Evaluation of Calculation Algorithms for photon Beam dose in Heterogeneous Medium (original) (raw)
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The success of the implementations of a radiotherapy treatment planning system is determined by the ability of the dose calculation algorithms to reproduce the algorithm input data, and in most cases the agreement was found within ±2%. Varian linear accelerator DMX, TPS Eclipse (version 10.33) is used and absolute dosimetry and relative dosimetry system (PTW, Freiburg, Germany) and 2D array were also used. The Calculation of Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) is more accurate than the Pencil beam Algorithm (PBC) in heterogeneity medium in comparison with practical measurement. The extent of the effort required to carry out a validation study of the complexity of that described here precludes its use as a routine component of TPS commissioning. Our realistic recommendation is that commissioning includes tests aimed at confirming that raw beam data have been entered correctly and that the operation of the system is understood. Finally, the study tell us that the observed deviation...
2016
The treatment planning system (TPS) currently represents one of the basics of radiation therapy because it is the only method that estimates patient dose delivery fast forward and accurately estimates tumor location with the possibility of determining estimate densities teams in the tissue surrounding the tumor to overcome dose calculation defects, but radial estimated the patient. Although the errors associated with the systems and calculates the dose of all programs currently existing in the world. For that necessary, to the existence of a review of the accuracy of accounts and how to confirm the radiation dose to the patient programs. The rapid development of advanced treatment techniques and planning has placed higher demands on the verification of the dose delivered to the patient. In vivo dosimetry is an essential element in the quality assurance program used in today’s radiotherapy departments. Furthermore, in vivo dosimetry is used to control the total
Dosimetric verification of clinical radiotherapy treatment planning system
Vojnosanitetski pregled, 2020
Background/Aim. In the past two decades, we have witnessed the emergence of new radiation therapy techniques, radiotherapy treatment planning system (TPS) with calculating algorithms for the dosage calculation in a patient, units for multislice computed tomography (CT) and image-guided treatment delivery. The aim of the study was investigating the significant difference in dosimetric calculation of radiotherapy TPS in relation to the values obtained by measuring on the linear accelerator (LINAC), and the accuracy of dosimetric calculation between calculating algorithms Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and Acuros XB in various tissues and photon beam energies. Methods. For End-to-End test we used the hetero-geneous phantom CIRS Thorax002LFC, which anatomically represents human torso with a set of inserts known as relative electron densities (RED) for obtaining a CT calibration curve, comparable to the ?reference? CIRS 062M phantom. For the AAA and Acuros XB algorithms and for 6...
International Journal of Medical Physics, Clinical Engineering and Radiation Oncology, 2013
Purpose: To introduce a practical method of using an Electron Density Phantom (EDP) to evaluate different dose calculation algorithms for photon beams in a treatment planning system (TPS) and to commission the Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA) with inhomogeneity correction in Varian Eclipse TPS. Methods and Materials: The same EDP with various tissue-equivalent plugs (water, lung exhale, lung inhale, liver, breast, muscle, adipose, dense bone, trabecular bone) used to calibrate the computed tomography (CT) simulator was adopted to evaluate different dose calculation algorithms in a TPS by measuring the actual dose delivered to the EDP. The treatment plans with a 6-Megavolt (MV) single field of 20 × 20, 10 × 10, and 4 × 4 cm 2 field sizes were created based on the CT images of the EDP. A dose of 200 cGy was prescribed to the exhale-lung insert. Dose calculations were performed with AAA with inhomogeneity correction, Pencil Beam Convolution (PBC), and AAA without inhomogeneity correction. The plans were delivered and the actual doses were measured using radiation dosimetry devices MapCheck, EDR2-film, and ionization chamber respectively. Measured doses were compared with the calculated doses from the treatment plans. Results: The calculated dose using the AAA with inhomogeneity correction was most consistent with the measured dose. The dose discrepancy for all types of tissues covered by beam fields is at the level of 2%. The effect of AAA inhomogeneity correction for lung tissues is over 14%. Conclusions: The use of EDP and Map Check to evaluate and commission the dose calculation algorithms in a TPS is practical. In Varian Eclipse TPS, the AAA with inhomogeneity correction should be used for treatment planning especially when lung tissues are involved in a small radiation field.
Monte Carlo photon beam modeling and commissioning for radiotherapy dose calculation algorithm
Physica medica : PM : an international journal devoted to the applications of physics to medicine and biology : official journal of the Italian Association of Biomedical Physics (AIFB), 2014
The aim of the present work was a Monte Carlo verification of the Multi-grid superposition (MGS) dose calculation algorithm implemented in the CMS XiO (Elekta) treatment planning system and used to calculate the dose distribution produced by photon beams generated by the linear accelerator (linac) Siemens Primus. The BEAMnrc/DOSXYZnrc (EGSnrc package) Monte Carlo model of the linac head was used as a benchmark. In the first part of the work, the BEAMnrc was used for the commissioning of a 6 MV photon beam and to optimize the linac description to fit the experimental data. In the second part, the MGS dose distributions were compared with DOSXYZnrc using relative dose error comparison and γ-index analysis (2%/2 mm, 3%/3 mm), in different dosimetric test cases. Results show good agreement between simulated and calculated dose in homogeneous media for square and rectangular symmetric fields. The γ-index analysis confirmed that for most cases the MGS model and EGSnrc doses are within 3% ...
Journal of Medical Physics, 2013
Dose calculation algorithm is one of the main sources of uncertainty in the radiotherapy sequences. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of different inhomogeneity correction algorithms for external photon beam dose calculations. The methodology was based on International Atomic Energy Agency TEC-DOC 1583. The phantom was scanned in every center, using computed tomography and seven tests were planned on three-dimensional treatment planning systems (TPSs). The doses were measured with ion chambers and the deviation between measured and TPS calculated dose was reported. This methodology was tested in five different hospitals which were using six different algorithms/inhomogeneity correction methods implemented in different TPSs. The algorithms in this study were divided into two groups: Measurement-based algorithms (type (a)) and model-based algorithms (type (b)). In type (a) algorithms, we saw 7.6% and 11.3% deviations out of agreement criteria for low-and high-energy photons, respectively. While in type (b) algorithms, these values were 4.3% and 5.1%, respectively. As a general trend, the numbers of measurements with results outside the agreement criteria increase with the beam energy and decrease with advancement of TPS algorithms. More advanced algorithm would be preferable and therefore should be implanted in clinical practice, especially for calculation in inhomogeneous medias like lung and bone and for high-energy beams calculation at low depth points.
2006
A study of the performance of five commercial radiotherapy treatment planning systems (TPSs) for common treatment sites regarding their ability to model heterogeneities and scattered photons has been performed. The comparison was based on CT information for prostate, head and neck, breast and lung cancer cases. The TPSs were installed locally at different institutions and commissioned for clinical use based on local procedures. For the evaluation, beam qualities as identical as possible were used: low energy (6 MV) and high energy (15 or 18 MV) x-rays. All relevant anatomical structures were outlined and simple treatment plans were set up. Images, structures and plans were exported, anonymized and distributed to the participating institutions using the DICOM protocol. The plans were then re-calculated locally and exported back for evaluation. The TPSs cover dose calculation techniques from correction-based equivalent path length algorithms to modelbased algorithms. These were divided into two groups based on how changes in electron transport are accounted for ((a) not considered and (b) considered). Increasing the complexity from the relatively homogeneous pelvic region to the very inhomogeneous lung region resulted in less accurate dose distributions. Improvements in the calculated dose have been shown when models consider volume scatter and changes in electron transport, especially when the extension of the irradiated volume was limited and when low densities were present in or adjacent to the fields. A Monte Carlo calculated algorithm input data set and a benchmark set for a virtual linear accelerator have been produced which have facilitated the analysis and interpretation of the results. The more sophisticated
Bangladesh Journal of Medical Physics, 2013
A three dimensional treatment planning system has been installed in the Oncology Center, Bangladesh. This system is based on the Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA). The aim of this study is to verify the validity of photon dose distribution which is calculated by this treatment planning system by comparing it with measured photon beam data in real water phantom. To do this verification, a quality assurance program, consisting of six tests, was performed. In this program, both the calculated output factors and dose at different conditions were compared with the measurement. As a result of that comparison, we found that the calculated output factor was in excellent agreement with the measured factors. Doses at depths beyond the depth of maximum dose calculated on-axis or off-axis in both the fields or penumbra region were found in good agreement with the measured dose under all conditions of energy, SSD and field size, for open and wedged fields. In the build up region, calculated and measured doses only agree (with a difference 2.0%) for field sizes > 5 × 5 cm 2 up to 25 × 25 cm 2 . For smaller fields, the difference was higher than 2.0% because of the difficulty in dosimetry in that region. Dose calculation using treatment planning system based on the Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA) is accurate enough for clinical use except when calculating dose at depths above maximum dose for small field size.
Testing of the analytical anisotropic algorithm for photon dose calculation
Medical Physics, 2006
The analytical anisotropic algorithm ͑AAA͒ was implemented in the Eclipse ͑Varian Medical Sys-tems͒ treatment planning system to replace the single pencil beam ͑SPB͒ algorithm for the calculation of dose distributions for photon beams. AAA was developed to improve the dose calculation accuracy, especially in heterogeneous media. The total dose deposition is calculated as the superposition of the dose deposited by two photon sources ͑primary and secondary͒ and by an electron contamination source. The photon dose is calculated as a three-dimensional convolution of Monte-Carlo precalculated scatter kernels, scaled according to the electron density matrix. For the configuration of AAA, an optimization algorithm determines the parameters characterizing the multiple source model by optimizing the agreement between the calculated and measured depth dose curves and profiles for the basic beam data. We have combined the acceptance tests obtained in three different departments for 6, 15, and 18 MV photon beams. The accuracy of AAA was tested for different field sizes ͑symmetric and asymmetric͒ for open fields, wedged fields, and static and dynamic multileaf collimation fields. Depth dose behavior at different source-to-phantom distances was investigated. Measurements were performed on homogeneous, water equivalent phantoms, on simple phantoms containing cork inhomogeneities, and on the thorax of an anthropomorphic phantom. Comparisons were made among measurements, AAA, and SPB calculations. The optimization procedure for the configuration of the algorithm was successful in reproducing the basic beam data with an overall accuracy of 3%, 1 mm in the build-up region, and 1%, 1 mm elsewhere. Testing of the algorithm in more clinical setups showed comparable results for depth dose curves, profiles, and monitor units of symmetric open and wedged beams below d max . The electron contamination model was found to be suboptimal to model the dose around d max , especially for physical wedges at smaller source to phantom distances. For the asymmetric field verification, absolute dose difference of up to 4% were observed for the most extreme asymmetries. Compared to the SPB, the penumbra modeling is considerably improved ͑1%, 1 mm͒. At the interface between solid water and cork, profiles show a better agreement with AAA. Depth dose curves in the cork are substantially better with AAA than with SPB. Improvements are more pronounced for 18 MV than for 6 MV. Point dose measurements in the thoracic phantom are mostly within 5%. In general, we can conclude that, compared to SPB, AAA improves the accuracy of dose calculations. Particular progress was made with respect to the penumbra and low dose regions. In heterogeneous materials, improvements are substantial and more pronounced for high ͑18 MV͒ than for low ͑6 MV͒ energies.