• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.387-391
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• 2006

Computational and experimental dosimetry of Henschke applicator with respect to high dose rate brachytherapy using the MIRD phantom and a remote control afterloader were performed. A comparison of computational dosimetry was made between the simulated Monte Carlo dosimetry and GAMMADOT brachytherapy Planning system's dosimetry. Dose measurements was performed using ion chamber in a water phantom. Dose rates are calculated using Monte Carlo code MCNP4B and the GAMMADOT. Thecomputational models include the detailed geometry of Ir-192 source, tandem tube, and shielded ovoids for accurate estimation. And transit dose delivered during source extension to and retraction from a given dwell position was estimated by Monte Carlo simulations. Point doses at ICRU bladder/rectal pointswhich have been recommened by ICRU 38 was assessed. Calculated and measured dose distribution data agreed within 4% each other. The shielding effect of ovoids leads to 19% and 20% dose reduction at bladder surface and rectal points.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 1999

Brachytherapy has been proved to be an effective method for the purpose of increasing radiation dose to the tumor and reducing the dose to the surrounding normal tissue. In head and neck cancer, the rationale of brachytherapy is as follows; Firstly, early small lesion is radiocurative and the major cause of failure is local recurrence. Seondly, it can diminish evidently the dose to the normal tissue especially masseteric muscle and salivary gland. Thirdly, the anatomy of head and neck is suitable to various technique of brachytherapy. On background of accumulated experience of LDR iridium brachytherapy of head and neck cancer for the last 15 years, the author reviewed the history of radioisotope therapy, the characteristics of radionuclides, and some important things in the method, clinical technique and treatment planning. The author analyzed the clinical result of 185 cases of head and neck cancer treated in the Korea Cancer Center Hospital. Finally the future prospect of brachytherapy of head and neck cancer is discussed.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using X-rays is a standard technique implemented for treating head and neck cancer (HN C). Compared to 3D conformal RT, IMRT can significantly reduce the radiation dose to surrounding normal tissues by using a highly conformal dose to the tumor. Proton therapy is a type of RT that uses positively charged particles named protons. Proton therapy has a unique energy deposit (i.e., Bragg peak) and greater biological effectiveness than that of therapy using X-rays. These inherent properties of proton therapy make the technique advantageous for HNC treatment. Recently, advanced techniques such as intensity-modulated proton therapy have further decreased the dose to normal organs with a higher conformal dose to the tumor. The usage of proton therapy for HNC is becoming widespread as the number of operational proton therapy centers has increased worldwide. This paper aims to present the current clinical evidence of proton therapy utility to HNC clinicians through a literature review. It also discusses the challenges associated with proton therapy and prospective development of the technique.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare plans prescribed to point A with these prescribed to point H recommended by ABS (American Brachytherapy Society) in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical carcinoma. Materials and Methods: This study selected 103 patients who received HDR (High Dose Rate) brachytherapy using tandem and ovoids from March 2010 to January 2012. Point A, bladder point, and rectal point conform with Manchester System. Point H conforms with ABS recommendation. Also Sigmoid colon point, and vagina point were established arbitrarily. We examined distance between point A and point H. The percent dose at point A was calculated when 100% dose was prescribed to point H. Additionally, the percent dose at each reference points when dose is prescribed to point H and point A were calculated. Results: The relative dose at point A was lower when point H was located inferior to point A. The relative doses at bladder, rectal, sigmoid colon, and vagina points were higher when point H was located superior to point A, and lower when point H was located inferior to point A. Conclusion: This study found out that as point H got located much superior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became higher, and as point H got located much inferior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became lower. This differences dose not seem to affect the treatment. However, we suggest this new point is worth being considered for the treatment of HDR if dose distribution and absorbed dose at normal organs have large differences between prescribed to point A and H.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.328-330
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• 2002

Large balloon angio catheter is used for Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplsty(TPA) of the iliac, femoral and renal arteries as well as after Transjugular Intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS). The use of angioplasty balloon filled with liquid form of radioisotope reduces the rate of restenosis after PTA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the absorbed dose to the target vessels from various sized large balloon filled with liquid form of Ho-166-DTPA. Four balloons of balloon dilatation catheters evaluated were 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm in diameter. GafChromic film was used for the estimation of the absorbed dose near the surface of the balloon catheters. Absorbed dose rates are plotted in units of Gy/min/GBq/ml as a function of radial distance in mm from the surface of balloon. The absorbed dose rate was 1.1, 1.6, 2.2 and 2.3 Gy/min/GBq/ml at a balloon surface, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 Gy/min/GBq/ml at 1 mm depth for various balloon diameter 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm in diameter respectively. The study was conducted to estimate the absorbed doses to the vessels from various sized large balloons filled with liquid form of Ho-166-DTPA for clinical trial of radiation therapy after the PTA. The absorbed dose distribution of Ho-166 appeared to be nearly ideal for vascular irradiation since beta range is very short avoiding unnecessary radiation to surrounding normal tissues.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 1989

The treatment planning and dosimetry of small fields for stereotactic radiosurgery with 10 MV x-ray isocentrically mounted linear accelerator is presented. Special consideration in this study was given to the variation of absorbed dose with field size, the central axis percent depth doses and the combined moving beam dose distribution. The collimator scatter correction factors of small fields $(1\times1\~3\times3cm^2)$ were measured with ion chamber at a target chamber distance of 300cm where the projected fields were larger than the polystyrene buildup caps and it was calibrated with the tissue equivalent solid state detectors of small size (TLD, PLD, ESR and semiconductors). The central axis percent depth doses for $1\timesl\;and\;3\times3cm^2$ fields could be derived with the same acuracy by interpolating between measured values for larger fields and calculated zero area data, and it was also calibrated with semiconductor detectors. The agreement between experimental and calculated data was found to be under $2\%$ within the fields. The three dimensional dose planning of stereotactic focusing irradiation on small size tumor regions was performed with dose planning computer system (Therac 2300) and was verified with film dosimetry. The more the number of strips and the wider the angle of arc rotation, the larger were the dose delivered on tumor and the less the dose to surrounding the normal tissues. The circular cone, we designed, improves the alignment, minimizes the penumbra of the beam and formats ball shape of treatment area without stellate patterns. These dosimetric techniques can provide adequate physics background for stereotactic radiosurgery with small radiation fields and 10MV x-ray beam.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.225-233
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• 2004

Purpose: The Ideal breast irradiation method should provide an optimal dose distribution In the treated breast volume and a minimum scatter dose to the nearby normal tissue. Physical wedges have been used to Improve the dose distribution In the treated breast, but unfortunately Introduce an Increased scatter dose outside the treatment yield, pavllculariy to the contralateral breast. The typical physical wedge (FW) was compared with 4he virtual wedge (VW) to do)ermine the difference In the dose distribution affecting on the treated breast and the contralateral breast, lung, heart and surrounding perlpheral soft tissue. Methods and Materials: The data collected consisted of a measurement taken with solid water, a Humanoid Alderson Rando phantom and patients. The radiation doses at the ipsllateral breast and skin, contralateral breast and skin, surrounding peripheral soft tissue, and Ipsllateral lung and heart were compared using the physical wedge and virtual wedge and the radiation dose distribution and DVH of the treated breast were compared. The beam-on time of each treatment technique was also compared Furthermore, the doses at treated breast skin, contralateral breast skin and skin 1.5 cm away from 4he field margin were also measured using TLD in 7 patients of tangential breast Irradiation and compared the results with phantom measurements. Results: The virtual wedge showed a decreased peripheral dose than those of a typical physical wedge at 15$^{\circ}$, 30$^{\circ}$, 45$^{\circ}$, and 60$^{\circ}$. According to the TLD measurements with 15$^{\circ}$ and 30$^{\circ}$ virtual wedge, the Irradiation dose decreased by 1.35$\%$ and 2.55$\%$ In the contralateral breast and by 0.87$\%$ and 1.9$\%$ In the skin of the contralateral breast respectively. Furthermore, the Irradiation dose decreased by 2.7$\%$ and 6.0$\%$ in the Ipsllateral lung and by 0.96$\%$ and 2.5$\%$ in the heart. The VW fields had lower peripheral doses than those of the PW fields by 1.8$\%$ and 2.33$\%$. However the skin dose Increased by 2.4$\%$ and 4.58$\%$ In the Ipsliateral breast. VW fields, In general, use less monitor units than PW fields and shoriened beam-on time about half of PW. The DVH analysis showed that each delivery technique results In comparable dose distribution in treated breast. Conclusion: A modest dose reduction to the surrounding normal tissue and uniform target homogeneity were observed using the VW technique compare to the PW beam in tangential breast Irradiation The VW field is dosmetrically superlor to the PW beam and can be an efficient method for minimizing acute, late radiation morbidity and reduce 4he linear accelerator loading bV decreasing the radiation delivery time.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 1998

Ho-l66 was produced by neutron reaction in a reactor at the Korea Atomic Energy Institute (Taejon, Korea). Ho-l66 emits a high energy beta particles with a maximum energy of 1.85 MeV and small proportion of gamma rays (80 keV). Therefore, the radiation absorbed dose estimation could be based on the in-vivo quantification of the activity in tumors from the gamma camera images. Approximately 1 mCi of Ho-l66 in solution was mixed into the flood phantom and planar scintigraphic images were acquired with and without patient interposed between the phantom and scintillation camera. Transmission factor over an area of interest was calculated from the ratio of counts in selected regions of the two images described above. A dual-head gamma camera(Multispect2, Siemens, Hoffman Estates, IL, USA) equipped with medium energy collimators was utilized for imaging(80 keV${\pm}$10%). Fifty-nine year old female patient with hepatoma was enrolled into the therapeutic protocol after the informed consent obtained. Thirty millicuries(110MBq) of Ho-166-CHICO was injected into the right hepatic arterial branch supplying hepatoma. When the injection was completed, anterior and posterior scintigraphic views of the chest and pelvic regions were obtained for 3 successive days. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the organs in both the anterior and posterior views. The activity in those ROIs was estimated from geometric mean, calibration factor and transmission factors. Absorbed dose was calculated using the Marinelli formula and Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) schema. Tumor dose of the patient treated with 1110 MBq(30 mCi) Ho-l66 was calculated to be 179.7 Gy. Dose distribution to normal liver, spleen, lung and bone was 9.1, 10.3, 3.9, 5.0 % of the tumor dose respectively. In conclusion, tumor dose and absorbed dose to surrounding structures were calculated by daily external imaging after the Ho-l66 therapy for hepatoma. In order to limit the thresholding dose to each surrounding organ, absorbed dose calculation provides useful information.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 1997

Purpose : This is study of whether 3-D conformal radiotherapy for carcino-mas of the ethmoid sinus were better than those treated with conventional 2-D plan, Materials and Methods : The 3-D conformal treatment Plans were compared with conventional 2-D plans in 4 patients with malignancy of the ethmoid sinus. Isodose distribution, dose statistics, and dose volume histogram of the planning target volume were used to evaluate differences between 2-D and 3-D plans. In addition. the risk of radiation exposure of surrounding normal critical organs are evaluated by means of point dose calculation and dose volume histogram. Results : 3-D conformal treatment plans for each patient that the better tumor coverages by the planning target volume with improved dose homo-geneity, compared to 2-D conventional treatment Plans in the same Patient. On the other hand, the radiation dose distributions to the surrounding nor-mal tissue organs, such as the orbit and optic nerves are not significantly reduced with our technique, but a substantial sparing in the brain stem and optic chiasm for each patient. Conclusion : Our findings represented the potential advantage of 3-D treatment planning for dose homogeniety as well as sparing of the normal tissue surrounding the tumor. However, further investigational studies are required to define the clinical benefit.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 1987

In the case of designing a high dose rate remote controlled afterloading treatment room with existing hospital facilities. We must construct the effective protective barriers so as to reduce the primary and scattered radiation up to the maximum permissible dose level. It is difficult to reinforce the barrier thickness of the shielding requirements because of the limited space and the problem of the existing building structure at the surrounding area. Therefore we can reduce the intensity of primary radiation to the required degree at the location of interest with installing the appropriate I shaped Pb barriers between the radiation source and the shielding wall of the concrete. As a result, it was possible to reduce the intensity of the primary radiation below the M.P.D level by using additional Pb barriers instead of increasing thickness of concrete wall.