Evaluation of an in Vivo Dosimetry System for External Beam Radiotherapy and Optimizing the Workflow

Evaluation of an in Vivo Dosimetry System for External Beam Radiotherapy and Optimizing the Workflow

Author: Bianca Weber

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13:

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In vivo Dosimetrie wird im Bereich der Qualitätssicherung empfohlen, da es weithin als die ultimative Überprüfung der Bestrahlungskette angesehen wird. Es können große Abweichungen und Probleme mit dem Planungssystem erkannt werden. Es ist eine unabhängige Kontrolle, welche eine zusätzliche Schutzmaßnahme bietet. Jedoch muss das Dosimetriesystem sorgfältig geplant und den Anforderungen der Klinik angepasst werden. Das Dosimetriesystem der Radioonkologie des Stadtspital Triemli verfügt über Photonendosimetrie mit flachen Dioden und Standard Korrekturfaktoren. Die Ausrüstung wurde um Dioden zur Messung von Elektronenfeldern und Streustrahlung erweitert. Ein Teil dieser Arbeit ist die Evaluation der zylindrischen Streudosis-Dioden und eine Einführung in die Elektronen in vivo Dosimetrie. Der Hauptteil der Arbeit ist jedoch die Bestimmung der Korrekturfaktoren für alle verfügbaren Diodenarten und deren Überprüfung mit Phantom- und Patientendaten.Die relevanten Korrekturen bewegen sich im Bereich von 0 bis 30 %. Die wichtigsten Faktoren ergeben sich aus den Messungen der Feldgrößen und des Fokus-Haut-Abstands. Weitere Korrekturen müssen für den Einfallswinkel des Strahls, den Keil und die Position der Diode getroffen werden. Eine genaue Positionierung der Diode ist aufgrund des Dosisprofils empfehlenswert. Die Streudioden (RO-Dioden) können in gleicher Weise als flachen Dioden korrigiert werden, da die Korrekturfaktoren in einem Großteil der Testmessungen mit künstlichem Phantom bestätigt werden konnten. Die Elektronenmessungen zeigen sich als nahezu konstant bei demselben Tubus und sind nahezu unabhängig vom Elektroneneinsatz. Die Schwankungen zwischen den verschiedenen Einsätzen liegen unter 1 %. Somit wird lediglich ein Korrekturfaktor für die unterschiedlichen Tuben nötig. Empfehlenswert ist eine Positionierung der Diode ähnlich den Referenzbedingungen. Dadurch werden die Anzahl der Korrekturfaktoren und die Wahrscheinlichkeit einen Fehlers reduziert. Die Korrekturfaktoren können für 3DRT, Gating und IMRT verwendet werden. Es konnte im Zuge dieser Arbeit keine Lösung für in vivo Dosimetry von volumen-intensitätsmodulierte Arc-Therapie (VMAT) gefunden werden. Die aktuellen Korrekturfaktoren wurden in die neue Software VivoDos implementiert. *****In radiotherapy in vivo dosimetry is widely recommended as the ultimate check of quality assurance. Detecting major errors, identifying planning system problems in vivo dosimetry is an independent check, providing defence in depth. However, the system procedures need to be carefully designed. At the Triemli hospital at the department of radio oncology the dosimetry system has some limitations as just flat diodes, photon dosimetry and standard correction factors are available. The project address the investigation of the influence of field parameters on the diode measurement such as field size, source surface distance, the incident angle of the radiation beam, temperature, wedges and the position of the diode due to the dose profile of the treatment field. Furthermore, cylindrical organ-at-risk and electron diodes are evaluated in order to use them clinically. The next step is the evaluation of the determined factors with artificial phantoms and patient data. The main correction values are varying between 0 and ± 30 %. The most important factors which arise out of the measurements of the field size and the source surface distance. Further corrections have to be done for the incident angle of the beam, the wedge and the position of the diode. Its advisable to position the diode correctly in order to maintain correct measurements. The cylindrical diodes (RO-diodes) can be corrected the same way as flat diodes due to the verification of the correction factors measured with phantoms. Independent of the used inserts the electron measurements are constant at the same applications. The fluctuations between the different inserts are lower than 1 %. Hence only correction for the tube is needed. It is recommended to position the diodes close to reference conditions in order to reduce the number of correction factors and the possibility of errors. The correction factors are valid for 3DRT, Gating and IMRT. Within the time of the development of this work no correction procedure for volumetric intensity-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) was found. The new correction factors are implemented in the new software VivoDos.


Radiation Therapy Dosimetry

Radiation Therapy Dosimetry

Author: Arash Darafsheh

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2021-03-08

Total Pages: 505

ISBN-13: 1351005375

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This comprehensive book covers the everyday use and underlying principles of radiation dosimeters used in radiation oncology clinics. It provides an up-to-date reference spanning the full range of current modalities with emphasis on practical know-how. The main audience is medical physicists, radiation oncology physics residents, and medical physics graduate students. The reader gains the necessary tools for determining which detector is best for a given application. Dosimetry of cutting edge techniques from radiosurgery to MRI-guided systems to small fields and proton therapy are all addressed. Main topics include fundamentals of radiation dosimeters, brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy dosimetry, and dosimetry of imaging modalities. Comprised of 30 chapters authored by leading experts in the medical physics community, the book: Covers the basic principles and practical use of radiation dosimeters in radiation oncology clinics across the full range of current modalities. Focuses on providing practical guidance for those using these detectors in the clinic. Explains which detector is more suitable for a particular application. Discusses the state of the art in radiotherapy approaches, from radiosurgery and MR-guided systems to advanced range verification techniques in proton therapy. Gives critical comparisons of dosimeters for photon, electron, and proton therapies.


Four-dimensional in Vivo Dosimetry by Dose Reconstruction Using Continuous EPID Images and Phase Sorting Method

Four-dimensional in Vivo Dosimetry by Dose Reconstruction Using Continuous EPID Images and Phase Sorting Method

Author: JiHyung Yoon

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 103

ISBN-13:

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In vivo dosimetry is widely used for patient specific dose evaluation and treatment verification in external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). There is a growing interest in using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) for in vivo dosimetry, by correlating pixel values of measured EPID images to three-dimensional (3D) dose in the patient. In this research, a non-iterative dose reconstruction method has been employed, which utilizes phantom and EPID response functions calculated from pre-acquired Computed Tomography (CT) image and simulated EPID image from Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. The accuracy of reconstructed dose, however, is limited by that of the simulated EPID image. In this study, a previously proposed density scaled model in XVMC code has been improved by physically relevant effective atomic number modeling and employing realistic phase space data. The new model has been tested under various field sizes and phantom thickness, including homogeneous and heterogeneous media. It has been shown that the calculated EPID images from the new EPID model are agreeable to the measured EPID images after field size and phantom thickness factors applied. The improved EPID model in MC code has been used in four-dimensional (4D) dose reconstruction. Considering the patient respiratory motion, breathing phase of acquired EPID images are determined by the phase sorting method for various treatment plans. For each phase, dose reconstruction has been performed using the sorted EPID images and 4D CT image of corresponding phase. The reconstructed 3D doses of each phase have been transformed to a reference phase to calculate the accumulated dose. The reconstructed doses have been shown good agreements to the forward 4D calculation in gamma analysis and dose-volume histogram (DVH) comparison. Based on the results, the new EPID model and the suggested phase sorting method accurately reconstruct the dose to the phantom for the cases shown in this study.


Setting Up a Radiotherapy Programme

Setting Up a Radiotherapy Programme

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 9789201018076

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This publication provides guidance for designing and implementing radiotherapy programmes, taking into account clinical, medical physics, radiation protection and safety aspects. It reflects current requirements for radiotherapy infrastructure in settings with limited resources. It will be of use to professionals involved in the development, implementation and management of radiotherapy programmes


Accuracy Requirements and Uncertainties in Radiotherapy

Accuracy Requirements and Uncertainties in Radiotherapy

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2017-04-12

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 9789201008152

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Accuracy requirements in radiation oncology have been defined in multiple publications; however, these have been based on differing radiation technologies. In the meantime, the uncertainties in radiation dosimetry reference standards have been reduced and more detailed patient outcome data are available. No comprehensive literature on accuracy and uncertainties in radiotherapy has been published so far. The IAEA has therefore developed a new international consensus document on accuracy requirements and uncertainties in radiation therapy, to promote safer and more effective patient treatments. This publication addresses accuracy and uncertainty issues related to the vast majority of radiotherapy departments including both external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. It covers clinical, radiobiological, dosimetric, technical and physical aspects.


Scintillation Dosimetry

Scintillation Dosimetry

Author: Sam Beddar

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2016-04-06

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13: 1482209004

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Scintillation Dosimetry delivers a comprehensive introduction to plastic scintillation dosimetry, covering everything from basic radiation dosimetry concepts to plastic scintillating fiber optics. Comprised of chapters authored by leading experts in the medical physics community, the book: Discusses a broad range of technical implementations, from point source dosimetry scaling to 3D-volumetric and 4D-scintillation dosimetry Addresses a wide scope of clinical applications, from machine quality assurance to small-field and in vivo dosimetry Examines related optical techniques, such as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or Čerenkov luminescence Thus, Scintillation Dosimetry provides an authoritative reference for detailed, state-of-the-art information on plastic scintillation dosimetry and its use in the field of radiation dosimetry.


Adaptive Radiation Therapy

Adaptive Radiation Therapy

Author: X. Allen Li

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2011-01-27

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 1439816352

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Modern medical imaging and radiation therapy technologies are so complex and computer driven that it is difficult for physicians and technologists to know exactly what is happening at the point-of-care. Medical physicists responsible for filling this gap in knowledge must stay abreast of the latest advances at the intersection of medical imaging an