Differential dose volume histograms of Gamma Knife in the presence of inhomogeneities using MRI-polymer gel dosimetry and MC simulation (original) (raw)
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Iranian Journal of Medical Physics, 2012
Introduction Polymer gel dosimeters offer a practical solution to 3D dose verification for conventional radiotherapy as well as intensity-modulated and stereotactic radiotherapy. In this study, EGSnrc calculated and PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter measured dose profiles from single shot irradiation with 18 mm collimator of Gamma Knife in homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms were compared with each other. Materials and Methods The head phantom was a custom-built 16 cm diameter plexiglas sphere. Inside the phantom, there were two cubic cutouts for inserting the gel vials and inhomogeneities. Following irradiation with the Gamma Knife unit, the polymer gel dosimeters were scanned with a 1.5 T MRI scanner. For the purpose of simulation the simplified channel of 60Co source of Gamma Knife BEAMnrc and for extracting the 3D dose distribution in the phantom, DOSXYZnrc codes were used. Results Within high isodose levels (>80%), there are dose differences higher than 7%, especially between a...
Iranian journal of radiation research (IJRR)
Background: Polymer gel dosimetry is still the only dosimetry method for direct measuring of threedimensional dose distributions. MRI Polymer gel dosimeters are tissue equivalent and can act as a phantom material. In this study the obtained isodose maps with PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter were compared to those calculated with EGSnrs for singleshot irradiations of 8 and 18 mm collimators of Gamma Knife (GK) unit in homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms. Materials and Methods: A custom-built, 16 cm diameter spherical Plexiglas head phantom was. Inside the phantom, there was one cubic cutout for insertion of gel phantoms, and another cutout for inserting the inhomogeneities. The phantoms were scanned with a Siemens clinical 1.5 T MRI scanner. The multiple spin-echo sequence with 32 echoes was used for the MRI scans. Results: The results of measurement and simulation in homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantoms showed that the presence of inhomogeneities in head phantom could cause spatial uncertainty higher than ±2 mm and dose uncertainty higher than 7%. Conclusion: the presence of inhomogeneities could cause dose differences which were not in accordance with accuracy in treatment with GK radiosurgery. Moreover, the findings of Monte Carlo calculation revealed that the applied simulation code (EGSnrc) was a proper tool for evaluation of 3D dose distribution in GK unit.
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2009
The BANG™ polymer gel dosimeter was used to evaluate 3D absorbed dose distributions in tissue delivered with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery systems. We compared dose distributions calculated with Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) treatment-planning software with dose distributions measured with the polymer gel dosimeter for single-shot irradiations. Head-sized spherical glass vessels filled with the polymer gel were irradiated with Gamma Knife. The phantoms were scanned with a 1.0T MRI scanner. The Hahn spin-echo sequence with two echoes was used for the MRI scans. Calibration relations between the spin-spin relaxation rate and the absorbed dose were obtained by using small cylindrical vials, which were filled with the polymer gel from the same batch as for the spherical phantom. We made voxel-by-voxel comparisons of measured and calculated dose distributions for 31 × 31 × 31 dose matrix elements. With the 3D dose data we calculated the tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for a simple model. For the maximum dose of 100 Gy, the mean and one standard deviation of differences between the measured and the calculated doses were the following:-0.38±4.63 Gy, 1.49±2.77 Gy, and-1.03±4.18 Gy for 8-mm, 14-mm, and 18-mm collimators, respectively. Tumor control probability values for measurements were smaller than the calculations by 0% to 7%, whereas NTCP values were larger by 7% to 24% for four of six experiments.
Evaluation of Dose Delivery Accuracy of Gamma Knife by Polymer Gel Dosimetry
Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 2005
The BANG™ polymer gel dosimeter was used to evaluate 3D absorbed dose distributions in tissue delivered with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery systems. We compared dose distributions calculated with Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) treatment-planning software with dose distributions measured with the polymer gel dosimeter for single-shot irradiations. Head-sized spherical glass vessels filled with the polymer gel were irradiated with Gamma Knife. The phantoms were scanned with a 1.0T MRI scanner. The Hahn spin-echo sequence with two echoes was used for the MRI scans. Calibration relations between the spin-spin relaxation rate and the absorbed dose were obtained by using small cylindrical vials, which were filled with the polymer gel from the same batch as for the spherical phantom. We made voxel-by-voxel comparisons of measured and calculated dose distributions for 31 × 31 × 31 dose matrix elements. With the 3D dose data we calculated the tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for a simple model. For the maximum dose of 100 Gy, the mean and one standard deviation of differences between the measured and the calculated doses were the following:-0.38±4.63 Gy, 1.49±2.77 Gy, and-1.03±4.18 Gy for 8-mm, 14-mm, and 18-mm collimators, respectively. Tumor control probability values for measurements were smaller than the calculations by 0% to 7%, whereas NTCP values were larger by 7% to 24% for four of six experiments.
Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 2011
One of treatment planning techniques with Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) for Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS) uses multiple matrices with multiple dose prescriptions. Computational complexity increases when shots are placed in multiple matrices with different grid sizes. Hence, the experimental validation of LGP calculated dose distributions is needed for those cases. For the current study, we used BANG3 polymer gel contained in a head-sized glass bottle to simulate the entire treatment process of GKSRS. A treatment plan with three 18 mm shots and one 8 mm shot in separate matrices was created with LGP. The prescribed maximum dose was 8 Gy to three shots and 16 Gy to one of the 18 mm shots. The 3D dose distribution recorded in the gel dosimeter was read using a Siemens 3T MRI scanner. The scanning parameters of a CPMG pulse sequence with 32 equidistant echoes were as follows: TR = 7 s, echo step = 13.6 ms, field-of-view = 256 mm × 256 mm, and pixel size = 1 mm × 1 mm. Interleaved acquisition mode was used to obtain 15 to 45 2-mm-thick slices. Using a calibration relationship between absorbed dose and the spin-spin relaxation rate (R2), we converted R2 images to dose images. MATLAB-based in-house programs were used for R2 estimation and dose comparison. Gamma-index analysis for the 3D data showed gamma values less than unity for 86% of the voxels. Through this study we accomplished the first application of polymer gel dosimetry for a true comparison between measured 3D dose distributions and LGP calculations for plans using multiple matrices for multiple targets.
Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2003
When planning an intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment in a heterogeneous region (e.g. the thorax), the dose computation algorithm of a treatment planning system may need to account for these inhomogeneities in order to obtain a reliable prediction of the dose distribution. An accurate dose verification technique such as monomer/polymer gel dosimetry is suggested to verify the outcome of the planning system. The effects of low-density structures: (a) on narrow high-energy (18 MV) photon beams; and (b) on a class-solution IMRT treatment delivered to a thorax phantom have been examined using gel dosimetry. The used phantom contained air cavities that could be filled with water to simulate a homogeneous or heterogeneous configuration. The IMRT treatment for centrally located lung tumors was delivered on both cases, and gel derived dose maps were compared with computations by both the GRATIS and Helax-TMS planning system. Dose rebuildup due to electronic disequilibrium in a narrow photon beam is demonstrated. The gel measurements showed good agreement with diamond detector measurements. Agreement between measured IMRT dose maps and dose computations was demonstrated by several quantitative techniques. An underdosage of the planning target volume (PTV) was revealed. The homogeneity of the phantom had only a minor influence on the dose distribution in the PTV. An expansion of low-level isodoses in the lung volume was predicted by collapsed cone computations in the heterogeneous case. For the class-solution described, the dose in centrally located mediastinal tumors can be computed with sufficient accuracy, even when neglecting the lower lung density. Polymer gel dosimetry proved to be a valuable technique to verify dose calculation algorithms for IMRT in 3D in heterogeneous configurations.
Heterogeneity phantoms for visualization of 3D dose distributions by MRI-based polymer gel dosimetry
Medical Physics, 2004
Heterogeneity corrections in dose calculations are necessary for radiation therapy treatment plans. Dosimetric measurements of the heterogeneity effects are hampered if the detectors are large and their radiological characteristics are not equivalent to water. Gel dosimetry can solve these problems. Furthermore, it provides three-dimensional ͑3D͒ dose distributions. We used a cylindrical phantom filled with BANG-3 ® polymer gel to measure 3D dose distributions in heterogeneous media. The phantom has a cavity, in which water-equivalent or bone-like solid blocks can be inserted. The irradiated phantom was scanned with an magnetic resonance imaging ͑MRI͒ scanner. Dose distributions were obtained by calibrating the polymer gel for a relationship between the absorbed dose and the spin-spin relaxation rate of the magnetic resistance ͑MR͒ signal. To study dose distributions we had to analyze MR imaging artifacts. This was done in three ways: comparison of a measured dose distribution in a simulated homogeneous phantom with a reference dose distribution, comparison of a sagittally scanned image with a sagittal image reconstructed from axially scanned data, and coregistration of MR and computed-tomography images. We found that the MRI artifacts cause a geometrical distortion of less than 2 mm and less than 10% change in the dose around solid inserts. With these limitations in mind we could make some qualitative measurements. Particularly we observed clear differences between the measured dose distributions around an air-gap and around bone-like material for a 6 MV photon beam. In conclusion, the gel dosimetry has the potential to qualitatively characterize the dose distributions near heterogeneities in 3D.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2004
In preview works the Portuguese Gamma Irradiation Facility, UTR, has been simulated using the MCNP code and the product to be irradiated has been drawn using the boolean operators with the MCNP surfaces. However, sometimes the product to be irradiated could have an irregular shape. The paper describes an alternative way for drawing the corresponding volume based on CT image data in a format of a 3D matrix of voxels. This data are read by a specific code called SCMS which transforms it into a MCNP input file. The dimensions of each MCNP voxel depend on the number of elements in the CT-based matrix. Additionally, the new approach allows one to know dose distributions anywhere without extra definitions of surfaces or volumes. Experimental dose measurements were carried out using Amber Perspex dosimeters. This work presents the results of MCNP simulations using both modeling modes-the standard mode and the voxel mode.
Acta Oncologica, 2008
Introduction. In SRT/SRS, dedicated treatment planning systems are used for the calculation of the dose distribution. The majority of these systems utilize the standard TMR/OAR formalism for dose calculation as well as they usually neglect any perturbation due to head heterogeneities. The aim of this study is to examine the errors due to head heterogeneities for both absolute and relative dose distributions in stereotactic radiotherapy. Materials and methods. Dosimetric measurements in phantoms have been made for linac stereotactic irradiation. CT-based phantoms have been used for Monte Carlo simulations for both linac-based stereotactic system and Gamma Knife unit. Absolute and relative dose distributions have been compared between homogeneous and heterogeneous media. DVH and TCP results are presented for all cases. Results. The maximum absolute dose difference at the isocenter was 2.2% and 6.9% for the linac and Gamma Knife respectively. The impact of heterogeneity in the target DVH was minor for the linac technique whereas considerable difference was observed for the Gamma Knife treatment. This was reflected also to the radiobiological evaluation, where the maximum TCP difference for the linac system was 2.7% and for the Gamma Knife was 4%. Discussion and conclusions. The errors rising from the existence of head heterogeneities are not negligible especially for the Gamma Knife which uses lower energy beams. The errors of the absolute dose calculation could be easily eliminated by implementing a simple heterogeneity correction algorithm at the TPS. Nevertheless, the errors for not taking into account the lateral electron transport would require a more sophisticated approach and even direct Monte Carlo calculation.