• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1769-1780
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• 2022

A new method of dose calculation algorithm, called GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo and collapsed cone Convolution (GMCC) was developed to improve the calculation speed of BNCT treatment planning system. The GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo routine in GMCC is used to simulate the neutron transport over whole energy range and the Collapsed Cone Convolution method is to calculate the gamma dose. Other dose components due to alpha particles and protons, are calculated using the calculated neutron flux and reaction data. The mathematical principle and the algorithm architecture are introduced. The accuracy and performance of the GMCC were verified by comparing with the FLUKA results. A water phantom and a head CT voxel model were simulated. The neutron flux and the absorbed dose obtained by the GMCC were consistent well with the FLUKA results. In the case of head CT voxel model, the mean absolute percentage error for the neutron flux and the absorbed dose were 3.98% and 3.91%, respectively. The calculation speed of the absorbed dose by the GMCC was 56 times faster than the FLUKA code. It was verified that the GMCC could be a good candidate tool instead of the Monte Carlo method in the BNCT dose calculations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1609-1614
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• 2013

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intravenous contrast on dose calculation in radiation treatment planning for oesophageal cancer. Methods: A total of 22 intravein-contrasted patients with oesophageal cancer were included. The Hounsfield unit (HU) value of the enhanced blood stream in thoracic great vessels and heart was overridden with 45 HU to simulate the non-contrast CT image, and 145 HU, 245 HU, 345 HU, and 445 HU to model the different contrast-enhanced scenarios. 1000 HU and -1000 HU were used to evaluate two non-physiologic extreme scenarios. Variation in dose distribution of the different scenarios was calculated to quantify the effect of contrast enhancement. Results: In the contrast-enhanced scenarios, the mean variation in dose for planning target volume (PTV) was less than 1.0%, and those for the total lung and spinal cord were less than 0.5%. When the HU value of the blood stream exceeded 245 the average variation exceeded 1.0% for the heart V40. In the non-physiologic extreme scenarios, the dose variation of PTV was less than 1.0%, while the dose calculations of the organs at risk were greater than 2.0%. Conclusions: The use of contrast agent does not significantly influence dose calculation of PTV, lung and spinal cord. However, it does have influence on dose accuracy for heart.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2017

We investigated the effect of a commercial iterative reconstruction technique (iDose, Philips) on the image quality and the dose calculation for the treatment plan. Using the electron density phantom, the 3D CT images with five different protocols (50, 100, 200, 350 and 400 mAs) were obtained. Additionally, the acquired data was reconstructed using the iDose with level 5. A lung phantom was used to acquire the 4D CT with the default protocol as a reference and the low dose (one third of the default protocol) 4D CT using the iDose for the spine and lung plans. When applying the iDose at the same mAs, the mean HU value was changed up to 85 HU. Although the 1 SD was increased with reducing the CT dose, it was decreased up to 4 HU due to the use of iDose. When using the low dose 4D CT with iDose, the dose change relative to the reference was less than 0.5% for the target and OARs in the spine plan. It was also less than 1.1% in the lung plan. Therefore, our results suggests that this dose reduction technique is applicable to the 4D CT image acquisition for the radiation treatment planning.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

The propose of this study is a verification of the correct calculation of the dose around source and the prescription dose of Ir-192 source in the plato treatment planning system. The source and orthogonal coordinates for lateral direction and those for the anterior posterior direction were drawn on a A4 paper and then input into the system. The prescription dose was prescribed to two points with radius 1 cm in the direction of polar angle $90^{\circ} and $270^{\circ} from the center of the source. The doses of prescription point and dose points acquired from the treatment planning system were compared with those from manual calculation using the geometry function formalism derived by Paul King et al. In this analysis, the doses of prescription point were exactly consistent with each other and those of dose points were obtained within the error point of 1.85%. And the system of accuracy was evaluated within 2% of tolerance error. Therefore, this manual dose calculation used for the geometry function formalism is considered to be useful in clinics due to its convenience and high quality assurance.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2021

Purpose: Kilovoltage computed tomography (kV-CT) is essential for radiation treatment planning. However, kV-CT images are significantly distorted by artifacts when a metallic prosthesis is present in the patient's body. Thus, the accuracies of target delineation and treatment dose calculation are inevitably lowered. We evaluated the accuracy of the calculated doses using an image restoration method with hybrid CT, which was introduced in our previous study. Methods: A cylindrical phantom containing four metals, namely, silver, copper, tin, and tungsten, was scanned using kV-CT and megavoltage CT to produce hybrid CT images. We created six verification plans for three head and neck patients on kV-CT and hybrid CT images of the phantom and calculated their doses. The actual doses were measured with film patches during beam delivery using tomotherapy. We used the gamma evaluation method to compare dose distribution between kV-CT and hybrid CT with three gamma criteria, namely, 3%/3 mm, 2%/2 mm, and 1%/1 mm. Results: The gamma pass rates decreased as the gamma criteria were strengthened, and the pass rate of hybrid CT was higher than that of kV-CT in all cases. When the 1%/1 mm criterion was used, the difference in gamma pass rates between them was up to 13%p. Conclusions: According to our findings, we expect that the use of hybrid CT can be a suitable approach to avoid the effect of severe metal artifacts on the accuracy of dose calculation and contouring.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2023

Background: We investigated the impact of 0.35 T magnetic field on dose calculation for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in the ViewRay system (ViewRay Inc.), which features a simultaneous use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide radiotherapy for an improved targeting of tumors. Materials and Methods: Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the effects induced by the 0.35 T magnetic field on various characteristics of SABR plans including the plan qualities and dose calculation for the planning target volume, organs at risk, and outer/inner shells. Therefore, two SABR plans were set up, one with a 0.35 T magnetic field applied during radiotherapy and another in the absence of the field. The dosimetric parameters were calculated in both cases, and the plan quality indices were evaluated using a Monte Carlo algorithm based on a treatment planning system. Results and Discussion: Our findings showed no significant impact on dose calculation under the 0.35 T magnetic field for all analyzed parameters. Nonetheless, a significant enhancement in the dose was calculated on the skin surrounding the tumor when the 0.35 T magnetic field was applied during the radiotherapy. This was attributed to the electron return effect, which results from the deviation of the electrons ejected from tissues upon radiation due to Lorentz forces. These returned electrons re-enter the tissues, causing a local dose increase in the calculated dose. Conclusion: The present study highlights the impact of the 0.35 T magnetic field used for MRI in the ViewRay system for NSCLC SABR treatment, especially on the skin surrounding the tumors.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2023

This study compared the dose calculated using the electron Monte Carlo (eMC) dose calculation algorithm employing the old version (eMC V13.7) of the Varian Eclipse treatment-planning system (TPS) and its newer version (eMC V16.1). The eMC V16.1 was configured using the same beam data as the eMC V13.7. Beam data measured using the VitalBeam linear accelerator were implemented. A box-shaped water phantom (30×30×30 cm³) was generated in the TPS. Consequently, the TPS with eMC V13.7 and eMC V16.1 calculated the dose to the water phantom delivered by electron beams of various energies with a field size of 10×10 cm². The calculations were repeated while changing the dose-smoothing levels and normalization method. Subsequently, the percentage depth dose and lateral profile of the dose distributions acquired by eMC V13.7 and eMC V16.1 were analyzed. In addition, the dose-volume histogram (DVH) differences between the two versions for the heterogeneous phantom with bone and lung inserted were compared. The doses calculated using eMC V16.1 were similar to those calculated using eMC V13.7 for the homogenous phantoms. However, a DVH difference was observed in the heterogeneous phantom, particularly in the bone material. The dose distribution calculated using eMC V16.1 was comparable to that of eMC V13.7 in the case of homogenous phantoms. The version changes resulted in a different DVH for the heterogeneous phantoms. However, further investigations to assess the DVH differences in patients and experimental validations for eMC V16.1, particularly for heterogeneous geometry, are required.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 1999

The aims of this report are to classify the incorrect data of patients and the errors of dose and dose distribution observed in QA activities on teleradiotherapy chart, and to analyze their frequency. In our department, radiation physicists check several sheets of patient chart to reduce numeric errors before starting radiation therapy and at least once a week, which include history, port diagram, MU calculation or treatment planning summary and daily treatment sheet. The observed errors are classified as followings. 1) Identity of patient, 2) Omitted or unrecorded history sheet even though not including the item related to dose, 3) Omission of port diagram, or omitted or erroneous data, 4) Erroneous calculation of MU and point dose, and important causes, 5) Loss of summary sheet of treatment planning, and erroneous data of patient in the sheet, 6) Erroneous record of radiation therapy, and errors of daily dose, port setup, MU and accumulated dose in the daily treatment sheet, 7) Errors leading inexact dose or dose distribution, errors not administerd even though its possibility, and simply recorded errors, 8) Omission of sign. Number of errors was counted rather than the number of patients. In radiotherapy chart QA from Jun 17, 1996 to Jul 31, 1999, no error of patient identity had been observed. 431 Errors in 399 patient charts had been observed and there were 405 physical errors, 9 cases of omitted or unrecorded history sheet, and 17 unsigned. There were 23 cases (5.7%) of omitted port diagram, 21 cases (5.2%) of omitted data and 73 cases (18.0 %) of erroneous data in port diagram, 13 cases (3.2 %) treated without MU calculation, 68 cases (16.3 %) of erroneous MU, 8 cases (2.0%) of erroneous point dose, 1 case (0.2 %) of omitted treatment planning summary, 11 cases (2.7%) of erroneous input of patient data, 13 cases (3.2%) of uncorrected record of treatment, 20 cases (4.9%) of discordant daily doses in MU calculation sheet and daily treatment sheet, 33 cases (8.1%) of erroneous setup, 52 cases (12.8%) of MU setting error, 61 cases (15.1%) of erroneous accumulated dose. Cases of error leading inexact dose or dose distribution were 239 (59.0 %), cases of error not administered even though its possibility were 142 (35.1 %), and cases of simply recorded error were 24 (5.9 %). The numeric errors observed in radiotherapy chart ranged over various items. Because errors observed can actually contribute to erroneous dose or dose distribution, or have the possibility to lead such errors, thorough QA activity in physical aspects of radiotherapy charts is required.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 1995

Dose distribution of HDR-RALS source represents an inverse square law as the distance. Difference of measurement value and calculation value according of brachytherapy. Therefore, in HDR-RALS dose calibration and calculation have an important effect in treatment of uterine cervical cancer and absorbed dose of interesting points. In intracavitary therapy, particula attention is paid for precise determination of the doses to be applied. In this report, we have discussed that the calibration of a HDR-RALS, differences between calculation dose use of isodose chart and measurement in rectum. Dose rate calibration of radiation sources are obtained from air kerma and Г factor with calibraed ion chamber for cobalt source. and used semiconductor detector for compared with measurement in phantom. Eighteen patients were treated with a HDR-RALS for intrcavitarty irradiation (ICR) using a cobalt-cesium source. Repoductivity of dose measurements were 0.3 -1.1％ in phantom. The means of dose distribution was -6- ＋21％ between calculation of isodose chart and measurement of recyum, and was same mean value upper 6.3％ in measurement value than calculation does.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.124-125
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• 2010