BrachyView: development of an algorithm for real-time automatic LDR brachytherapy seed detection.

BrachyView is a novel in-body imaging system developed to provide real-time intraoperative dosimetry for low dose rate prostate brachytherapy treatments. Seed positions can be reconstructed after in-vivo implantation using a high-resolution pinhole gamma camera inserted into the patient rectum. The obtained data is a set of 2D projections of the seeds on the image plane. The 3D reconstruction algorithm requires the identification of the seed's centre of mass. This work presents the development and techniques adopted to build an algorithm that provides the means for fully automatic seed centre of mass identification and 3D position reconstruction for real-time applications. The algorithm presented uses a local feature detector, speeded up robust features, to perform detection of brachytherapy seed 2D projections from images, allowing for robust seed identification. Initial results have been obtained with datasets of 30, 96 and 98 I-125 brachytherapy seeds implanted into a prostate gel phantom. It can detect 97% of seeds and correctly match 97% of seeds. The average overall computation time of 2.75 s per image and improved reconstruction accuracy of 22.87% for the 98 seed dataset was noted. Elimination processes for initial false positive detection removal have shown to be extremely effective, resulting in a 99.9% reduction of false positives, and when paired with automatic frame alignment and subtraction procedures allows for the effective removal of excess counts generated by previously implanted needles. The proposed algorithm will allow the BrachyView system to be used as a real-time intraoperative dosimetry tool for low dose rate prostate brachytherapy treatments.

BrachyView: Reconstruction of seed positions and volume of an LDR prostate brachytherapy patient plan using a baseline subtraction algorithm.

PURPOSE: BrachyView is a novel in-body imaging system developed with the objective to provide real-time intraoperative dosimetry for low dose rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy treatments. The BrachyView coordinates combined with conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) imaging, provides the possibility to localise the effective position of the implanted seeds inside the prostate volume, providing a unique tool for intra-operative verification of the quality of the implantation. This research presents the first complete LDR brachytherapy plan reconstructed by the BrachyView system and is used to evaluate the effectiveness of an imaging algorithm with baseline subtraction. METHODS: A plan featuring 98 I-125 brachytherapy seeds, with an average activity of 0.248 mCi, were implanted into a prostate gel phantom under TRUS guidance. Images of implanted seeds were obtained by the BrachyView after the implantation of seeds. The baseline subtraction algorithm is applied as a pixel-to-pixel counts subtraction and is applied to every second projection obtained after the implantation of each needle. Seed positions and effectiveness of the baseline reconstruction in the identification of seeds were verified by a high-resolution post-implant CT scan. RESULTS: A complete brachytherapy plan has been reconstructed with a 100% detection rate. This is possible due to the effectiveness of the baseline subtraction, with its application an overall increase of 11.3% in position accuracy and 8.2% increase in detection rate was noted. CONCLUSION: It has been demonstrated that the BrachyView system shows the potential to be a solution to providing clinics with the means for intraoperative dosimetry for LDR prostate brachytherapy treatments.

BrachyView: Combining LDR seed positions with transrectal ultrasound imaging in a prostate gel phantom.

PURPOSE: BrachyView is a novel in-body imaging system which aims to provide LDR brachytherapy seeds position reconstruction within the prostate in real-time. The first prototype is presented in this study: the probe consists of a gamma camera featuring three single cone pinhole collimators embedded in a tungsten tube, above three, high resolution pixelated detectors (Timepix). METHODS: The prostate was imaged with a TRUS system using a sagittal crystal with a 2.5mm slice thickness. Eleven needles containing a total of thirty 0.508U125I seeds were implanted under ultrasound guidance. A CT scan was used to localise the seed positions, as well as provide a reference when performing the image co-registration between the BrachyView coordinate system and the TRUS coordinate system. An in-house visualisation software interface was developed to provide a quantitative 3D reconstructed prostate based on the TRUS images and co-registered with the LDR seeds in situ. A rigid body image registration was performed between the BrachyView and TRUS systems, with the BrachyView and CT-derived source locations compared. RESULTS: The reconstructed seed positions determined by the BrachyView probe showed a maximum discrepancy of 1.78mm, with 75% of the seeds reconstructed within 1mm of their nominal location. An accurate co-registration between the BrachyView and TRUS coordinate system was established. CONCLUSIONS: The BrachyView system has shown its ability to reconstruct all implanted LDR seeds within a tissue equivalent prostate gel phantom, providing both anatomical and seed position information in a single interface.

The investigation of prostatic calcifications using µ-PIXE analysis and their dosimetric effect in low dose rate brachytherapy treatments using Geant4.

Low dose rate brachytherapy is a widely used modality for the treatment of prostate cancer. Most clinical treatment planning systems currently in use approximate all tissue to water, neglecting the existence of inhomogeneities, such as calcifications. The presence of prostatic calcifications may perturb the dose due to the higher photoelectric effect cross section in comparison to water. This study quantitatively evaluates the effect of prostatic calcifications on the dosimetric outcome of brachytherapy treatments by means of Monte Carlo simulations and its potential clinical consequences.Four pathological calcification samples were characterised with micro-particle induced x-ray emission (µ-PIXE) to determine their heavy elemental composition. Calcium, phosphorus and zinc were found to be the predominant heavy elements in the calcification composition. Four clinical patient brachytherapy treatments were modelled using Geant4 based Monte Carlo simulations, in terms of the distribution of brachytherapy seeds and calcifications in the prostate. Dose reductions were observed to be up to 30% locally to the calcification boundary, calcification size dependent. Single large calcifications and closely placed calculi caused local dose reductions of between 30-60%. Individual calculi smaller than 0.5 mm in diameter showed minimal dosimetric impact, however, the effects of small or diffuse calcifications within the prostatic tissue could not be determined using the methods employed in the study. The simulation study showed a varying reduction on common dosimetric parameters. D90 showed a reduction of 2-5%, regardless of calcification surface area and volume. The parameters V100, V150 and V200 were also reduced by as much as 3% and on average by 1%. These reductions were also found to relate to the surface area and volume of calcifications, which may have a significant dosimetric impact on brachytherapy treatment, however, such impacts depend strongly on specific factors in the patient's individual treatment. These factors include the number, size, composition and spatial distribution of calcifications in the prostate as well as the distribution of brachytherapy seeds.

Intercomparison of ionisation chamber measurements from (125)I seeds.

The reference air kerma rates of a set of individual (125)I seeds were calculated from current measurements of a calibrated re-entrant ionisation chamber. Single seeds were distributed to seven Australian brachytherapy centres for the same measurement with the user's instrumentation. Results are expressed as the ratio of the reference air kerma rate measured by the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to the reference air kerma rate measured at the centre. The intercomparison ratios of all participants were within +/-5% of unity.