\{theta}\{cdot}sin(C/2)$} (Co: collimator angle, $\theta$: angle between tangential beam and table, C: couch angle) Results: The film dosimetry showed the mismatching of posterior edges of the medial and lateral tangential fields prior to the rotation of collimator, while the posterior edges matched well after the rotation of collimator according to the formula. The three-dimensional computer plan also showed that the posterior edges matched well after the rotation of collimator accordingly. The DVH of the ipsilateral lung with the proper rotation of collimator angle was better than that without the rotation of collimator angle. Conclusion: The mismatching of the posterior edges of the medial and lateral tangential fields can be recognized on the three fileld technique in breast irradiation when the gantry and couch are simultaneously rotated and can be corrected with the proper rotation of the collimator angle. The radiation dose to the ipsilateral lung could be lowered with this technique.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2011

Purpose: Helical Tomotherapy allows only coplanar beam delivery because it does not allow couch rotation. We investigated a method to introduce non-coplanar beam by tilting a patient's head for Tomotherapy. The aim of this study was to compare intrafractional movement during Tomotherapy between coplanar and non-coplanar patient's setup. Materials and Methods: Helical Tomotherapy was used for treating eight patients with intracranial tumor. The subjects were divided into three groups: one group (coplanar) of 2 patients who lay on S-plate with supine position and wore thermoplastic mask for immobilizing the head, second group (non-coplanar) of 3 patients who lay on S-plate with supine position and whose head was tilted with Variable Axis Baseplate and wore thermoplastic mask, and third group (non-coplanar plus mouthpiece) of 3 patients whose head was tilted and wore a mouthpiece immobilization device and thermoplastic mask. The patients were treated with Tomotherapy after treatment planning with Tomotherapy Planning System. Megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) was performed before and after treatment, and the intrafractional error was measured with lateral(X), longitudinal(Y), vertical(Z) direction movements and vector ($\sqrt{x^2+y^2+z^2}$) value for assessing overall movement. Results: Intrafractional error was compared among three groups by taking the error of MVCT taken after the treatment. As the correction values (X, Y, Z) between MVCT image taken after treatment and CT-simulation image are close to zero, the patient movement is small. When the mean values of movement of each direction for non-coplanar setup were compared with coplanar setup group, X-axis movement was decreased by 13%, but Y-axis and Z-axis movement were increased by 109% and 88%, respectively. Movements of Y-axis and Z-axis with non-coplanar setup were relatively greater than that of X-axis since a tilted head tended to slip down. The mean of X-axis movement of the group who used a mouthpiece was greater by 9.4% than the group who did not use, but the mean of Y-axis movement was lower by at least 64%, and the mean of Z-axis was lower by at least 67%, and the mean of Z-axis was lower by at least 67%, and the vector was lower by at least 59% with the use of a mouthpiece. Among these 8 patients, one patient whose tumor was located on left frontal lobe and left basal ganglia received reduced radiation dose of 38% in right eye, 23% in left eye, 30% in optic chiasm, 27% in brain stem, and 8% in normal brain with non-coplanar method. Conclusion: Tomotherapy only allows coplanar delivery of IMRT treatment. To complement this shortcoming, Tomotherapy can be used with non-coplanar method by artificially tilting the patient's head and using an oral immobilization instrument to minimize the movement of patient, when intracranial tumor locates near critical organs or has to be treated with high dose radiation.