Design and development of a new micro-beam treatment planning system: effectiveness of algorithms of optimization and dose calculations and potential of micro-beam treatment.

A new treatment planning system (TPS) was designed and developed for a new treatment system, which consisted of a micro-beam-enabled linac with robotics and a real-time tracking system. We also evaluated the effectiveness of the implemented algorithms of optimization and dose calculations in the TPS for the new treatment system. In the TPS, the optimization procedure consisted of the pseudo Beam's-Eye-View method for finding the optimized beam directions and the steepest-descent method for determination of beam intensities. We used the superposition-/convolution-based (SC-based) algorithm and Monte Carlo-based (MC-based) algorithm to calculate dose distributions using CT image data sets. In the SC-based algorithm, dose density scaling was applied for the calculation of inhomogeneous corrections. The MC-based algorithm was implemented with Geant4 toolkit and a phase-based approach using a network-parallel computing. From the evaluation of the TPS, the system can optimize the direction and intensity of individual beams. The accuracy of the dose calculated by the SC-based algorithm was less than 1% on average with the calculation time of 15 s for one beam. However, the MC-based algorithm needed 72 min for one beam using the phase-based approach, even though the MC-based algorithm with the parallel computing could decrease multiple beam calculations and had 18.4 times faster calculation speed using the parallel computing. The SC-based algorithm could be practically acceptable for the dose calculation in terms of the accuracy and computation time. Additionally, we have found a dosimetric advantage of proton Bragg peak-like dose distribution in micro-beam treatment.

A parameter study of pencil beam proton dose distributions for the treatment of ocular melanoma utilizing spot scanning.

The results of Monte Carlo calculated dose distributions of proton treatment of ocular melanoma are presented. An efficient spot scanning method utilizing active energy modulation, which also minimizes the number of target spots was developed. We simulated various parameter values for the particle energy spread and the pencil beam diameter in order to determine values suitable for medical treatment. We found that a 2.5-mm-diameter proton beam with a 5% Gaussian energy spread was suitable for treatment of ocular melanoma while preserving vision for the typical case that we simulated. The energy spectra and the required proton current were also calculated and are reported. The results are intended to serve as a guideline for a new class of low-cost, compact accelerators.

CdZnTe detector in diagnostic x-ray spectroscopy.

A method to utilize CdZnTe (CZT) detectors in diagnostic x-ray spectroscopy is described in this article. Spectral distortion due to transmission of primary x rays, the escape of cadmium- and tellurium-K fluorescent x rays, and tailing was severe in measured x-ray spectra. Therefore, correction for the distortion was performed with the stripping method using response functions. The response functions were calculated with the Monte Carlo method. The Hecht equation was employed to approximate the effects of carrier trapping in the calculations. The parameters in the Hecht equation, the mean-free path (lambda) of electrons and holes, were determined such that the tailing in calculated response functions fit that in measured gamma-ray spectra. Corrected x-ray spectra agreed well with the reference spectra measured with an HPGe detector. The results indicate that CZT detectors are suitable for diagnostic x-ray spectroscopy with appropriate corrections.

Monte Carlo calculation of depth doses for small field of CyberKnife.

PURPOSE: A Monte Carlo (MC) model of CyberKnife was developed as a quality assurance tool. The percentage depth dose (%dd) was verified by using this model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An MC model was developed with Electron Gamma Shower version 4 (EGS4) in two steps: (1) a model of the CyberKnife treatment head and (2) a model of the collimator and phantom. The bremsstrahlung spectrum was calculated using the first model, and this spectrum was then used to calculate %dds with the second model. The calculated %dds for a large field (60 mm diameter) and three small fields (30, 15, and 5 mm diameter) were compared with those measured with a diamond detector. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The MC-calculated and measured %dd-curves for the 60 mm diameter field were in excellent agreement (<1.85%), thus confirming the validity of the model. Discrepancies between the calculated and measured %dd-curves increased with decreasing field size, with considerable discrepancy (11.62%) for the 5 mm diameter field due to lateral electron disequilibrium. Accurate dose can be determined with MC even in small fields. CONCLUSION: The MC technique can provide reliable standard data for accurate dose delivery with high-technology radiotherapies using small beams.