scholarly journals Dosimetry audit of the CyberKnife accelerator with the SHANE phantom

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-212
Author(s):  
Marcin Szymański ◽  
Maria Piziorska ◽  
Oskar Madetko ◽  
Wioletta Ślusarczyk-Kacprzyk ◽  
Wojciech Bulski

Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study was to propose a dosimetric audit of the CyberKnife system. Dosimetry audit is an important part of the quality assurance process in radiotherapy. Most of the proposed dosimetric audits are dedicated to classical medical accelerators. Currently, there is no commonly implemented scheme for conducting a dosimetric audit of the CyberKnife accelerator. Material and methods: To verify the dosimetric and geometric parameters of the entire radiotherapy process, as is required in E2E test procedure, the CIRS SHANE anthropomorphic phantom was used. A tomography with a resolution of 1.5 mm was prepared, five PTVs (Planning Target Volume) of different volumes were drawn; approximately: 88 cm3, 44 cm3, 15 cm3, 7 cm3, 1.5 cm3. Five treatment plans were made using the 6D Skull tracking method, FIXED collimators, RayTracing algorithm. Each treatment plan was verified in a slab Phantom, with a PinPoint chamber. The dose was measured by an ionization chamber type TM31010 Semiflex, placed in the center area of the target. Results: The result of the QA verification in slab phantom was up to 5,0%. The percentage difference for the measurement in the SHANE phantom was: 4.29%, -1.42%, -0.70%, 1.37%, -1.88% respectively for the targets: 88 cm3, 44 cm3, 15 cm3, 7 cm3, 1.5 cm3. Conclusions: By analyzing various approaches to small-field dosimetry audits in the literature, it can be assumed that the proposed CyberKnife dosimetric audit using the SHANE phantom is an appropriate method of verification of the radiotherapy process. Particular attention should be paid to the target volume, adjusting it to the system capabilities.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita Casiraghi ◽  
Reinhard W. Schulte

Treatment planning for particle therapy is currently an active field of research due uncertainty in how to modify physical dose in order to create a uniform biological dose response in the target. A novel treatment plan optimization strategy based on measurable nanodosimetric quantities rather than biophysical models is proposed in this work. Simplified proton and carbon treatment plans were simulated in a water phantom to investigate the optimization feasibility. Track structures of the mixed radiation field produced at different depths in the target volume were simulated with Geant4-DNA and nanodosimetric descriptors were calculated. The fluences of the treatment field pencil beams were optimized in order to create a mixed field with equal nanodosimetric descriptors at each of the multiple positions in spread-out particle Bragg peaks. For both proton and carbon ion plans, a uniform spatial distribution of nanodosimetric descriptors could be obtained by optimizing opposing-field but not single-field plans. The results obtained indicate that uniform nanodosimetrically weighted plans, which may also be radiobiologically uniform, can be obtained with this approach. Future investigations need to demonstrate that this approach is also feasible for more complicated beam arrangements and that it leads to biologically uniform response in tumor cells and tissues.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Shen ◽  
Yinjie TAO ◽  
Hui GUAN ◽  
Hongnan ZHEN ◽  
Lei HE ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Clinical target volumes (CTV) and organs at risk (OAR) could be auto-contoured to save workload. The goal of this study was to assess a convolutional neural network (CNN) for totally automatic and accurate CTV and OAR in prostate cancer, while also comparing anticipated treatment plans based on auto-contouring CTV to clinical plans. Methods From January 2013 to January 2019, 217 computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with locally advanced prostate cancer treated at our hospital were collected and analyzed. CTV and OAR were delineated with a deep learning based method, which named CUNet. The performance of this strategy was evaluated using the mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (95HD), and subjective evaluation. Treatment plans were graded using predetermined evaluation criteria, and % errors for clinical doses to the planned target volume (PTV) and organs at risk(OARs) were calculated. Results The defined CTVs had mean DSC and 95HD values of 0.84 and 5.04 mm, respectively. For one patient's CT scans, the average delineation time was less than 15 seconds. When CTV outlines from CUNetwere blindly chosen and compared to GT, the overall positive rate in clinicians A and B was 53.15% vs 46.85%, and 54.05% vs 45.95%, respectively (P>0.05), demonstrating that our deep machine learning model performed as good as or better than human demarcation Furthermore, 8 testing patients were chosen at random to design the predicted plan based on the auto-courtoring CTV and OAR, demonstrating acceptable agreement with the clinical plan: average absolute dose differences of D2, D50, D98, Dmean for PTV are within 0.74%, and average absolute volume differences of V45, V50 for OARs are within 3.4%. Without statistical significance (p>0.05), the projected findings are comparable to clinical truth. Conclusion The experimental results show that the CTV and OARs defined by CUNet for prostate cancer were quite close to the ground reality.CUNet has the potential to cut radiation oncologists' contouring time in half. When compared to clinical plans, the differences between estimated doses to CTV and OAR based on auto-courtoring were small, with no statistical significance, indicating that treatment planning for prostate cancer based on auto-courtoring has potential.


2004 ◽  
pp. 334-340
Author(s):  
Gunnar Surber ◽  
Klaus Hamm ◽  
Gabriele Kleinert

Object. There are various kinds of conformity parameters currently in use, although several of them are limited and reflect only target volume coverage or normal tissue overdosage. Indices are reviewed with the goal of determining those that are most significant for the evaluation of radiosurgery treatment plans for patients with vestibular schwannoma, based on the authors' experience at the Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery Center. Methods. Fifty-five radiosurgery plans for patients with vestibular schwannomas (VSs) have been evaluated. In this paper the conformation number (CN) and dose-related CN (dCN) are evaluated, and a penalty for underdosed target volumes and overdosed normal tissue is incorporated. A strategy is discussed to apply these indices (CN and dCN) to define the optimal prescription isodose (PI). For a given radiosurgery treatment plan, permitting partial target underdosage may offer an improvement of the CN. Variations of different conformation indices have been calculated for varying prescription levels—for example, an isodose plan. The resulting graph for the CN is discussed in detail to illustrate its use in defining the optimal PI level. For the 55 cases of VSs reported on, the median CNmax result was 0.78. Conclusions. It is possible to achieve highly conformal dose distributions with Novalis radiosurgical system. The CN is the parameter of choice when evaluating radiosurgery treatment plans and scoring possible treatment plans. It takes into account both target underdosage and normal tissue overdosage and offers a valuable scoring parameter while avoiding false-perfect scores.


Author(s):  
M. Ruschin ◽  
A. Sahgal ◽  
H. Soliman ◽  
B. Chugh ◽  
S. Myrehaug ◽  
...  

Predictive modeling of dose fall-off in radiosurgery could assist in clinical decision-making when prescribing a treatment plan with minimized toxicity risk. The purpose of this study is to develop a predictive dose fall-off model. Materials/Methods: We retrospectively reviewed treatment plans from 257 patients (365 lesions) with total doses ranging from 20 to 35Gy in 5 fractions. For each plan, we measured both total volume of the external contour (EXT) and BrainMinusPTV (BMP) receiving P=20% to P=80% of the prescription dose. The model has form y=Fa(PTV)b+/-delta. y=volume of EXT or BMP (cc’s); a and b are curve-fitting coefficients; PTV=total planning target volume (cc’s); F is an adjustment factor (>1) to account for number of targets; delta is the 95% prediction band. F, a, b, and delta were modeled such that dose-fall can be forecast for any PTV and dose level. Results: The model coefficients were as follows: Coefficient EXT BMP a 19927(100×P)exp(-2) 17122(100×P)exp(-2) b 0.42(100×P)exp(0.17) 0.63 F -0.0156×(100×P)+2.5517 delta 384467×(100×P)exp(-2.3159) The table can be used to determine the model for any P from 20% to 80%. Example: the EXT receiving 50%, P=0.5, a=8.0, b=0.82, F=1.8, delta=45. Thus, EXT-50=8(PTV0.82) or 1.8×8(PTV0.82) for 1-3 or >3 targets, respectively,+/-45cc’s. The model was verified against published values of dose fall-off from linacs. Conclusion: A predictive dose fall-off model was generated for linac-based radiosurgery. The model can be used for quality assurance or for inter-institutional comparisons. Ongoing work is being conducted to extend the model to a SRS cones system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanhua Duan ◽  
Yang Lin ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Bodong Kang ◽  
Aihui Feng ◽  
...  

PurposeGradient measure (GM) is a critical index related to normal tissue sparing in radiosurgery. This study aims to describe the dependence of GM on target volume and target shape for lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatment plans.MethodsA total of 307 peripheral and 119 central lung SBRT treatment plans were enrolled for this study. A least-squares regression was used for data analysis. First, the equations with different functional forms were established to determine the dependence of GM on a univariaty (VP or Sp) and bivariaty (VP and Sp), respectively. Then, the correlation coefficients and p-values of variables for all equations were compared and analyzed to determine the dependence of GM on PTV volume (VP) and sphericity (Sp).ResultsThe power equations had the highest coefficient of determination (R2) in the dependence results of GM on univariate VP. The equations were GM=0.674VP0.178 and GM=0.660VP0.185 for peripheral and central lesions, respectively. On the other hand, the R2 of all functional forms were less than 0.25 when the relationship of GM versus univariate Sp was analyzed. Similarly, the power equation also obtained the highest R2 in bivariaty VP and Sp analysis, whether for central or peripheral. However, the R2 of the bivariate equations were not improved compared with those of univariate equations. Moreover, the p-values of the variable Sp were greater than 0.05.ConclusionsThe GM of the lung SBRT plan is shape-independent and volume-dependent. The dependence of GM on PTV volume for peripheral and central lung cancer can be described by two different power equations. The results of this study can be used as a potential tool to assist dosimetric quality control during the radiosurgery process.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (Supplement3) ◽  
pp. 334-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar Surber ◽  
Klaus Hamm ◽  
Gabriele Kleinert

Object. There are various kinds of conformity parameters currently in use, although several of them are limited and reflect only target volume coverage or normal tissue overdosage. Indices are reviewed with the goal of determining those that are most significant for the evaluation of radiosurgery treatment plans for patients with vestibular schwannoma, based on the authors' experience at the Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery Center. Methods. Fifty-five radiosurgery plans for patients with vestibular schwannomas (VSs) have been evaluated. In this paper the conformation number (CN) and dose-related CN (dCN) are evaluated, and a penalty for underdosed target volumes and overdosed normal tissue is incorporated. A strategy is discussed to apply these indices (CN and dCN) to define the optimal prescription isodose (PI). For a given radiosurgery treatment plan, permitting partial target underdosage may offer an improvement of the CN. Variations of different conformation indices have been calculated for varying prescription levels—for example, an isodose plan. The resulting graph for the CN is discussed in detail to illustrate its use in defining the optimal PI level. For the 55 cases of VSs reported on, the median CNmax result was 0.78. Conclusions. It is possible to achieve highly conformal dose distributions with Novalis radiosurgical system. The CN is the parameter of choice when evaluating radiosurgery treatment plans and scoring possible treatment plans. It takes into account both target underdosage and normal tissue overdosage and offers a valuable scoring parameter while avoiding false-perfect scores.


Author(s):  
Idajet Selmani ◽  
Partizan Malkaj

One of the most important issues in the field of radiotherapy is the correct distribution of the dose around the volume of interest or planning target volume (PTV). For making this possible the exact isodose in a treatment plan has to cover the PTV, so it is used the wedge which is a part of the linear accelerator head. Wedge plays the role of a filter and usually it is called wedge filter. The wedge filter is in use almost in all treatment plans, for all the parts of the body. In this paper it is consider the use of the wedge filter for treatment of rectum tumors. The process starts with the scanning of the patient and the deliantion of the interest’s volums in the Monaco system. In the following the imagins have been sent in the treatment planning system for making the nesessary plans for treatment of the rectum. Two plans were done, one with the use of the wedge and the other without using it. The dose volume histogram helps for compering the results of the plans. The best conformity of the isodoses it was for the plan with the use of wedge through volume of interest, which is planning target volume (PTV).


2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (1110) ◽  
pp. 20190897
Author(s):  
Jennifer Cannon ◽  
Peter Bownes ◽  
Joshua Mason ◽  
Rachel Cooper

Objective: Assessment of the extent of variation in delineations and dose optimisation performed at multiple UK centres as a result of interobserver variation and protocol differences. Methods: CT/MR images of 2 cervical cancer patients previously treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and Brachytherapy were distributed to 11 UK centres. Centres delineated structures and produced treatment plans following their local protocol. Organ at risk delineations were assessed dosimetrically through application of the original treatment plan and target volume delineations were assessed in terms of variation in absolute volume and length, width and height. Treatment plan variation was assessed across all centres and across centres that followed EMBRACE II. Treatment plans were assessed using total EQD2 delivered and were compared to EMBRACE II dose aims. Variation in combined intracavitary/interstitial brachytherapy treatments was also assessed. Results: Brachytherapy target volume delineations contained variation due to differences in protocol used, window/level technique and differences in interpretations of grey zones. Planning target volume delineations were varied due to protocol differences and extended parametrial tissue inclusion. All centres met EMBRACE II plan aims for PTV V95 and high-riskclinical target volume D90 EQD2, despite variation in prescription dose, fractionation and treatment technique. Conclusion: Brachytherapy target volume delineations are varied due to differences in contouring guidelines and protocols used. Planning target volume delineations are varied due to the uncertainties surrounding the extent of parametrial involvement. Dosimetric optimisation is sufficient across all centres to satisfy EMBRACE II planning aims despite significant variation in protocols used. Advances in knowledge: Previous multi-institutional audits of cervical cancer radiotherapy practices have been performed in Europe and the USA. This study is the first of its kind to be performed in the UK.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Sadiq R Malik ◽  
Shohel Reza ◽  
MM Shakhawat Hossain

<p><span>Advancement in Cancer Therapy Technology (CTT) due to Software, Hardware and precise delivery of radiation dose has enhanced the quality of life of cancer patients. This report aims at the application of 3-D CRT (Three Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy) and IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) for a quality of treatment. Other anatomical sites viz. Prostate, Lung, etc. may also be treated provided a better tool is applied for target delineation for which FUSION of CT and MRI images are used to ascertain differences in tissue density. This Fusion image of 3 mm slices offer accurate contouring of the tumor. The oncologist and/or physicist perform delineation of (I) GTV (Gross Tumor Volume), (II) CTV (Clinical Target Volume), (III) PTV (Planning Target Volume), (IV) TV (Treated Volume) and (V) OARs (Organs at Risk). This is done to secure conformal dose distribution and justify the clinical objectives of Tumor Control Probability (TCP) by reducing the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). <span> </span><span> </span>The implication of this study outlines the fundamental goal of effective treatment procedures by comparing treatment plans of 3-D CRT and IMRT. Tolerance levels of dose to different organs are optimized by the analysis of random and systemic geometrical deviations, margin on target volumes, conformity index (CI), patient selection process and, of course, the shape and stage of target. The comparative parameters of treatment plans are segmented and tabulated to implicate the application of necessary tools to decide on a treatment plan for similar patients.</span></p><p><span>Bangladesh J. Nuclear Med. 19(1): 64-67, January 2016</span></p>


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