3D VMAT Verification Based on Monte Carlo Log File Simulation with Experimental Feedback from Film Dosimetry.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Barbeiro AR
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5117721 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The objective of this study is to validate the capabilities of a cylindrical diode array system for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment quality assurance (QA). The VMAT plans were generated by the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) with the analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) for dose calculation. An in-house Monte Carlo (MC) code was utilized as a validation tool for the TPS calculations and the ArcCHECK measurements. The megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) of the ArcCHECK system was adopted for the geometry reconstruction in the TPS and for MC simulations. A 10 × 10 cm2 open field validation was performed for both the 6 and 10 MV photon beams to validate the absolute dose calibration of the ArcCHECK system and also the TPS dose calculations for this system. The impact of the angular dependency on noncoplanar deliveries was investigated with a series of 10 × 10 cm2 fields delivered with couch rotation 0° to 40°. The sensitivity of detecting the translational (1 to 10 mm) and the rotational (1° to 3°) misalignments was tested with a breast VMAT case. Ten VMAT plans (six prostate, H&N, pelvis, liver, and breast) were investigated to evaluate the agreement of the target dose and the peripheral dose among ArcCHECK measurements, and TPS and MC dose calculations. A customized acrylic plug holding an ion chamber was used to measure the dose at the center of the ArcCHECK phantom. Both the entrance and the exit doses measured by the ArcCHECK system with and without the plug agreed with the MC simulation to 1.0%. The TPS dose calculation with a 2.5 mm grid overestimated the exit dose by up to 7.2% when the plug was removed. The agreement between the MC and TPS calculations for the ArcCHECK without the plug improved significantly when a 1 mm dose calculation grid was used in the TPS. The noncoplanar delivery test demonstrated that the angular dependency has limited impact on the gamma passing rate (< 1.2% drop) for the 2%-3% dose and 2mm-3 mm DTA criteria. A 1° rotational misalignment introduces 11.3% (3%/3mm) to 21.3% (1%/1 mm) and 0.2% (3%/3 mm) to 0.8% (1%/1 mm) Gamma passing rate drop for ArcCHECK system and MatriXX system, respectively. Both systems have comparable sensitivity to the AP misalignments. However, a 2 mm RL misalignment introduces gamma passing rate drop ranging from 0.9% (3%/3 mm) to 4.0% (1%/1 mm) and 5.0% (3%/3 mm) to 12.0% (1%/1 mm) for ArcCHECK and MatriXX measurements, respectively. For VMAT plan QA, the gamma analysis passing rates ranged from 96.1% (H&N case) to 99.9% (prostate case), when using the 3%/3 mm DTA criteria for the peripheral dose validation between the TPS and ArcCHCEK measurements. The peripheral dose validation between the MC simulation and ArcCHECK measurements showed at least 97.9% gamma passing rates. The central dose validation also showed an agreement within 2.2% between TPS/MC calculations and ArcCHECK measurements. The worst discrepancy was found in the H&N case, which is the most complex VMAT case. The ArcCHECK system is suitable for VMAT QA evaluation based on the sensitivity to detecting misalignments, the clinical impact of the angular dependency, and the correlation between the dose agreements in the peripheral region and the central region. This work also demonstrated the importance of carrying out a thorough validation of both the TPS and the dosimetry system prior to utilizing it for QA, and the value of having an independent dose calculation tool, such as the MC method, in clinical practice.
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Project description:Yttrium-90 (Y-90) transarterial radioembolization uses radioactive microspheres injected into the hepatic artery to irradiate liver tumors internally. One of the major challenges is the lack of reliable dosimetry methods for dose prediction and dose verification. We present a patient-specific dosimetry approach for personalized treatment planning based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the microsphere transport combined with Y-90 physics modeling called CFDose. The ultimate goal is the development of a software to optimize the amount of activity and injection point for optimal tumor targeting. We present the proof-of-concept of a CFD dosimetry tool based on a patient's angiogram performed in standard-of-care planning. The hepatic arterial tree of the patient was segmented from the cone-beam CT (CBCT) to predict the microsphere transport using multiscale CFD modeling. To calculate the dose distribution, the predicted microsphere distribution was convolved with a Y-90 dose point kernel. Vessels as small as 0.45 mm were segmented, the microsphere distribution between the liver segments using flow analysis was predicted, the volumetric microsphere and resulting dose distribution in the liver volume were computed. The patient was imaged with positron emission tomography (PET) 2 h after radioembolization to evaluate the Y-90 distribution. The dose distribution was found to be consistent with the Y-90 PET images. These results demonstrate the feasibility of developing a complete framework for personalized Y-90 microsphere simulation and dosimetry using patient-specific input parameters.
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Project description:In particle radiotherapy, range uncertainty is an important issue that needs to be overcome. Because high-dose conformality can be achieved using a particle beam, a small uncertainty can affect tumor control or cause normal-tissue complications. From this perspective, the treatment planning system (TPS) must be accurate. However, there is a well-known inaccuracy regarding dose computation in heterogeneous media. This means that verifying the uncertainty level is one of the prerequisites for TPS commissioning. We evaluated the range accuracy of the dose computation algorithm implemented in a commercial TPS, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation against measurement using a CT calibration phantom. A treatment plan was produced for eight different materials plugged into a phantom, and two-dimensional doses were measured using a chamber array. The measurement setup and beam delivery were simulated by MC code. For an infinite solid water phantom, the gamma passing rate between the measurement and TPS was 97.7%, and that between the measurement and MC was 96.5%. However, gamma passing rates between the measurement and TPS were 49.4% for the lung and 67.8% for bone, and between the measurement and MC were 85.6% for the lung and 100.0% for bone tissue. For adipose, breast, brain, liver, and bone mineral, the gamma passing rates computed by TPS were 91.7%, 90.6%, 81.7%, 85.6%, and 85.6%, respectively. The gamma passing rates for MC for adipose, breast, brain, liver, and bone mineral were 100.0%, 97.2%, 95.0%, 98.9%, and 97.8%, respectively. In conclusion, the described procedure successfully evaluated the allowable range uncertainty for TPS commissioning. The TPS dose calculation is inefficient in heterogeneous media with large differences in density, such as lung or bone tissue. Therefore, the limitations of TPS in heterogeneous media should be understood and applied in clinical practice.
| S-EPMC5837130 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This work is a comparative study of the dosimetry calculated by Plaque Simulator, a treatment planning system for eye plaque brachytherapy, to the dosimetry calculated using Monte Carlo simulation for an Eye Physics model EP917 eye plaque. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation using MCNPX 2.7 was used to calculate the central axis dose in water for an EP917 eye plaque fully loaded with 17 IsoAid Advantage (125)I seeds. In addition, the dosimetry parameters ?, gL(r), and F(r,?) were calculated for the IsoAid Advantage model IAI-125 (125)I seed and benchmarked against published data. Bebig Plaque Simulator (PS) v5.74 was used to calculate the central axis dose based on the AAPM Updated Task Group 43 (TG-43U1) dose formalism. The calculated central axis dose from MC and PS was then compared. When the MC dosimetry parameters for the IsoAid Advantage (125)I seed were compared with the consensus values, ? agreed with the consensus value to within 2.3%. However, much larger differences were found between MC calculated gL(r) and F(r,?) and the consensus values. The differences between MC-calculated dosimetry parameters are much smaller when compared with recently published data. The differences between the calculated central axis absolute dose from MC and PS ranged from 5% to 10% for distances between 1 and 12 mm from the outer scleral surface. When the dosimetry parameters for the (125)I seed from this study were used in PS, the calculated absolute central axis dose differences were reduced by 2.3% from depths of 4 to 12 mm from the outer scleral surface. We conclude that PS adequately models the central dose profile of this plaque using its defaults for the IsoAid model IAI-125 at distances of 1 to 7 mm from the outer scleral surface. However, improved dose accuracy can be obtained by using updated dosimetry parameters for the IsoAid model IAI-125 (125)I seed.
| S-EPMC5691011 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMonte Carlo simulation is considered as the most accurate method for dose calculation in radiotherapy. PRIMO is a Monte-Carlo program with a user-friendly graphical interface.Material and methodA VitalBeam with 6MV and 6MV flattening filter free (FFF), equipped with the 120 Millennium multileaf collimator was simulated by PRIMO. We adjusted initial energy, energy full width at half maximum (FWHM), focal spot FWHM, and beam divergence to match the measurements. The water tank and ion-chamber were used in the measurement. Percentage depth dose (PDD) and off axis ratio (OAR) were evaluated with gamma passing rates (GPRs) implemented in PRIMO. PDDs were matched at different widths of standard square fields. OARs were matched at five depths. Transmission factor and dose leaf gap (DLG) were simulated. DLG was measured by electronic portal imaging device using a sweeping gap method.ResultFor the criterion of 2%/2 mm, 1%/2 mm and 1%/1 mm, the GPRs of 6MV PDD were 99.33-100%, 99-100%, and 99-100%, respectively; the GPRs of 6MV FFF PDD were 99.33-100%, 98.99-99.66%, and 97.64-98.99%, respectively; the GPRs of 6MV OAR were 96.4-100%, 90.99-100%, and 85.12-98.62%, respectively; the GPRs of 6MV FFF OAR were 95.15-100%, 89.32-100%, and 87.02-99.74%, respectively. The calculated DLG matched well with the measurement (6MV: 1.36 mm vs. 1.41 mm; 6MV FFF: 1.07 mm vs. 1.03 mm, simulation vs measurement). The transmission factors were similar (6MV: 1.25% vs. 1.32%; 6MV FFF: 0.8% vs. 1.12%, simulation vs measurement).ConclusionThe calculated PDD, OAR, DLG and transmission factor were all in good agreement with measurements. PRIMO is an independent (with respect to analytical dose calculation algorithm) and accurate Monte Carlo tool.
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Project description:Conventional mammography can suffer from poor contrast between healthy and cancerous tissues due to the small difference in attenuation properties. Coherent scatter slot scan imaging is an imaging technique which provides additional information and is compatible with conventional mammography. A Monte Carlo simulation of coherent scatter slot scan imaging was performed to assess its performance and provide system optimization. Coherent scatter could be exploited using a system similar to conventional slot scan mammography system with antiscatter grids tilted at the characteristic angle of cancerous tissues. System optimization was performed across several parameters, including source voltage, tilt angle, grid distances, grid ratio, and shielding geometry. The simulated carcinomas were detectable for tumors as small as 5 mm in diameter, so coherent scatter analysis using a wide-slot setup could be promising as an enhancement for screening mammography. Employing coherent scatter information simultaneously with conventional mammography could yield a conventional high spatial resolution image with additional coherent scatter information.
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Project description:Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is recommended for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis, a painful condition that occurs in cancer patients. Intraoral PBMT is limited to treating distal oral mucosa and oropharynx. Extraoral PBMT may provide a more efficient intervention. The goal of this study was to develop a clinically viable protocol for extraoral PBMT. Monte Carlo modeling was used to predict the distribution of 850 nm light for four treatment sites, using anatomical data obtained from MRI and optical properties from the literature. Simulated incident light power density was limited to 399 mW/cm2 to ensure treatment safety and to prevent tissue temperature increase. The results reveal that total tissue thickness determines fluence rate at the oral mucosa, whereas the thickness of individual tissue layers and melanin content are of minor importance. Due to anatomical differences, the fluence rate varied greatly among patients. Despite these variations, a universal protocol was established using a median treatment time methodology. The determined median treatment times required to deliver efficacious dose between 1 and 6 J/cm2 were within 15 min. The developed PBMT protocol can be further refined using the combination of pretreatment imaging and the Monte Carlo simulation approach implemented in this study.
| S-EPMC10665335 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThe use of high-dose-rate brachytherapy is currently a widespread practice worldwide. The most common isotope source is 192Ir, but 60Co is also becoming available for HDR. One of main advantages of 60Co compared to 192Ir is the economic and practical benefit because of its longer half-live, which is 5.27 years. Recently, Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG, Germany, introduced a new afterloading brachytherapy machine (MultiSource®); it has the option to use either the 60Co or 192Ir HDR source. The source for the Monte Carlo calculations is the new 60Co source (model Co0.A86), which is referred to as the new BEBIG 60Co HDR source and is a modified version of the 60Co source (model GK60M21), which is also from BEBIG.Objective and methodsThe purpose of this work is to obtain the dosimetry parameters in accordance with the AAPM TG-43U1 formalism with Monte Carlo calculations regarding the BEBIG 60Co high-dose-rate brachytherapy to investigate the required treatment-planning parameters. The geometric design and material details of the source was provided by the manufacturer and was used to define the Monte Carlo geometry. To validate the source geometry, a few dosimetry parameters had to be calculated according to the AAPM TG-43U1 formalism. The dosimetry studies included the calculation of the air kerma strength Sk, collision kerma in water along the transverse axis with an unbounded phantom, dose rate constant and radial dose function. The Monte Carlo code system that was used was EGSnrc with a new cavity code, which is a part of EGS++ that allows calculating the radial dose function around the source. The spectrum to simulate 60Co was composed of two photon energies, 1.17 and 1.33 MeV. Only the gamma part of the spectrum was used; the contribution of the electrons to the dose is negligible because of the full absorption by the stainless-steel wall around the metallic 60Co. The XCOM photon cross-section library was used in subsequent simulations, and the photoelectric effect, pair production, Rayleigh scattering and bound Compton scattering were included in the simulation. Variance reduction techniques were used to speed up the calculation and to considerably reduce the computer time. The cut-off energy was 10 keV for electrons and photons. To obtain the dose rate distributions of the source in an unbounded liquid water phantom, the source was immersed at the center of a cube phantom of 100 cm3. The liquid water density was 0.998 g/cm3, and photon histories of up to 1010 were used to obtain the results with a standard deviation of less than 0.5% (k = 1). The obtained dose rate constant for the BEBIG 60Co source was 1.108±0.001 cGyh-1U-1, which is consistent with the values in the literature. The radial dose functions were compared with the values of the consensus data set in the literature, and they are consistent with the published data for this energy range.
| S-EPMC4587958 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeTo obtain individualized internal doses with a Monte Carlo (MC) method in patients undergoing diagnostic [18F]FCH-PET studies and to compare such doses with the MIRD method calculations.MethodsA patient cohort of 17 males were imaged after intravenous administration of a mean [18F]FCH activity of 244.3 MBq. The resulting PET/CT images were processed in order to generate individualized input source and geometry files for dose computation with the MC tool GATE. The resulting dose estimates were studied and compared to the MIRD method with two different computational phantoms. Mass correction of the S-factors was applied when possible. Potential sources of uncertainty were closely examined: the effect of partial body images, urinary bladder emptying, and biokinetic modeling.ResultsLarge differences in doses between our methodology and the MIRD method were found, generally in the range ±25%, and up to ±120% for some cases. The mass scaling showed improvements, especially for non-walled and high-uptake tissues. Simulations of the urinary bladder emptying showed negligible effects on doses to other organs, with the exception of the prostate. Dosimetry based on partial PET/CT images (excluding the legs) resulted in an overestimation of mean doses to bone, skin, and remaining tissues, and minor differences in other organs/tissues. Estimated uncertainties associated with the biokinetics of FCH introduce variations of cumulated activities in the range of ±10% in the high-uptake organs.ConclusionsThe MC methodology allows for a higher degree of dosimetry individualization than the MIRD methodology, which in some cases leads to important differences in dose values. Dosimetry of FCH-PET based on a single partial PET study seems viable due to the particular biokinetics of FCH, even though some correction factors may need to be applied to estimate mean skin/bone doses.
| S-EPMC9291792 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The purpose of this study was to compare the measurement-derived (3DVH) dose reconstruction method with machine log file-derived dose reconstruction method in patient geometries for VMAT delivery. A total of ten patient plans were selected from a regular fractionation plan to complex SBRT plans. Treatment sites in the lung and abdomen were chosen to explore the effects of tissue heterogeneity on the respective dose reconstruction algorithms. Single- and multiple-arc VMAT plans were generated to achieve the desired target objectives. Delivered plan in the patient geometry was reconstructed by using ArcCHECK Planned Dose Perturbation (ACPDP) within 3DVH software, and by converting the machine log file to Pinnacle3 9.0 treatment plan format and recalculating dose with CVSP algorithm. In addition, delivered gantry angles between machine log file and 3DVH 4D measurement were also compared to evaluate the accuracy of the virtual inclinometer within the 3DVH. Measured ion chamber and 3DVH-derived isocenter dose agreed with planned dose within 0.4% ± 1.2% and -1.0% ± 1.6%, respectively. 3D gamma analysis showed greater than 98% between log files and 3DVH reconstructed dose. Machine log file reconstructed doses and TPS dose agreed to within 2% in PTV and OARs over the entire treatment. 3DVH reconstructed dose showed an average maximum dose difference of 3% ± 1.2% in PTV, and an average mean difference of -4.5% ± 10.5% in OAR doses. The average virtual inclinometer error (VIE) was -0.65° ± 1.6° for all patients, with a maximum error of -5.16° ± 4.54° for an SRS case. The time averaged VIE was within 1°-2°, and did not have a large impact on the overall accuracy of the estimated patient dose from ACPDP algorithm. In this study, we have compared two independent dose reconstruction methods for VMAT QA. Both methods are capable of taking into account the measurement and delivery parameter discrepancy, and display the delivered dose in CT patient geometry rather than the phantom geometry. The dose discrepancy can be evaluated in terms of DVH of the structures and provides a more intuitive understanding of the dosimetric impact of the delivery errors on the target and normal structure dose.
| S-EPMC5875511 | biostudies-literature