ABSTRACT
We aim to evaluate the basic characteristics of SRS MapCHECK (SRSMC) for CyberKnife (CK) and establish a dose verification system using SRSMC for the tumor-tracking irradiation for CK. The field size and angular dependence of SRSMC were evaluated for basic characterization. The output factors (OPFs) and absolute doses measured by SRSMC were compared with those measured using microDiamond and microchamber detectors and those calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). The angular dependence was evaluated by comparing the SRSMC with a microchamber. The tumor-tracking dose verification system consists of SRSMC and a moving platform. The doses measured using SRSMC were compared with the doses measured using a microchamber and radiochromic film. The OPFs and absolute doses of SRSMC were within ±3.0% error for almost all field sizes, and the angular dependence was within ±2.0% for all incidence angles. The absolute dose errors between SRSMC and TPS tended to increase when the field size was smaller than 10 mm. The absolute doses of the tumor-tracking irradiation measured using SRSMC and those measured using a microchamber agreed within 1.0%, and the gamma pass rates of SRSMC in comparison with those of the radiochromic film were greater than 95%. The basic characteristics of SRSMC for CK presented acceptable results for clinical use. The results of the tumor-tracking dose verification system realized using SRSMC were equivalent to those of conventional methods, and this system is expected to contribute toward improving the efficiency of quality control in many facilities.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Radiosurgery , Humans , Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Neoplasms/surgery , Radiometry/methods , Radiosurgery/methods , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Medical physicists use a suitable detector connected to an electrometer to measure radiotherapy beams. Each detector and electrometer has a lifetime (due to physical deterioration of detector components and electrical characteristic deterioration in electronic electrometer components), long-term stability [according to IEC 60731:2011, ≤0.5% (reference-class dosimeter)], and calibration frequency [according to Muir et al. (J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2017; 18:182-190), generally 2 years]; thus, physicists should check the electrometer and detector separately. However, to the best of our knowledge, only one study (Blad et al., Phys Med Biol. 1998; 43:2385-2391) has reported checking the electrometer independently from the detector. The present study conducts performance checks on electrometers separately from the detector in clinical settings, using an electrometer equipped with a direct current (DC) generator (EMF 521R) capable of injecting DC (effective range: ±20 pA to ±20 nA) into itself or another electrometer. METHODS: First, to check the nonlinearity of the generated currents from ±20 pA to ±20 nA, charges generated from the DC generator were measured with the EMF 521R electrometer. Next, six reference-class electrometers classified according to IEC 60731:2011 were checked for repeatability at a current of ±20 pA or a minimum effective indicated value meeting IEC 60731:2011, as well as for nonlinearity within the current range from ±20 pA to ±20 nA. RESULTS: The nonlinearities for the measured currents were less than ±0.05%. The repeatability for the six electrometers was < 0.1%. While the nonlinearity of one electrometer reached up to 0.22% at a current of -20 pA, all six electrometers displayed nonlinearities of less than ±0.1% at currents of ±100 pA or higher. CONCLUSIONS: This work suggests that it is possible to check the nonlinearity and repeatability of clinical electrometers with DCs above the ±30 pA level using a DC generator in a clinic.
Subject(s)
Electronics , Radiometry , Calibration , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Uncertainty in the calibration of high-energy radiation sources is dependent on user and equipment type. AIM: We evaluated the uncertainty in the positioning of a cylindrical chamber at a reference depth for reference dosimetry of high-energy photon beams and the resulting uncertainty in the chamber readings for 6- and 10-MV photon beams. The aim was to investigate major contributions to the positioning uncertainty to reduce the uncertainty in calibration for external photon beam radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The following phantoms were used: DoseView 1D, WP1D, 1D SCANNER, and QWP-07 as one-dimensional (1D) phantoms for a vertical-beam geometry; GRI-7632 as a phantom for a fixed waterproofing sleeve; and PTW type 41023 and QWP-04 as 1D phantoms for a horizontal-beam geometry. The uncertainties were analyzed as per the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. RESULTS: The positioning and resultant uncertainties in chamber readings ranged from 0.22 to 0.35 mm and 0.12-0.25%, respectively, among the phantoms (using a coverage factor k = 1 in both cases). The major contributions to positioning uncertainty are: definition of the origin for phantoms among users for the 1D phantoms for a vertical-beam geometry, water level adjustment among users for the phantom for a fixed waterproofing sleeve, phantom window deformation, and non-water material of the window for the 1D phantoms for a horizontal-beam geometry. CONCLUSION: The positioning and resultant uncertainties in chamber readings exhibited minor differences among the seven phantoms. The major components of these uncertainties differed among the phantom types investigated.
ABSTRACT
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using recently introduced multileaf collimators (MLC) is preferred over circular collimators in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of MLCs in prostate SBRT by comparing the effectiveness of treatment plans using fixed collimators, variable collimators, and MLCs and by ensuring delivery quality assurance (DQA) for each. For each patient who underwent conventional radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer, mock SBRT plans were created using a fixed collimator, a variable collimator, and an MLC. The total MUs, treatment times, and dose-volume histograms of the planning target volumes and organs at risk for each treatment plan were compared. For DQA, a phantom with a radiochromic film or an ionization chamber was irradiated in each plan. We performed gamma-index analysis to evaluate the consistency between the measured and calculated doses. The MLC-based plans had an ~27% lower average total MU than the plans involving other collimators. Moreover, the average estimated treatment time for the MLC plan was 31% and 20% shorter than that for the fixed and variable collimator plans respectively. The gamma-index passing rate in the DQA using film measurements was slightly lower for the MLC than for the other collimators. The DQA results acquired using the ionization chamber showed that the discrepancies between the measured and calculated doses were within 3% in all cases. The results reinforce the usefulness of MLCs in robotic radiosurgery for prostrate SBRT treatment planning; most notably, the total MU and treatment time were both reduced compared to the cases using other types of collimators. Moreover, although the DQA results based on film dosimetry yielded a slightly lower gamma-index passing rate for the MLC than for the other collimators, the MLC accuracy was determined to be sufficient for clinical use.
Subject(s)
Particle Accelerators , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Radiosurgery/instrumentation , Robotic Surgical Procedures/instrumentation , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Radiosurgery/methods , Radiotherapy Dosage , Robotic Surgical Procedures/methodsABSTRACT
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Working Group on TG-51 published an Addendum to the AAPM's TG-51 protocol (Addendum to TG-51) in 2014, and the Japan Society of Medical Physics (JSMP) published a new dosimetry protocol JSMP 12 in 2012. In this study, we compared the absorbed dose to water determined at the reference depth for high-energy photon beams following the recommendations given in AAPM TG-51 and the Addendum to TG-51, IAEA TRS-398, and JSMP 12. This study was performed using measurements with flattened photon beams with nominal energies of 6 and 10 MV. Three widely used ionization chambers with different compositions, Exradin A12, PTW 30013, and IBA FC65-P, were employed. Fully corrected charge readings obtained for the three chambers according to AAPM TG-51 and the Addendum to TG-51, which included the correction for the radiation beam profile (Prp ), showed variations of 0.2% and 0.3% at 6 and 10 MV, respectively, from the readings corresponding to IAEA TRS-398 and JSMP 12. The values for the beam quality conversion factor kQ obtained according to the three protocols agreed within 0.5%; the only exception was a 0.6% difference between the results obtained at 10 MV for Exradin A12 according to IAEA TRS-398 and AAPM TG-51 and the Addendum to TG-51. Consequently, the values for the absorbed dose to water obtained for the three protocols agreed within 0.4%; the only exception was a 0.6% difference between the values obtained at 10 MV for PTW 30013 according to AAPM TG-51 and the Addendum to TG-51, and JSMP 12. While the difference in the absorbed dose to water determined by the three protocols depends on the kQ and Prp values, the absorbed dose to water obtained according to the three protocols agrees within the relative uncertainties for the three protocols.
Subject(s)
Photons , Water , Calibration , Clinical Protocols , Guidelines as Topic , Japan , Radiometry , Radiotherapy, High-Energy , Reference Values , Societies, Scientific/standards , United StatesABSTRACT
The application of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation (NAD) in prostate cancer leads to a reduction in prostate volume, and the trends in volume reduction differ according to the treatment duration of NAD. A reduction in volume during external beam radiation therapy may lead to the exposure of normal tissues to an unexpected dose. In fact, prostate volume reductions have primarily been reported in European and American institutions. Although the prostate volume of Japanese patients is known to be small, the trends in prostate volume change during radiation therapy remain unclear. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the changes in prostate volume of Japanese patients during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with NAD. Nineteen Japanese patients with prostate cancer underwent IMRT with NAD. Kilovoltage computed tomography (CT) images were obtained for treatment planning and verification of the treatment position for each treatment fraction. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on the duration of NAD, as follows: NAD < 3 months (short NAD: S-NAD), 3 months ≤ NAD < 6 months (middle NAD: M-NAD), and NAD ≥ 6 months (long NAD: L-NAD). The prostate volume reductions at the 36th treatment fraction, relative to the planning CT, were 7.8%, 2.0%, and 1.7% for the S-NAD, M-NAD, and L-NAD groups, respectively. Prostate volume shrunk greater in the S-NAD group than in the M-NAD and L-NAD groups; this finding was consistent with those of previous studies. The prostate volume changes in Japanese patients were smaller compared to those in European and American patients.
Subject(s)
Neoadjuvant Therapy , Androgen Antagonists , Humans , Male , Prostate-Specific Antigen , Prostatic Neoplasms , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Metal dental restoration materials cause dose enhancement upstream and dose disturbance downstream of the high-density inhomogeneous regions in which these materials are used. In this study, we evaluated the impact of a dental metallic crown (DMC) on intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for head and neck cancer. Additionally, the possibility of sparing the oral mucosa from dose enhancement using an individual intraoral mouthpiece was evaluated. An experimental oral phantom was designed to verify the dosimetric impact of a DMC. We evaluated the effect on single beam, parallel opposing beam, arc beam, IMRT, and VMAT treatment plans. To evaluate the utility of a 3-mm-thick intraoral mouthpiece, the doses across the mouthpiece were measured. For single beam irradiation, the measured doses at the entrance and exit planes of the DMC were 51% higher and 21% lower than the calculated dose by the treatment planning system, respectively. The maximum dose enhancements were 22% and 46% for parallel opposing beams and the 90° arc rotation beam, respectively. For IMRT and VMAT, the measured doses adjacent to the DMC were 12.2% ± 6.3% (mean ± 1.96SD) and 12.7% ± 2.5% higher than the calculated doses, respectively. With regard to the performance of the intraoral mouthpiece for the IMRT and VMAT cases, the disagreement between measured and calculated doses at the outermost surface of the mouthpieces were -2.0%, and 2.0%, respectively. Dose enhancements caused by DMC-mediated radiation scattering occurred during IMRT and VMAT. Because it is difficult to accurately estimate the dose perturbations, careful consideration is necessary when planning head and neck cancer treatments in patients with DMCs. To spare the oral mucosa from dose enhancement, the use of an individual intraoral mouthpiece should be considered.
Subject(s)
Crowns/adverse effects , Head and Neck Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/standards , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/methods , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mouth/radiation effects , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In this study, we assessed the geometric accuracy of an automated positioning system in Gamma Knife (GK) surgery. Specifically, we looked at the total spatial uncertainty over the entire treatment range of GK stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) procedures in both the GK model C and the Perfexion (PFX). METHODS: An originally-developed phantom and a radiochromic film were used for obtaining actual dose distributions. The phantom, with inserted films on different axial planes (z = 60, 75, 100, 125, 140 mm), sagittal planes (x = 60, 75, 100, 125, 140 mm), and coronal planes (y = 60, 75, 100, 125, 140 mm), was placed on a Leksell skull frame. Computed tomography (CT) was then performed with a stereotactic localizer box attached to the frame, and dose planning was made using the Leksell GammaPlan treatment planning system. The phantom finally received beam delivery using a single shot of a 4-mm collimator helmet. The discrepancy between the planned shot position and the irradiated center position was evaluated by a dedicated film analysis software. RESULTS: The total uncertainty of CT-based GK SRS was less than 1 mm for almost all measured points over the stereotactic space in both the model C and the PFX. In addition, the geometric accuracy of the automated positioning system was estimated to be less than 0.1 mm and equal to 0.5 mm in the central and peripheral areas, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that the total spatial uncertainties of both the GK model C and the PFX are acceptable for clinical use.
Subject(s)
Radiosurgery/methods , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Automation/instrumentation , Automation/methods , Humans , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiosurgery/instrumentation , Skull/surgery , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/instrumentation , UncertaintyABSTRACT
Current dosimetry protocols specify an effective point of measurement (EPOM) shift of 0.6r for a cylindrical ionization chamber in photon beams. However, prior studies have reported that this shift was excessively large. The objective of this study was to experimentally evaluate the EPOM shifts in photon beams for cylindrical ionization chambers, which are widely used in clinical practice, and thus determine the appropriate EPOM shift. A microdiamond detector, which is a semiconductor detector with a small sensitive volume, was used as a reference detector, and the EPOM shifts of 11 types of cylindrical ionization chambers were evaluated at 6 MV and 10 MV. The depth shift from the percent depth dose (PDD) of the reference detector to that of the evaluated chamber was calculated using the least-squares method and was defined as the EPOM shift. The EPOM shift of the 10 MV condition was slightly larger than that of the 6 MV condition. However, because this trend was not observed for all chambers, the results of the two energies were averaged, and the EPOM shifts were determined to be 0.33r-0.43r (± 0.05) for 10 types of ionization chambers, and 0.03r (± 0.03) for the A1SL chamber. The shifts for all ionization chambers were smaller than 0.6r, indicating that the recommended EPOM shifts were overestimated and the absorbed dose was underestimated at the calibration depth. Hence, the appropriate EPOM shift of the 10 types of ionization chambers was 0.4r (the geometric center of the A1SL chamber), with a dose uncertainty of 0.05%.
Subject(s)
Electrons , Radiometry , Radiometry/methods , Photons , UncertaintyABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate changes in the deformation of the entrance window on a phantom for a horizontal beam geometry with a window thickness of 5 mm. The window deformation over time was measured using a dial indicator for 12 h after water filling. The window deformation was in the range of 0.17-0.37 mm among the three phantoms. The change in deformation over time was found to be 0.06 mm or less 12 h after filling the phantom. For off-center measurements, the maximum difference in variation among the five points in each of the three phantoms was 0.12, 0.11, and 0.07 mm. The window deformation on the phantom for a horizontal beam geometry with the window thickness of 5 mm was considered almost negligible when appropriately used. However, it is important to control the quality of the phantom according to the usage conditions.
Subject(s)
Water , Phantoms, ImagingABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We developed a novel and simple method to measure the source positions in applicators directly for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy based on Cherenkov emission imaging, and evaluated the performance. METHODS: The light emission from plastic applicators used in cervical cancer treatments, irradiated by an 192 Ir γ-ray source, was captured using a charge-coupled device camera. Moreover, we attached plastics of different shapes, including tapes, tubes, and plates to a metal applicator, to use as screens for the Cherenkov imaging. We determined the source positions and dwell intervals from the light profiles along with the applicator and compared these with preset values and dummy marker measurements. RESULTS: The source positions and dwell intervals measured from the light images were comparable to the dummy marker measurements and preset values. The distance from the applicator tip to the first source positions agreed with the dummy marker measurements within 0.2 mm for the plastic tandem. The dwell intervals measured using the Cherenkov method agreed with the preset values within 0.6 mm. The distances measured with three plastic types on the metal applicator also agreed with the dummy marker measurements within 0.2 mm. The dwell intervals measured using the plastic tape agreed with the preset values within 0.7 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed method should be suitable for rapid and easy quality assurance (QA) investigations in HDR brachytherapy, as it enables source position using a single image. The method allows for real-time, filmless measurements of the source positions to be obtained and is useful for rapid feedback in QA procedures.
Subject(s)
Brachytherapy , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Diagnostic Imaging , Female , Humans , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-AssistedABSTRACT
PURPOSE: We developed an x-ray-opaque-marker (XOM) system with inserted fiducial markers for patient-specific quality assurance (QA) in CyberKnife (Accuray) and a general-purpose linear accelerator (linac). The XOM system can be easily inserted or removed from the existing patient-specific QA phantom. Our study aimed to assess the utility of the XOM system by evaluating the recognition accuracy of the phantom position error and estimating the dose perturbation around a marker. METHODS: The recognition accuracy of the phantom position error was evaluated by comparing the known error values of the phantom position with the values measured by matching the images with target locating system (TLS; Accuray) and on-board imager (OBI; Varian). The dose perturbation was evaluated for 6 and 10 MV single-photon beams through experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. RESULTS: The root mean squares (RMSs) of the residual position errors for the recognition accuracy evaluation in translations were 0.07 mm with TLS and 0.30 mm with OBI, and those in rotations were 0.13° with TLS and 0.15° with OBI. The dose perturbation was observed within 1.5 mm for 6 MV and 2.0 mm for 10 MV from the marker. CONCLUSIONS: Sufficient recognition accuracy of the phantom position error was achieved using our system. It is unnecessary to consider the dose perturbation in actual patient-specific QA. We concluded that the XOM system can be utilized to ensure quantitative and accurate phantom positioning in patient-specific QA with CyberKnife and a general-purpose linac.
Subject(s)
Particle Accelerators , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted , Humans , Monte Carlo Method , Phantoms, Imaging , X-RaysABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Equipment refurbishment was performed to remove the beam-hardening filter (BHF) from the CyberKnife system (CK). This study aimed to confirm the change in the beam characteristics between the conventional CK (present-BHF CK) and CK after the BHF was removed (absent-BHF CK) and evaluate the impact of BHF removal on the beam quality correction factors kQ. METHODS: The experimental measurements of the beam characteristics of the present- and absent-BHF CKs were compared. The CKs were modeled using Monte Carlo simulations (MCs). The energy fluence spectra were calculated using MCs. Finally, kQ were estimated by combining the MC results and analytic calculations based on the TRS-398 and TRS-483 approaches. RESULTS: All gamma values for percent depth doses and beam profiles between each CK were less than 0.5 following the 3%/1 mm criteria. The percentage differences for tissue-phantom ratios at depths of 20 and 10 cm and percentage depth doses at 10 cm between each CK were -1.20% and -0.97%, respectively. The MC results demonstrated that the photon energy fluence spectrum of the absent-BHF CK was softer than that of the present-BHF CK. The kQ values for the absent-BHF CK were in agreement within 0.02% with those for the present-BHF CK. CONCLUSIONS: The photon energy fluence spectrum was softened by the removal of BHF. However, no remarkable impact was observed for the measured beam characteristics and kQ. Therefore, the previous findings of the kQ values for the present-BHF CK can be directly used for the absent-BHF CK.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted , Monte Carlo Method , Photons , RadiometryABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In the previous treatment planning system (TPS) for CyberKnife (CK), multileaf collimator (MLC)-based treatment plans could be created only by using the finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) algorithm. Recently, a new TPS, including the FSPB with lateral scaling option (FSPB+) and Monte Carlo (MC) algorithms, was developed. In this study, we performed basic and clinical end-to-end evaluations for MLC-based CK tumor-tracking radiotherapy using the MC, FSPB+, and FSPB. METHODS: Water- and lung-equivalent slab phantoms were combined to obtain the percentage depth dose (PDD) and off-center ratio (OCR). The CK M6 system and Precision TPS were employed, and PDDs and OCRs calculated by the MC, FSPB+, and FSPB were compared with the measured doses obtained for 30.8 × 30.8 mm2 and 60.0 × 61.6 mm2 fields. A lung motion phantom was used for clinical evaluation and MLC-based treatment plans were created using the MC. The doses were subsequently recalculated using the FSPB+ and FSPB, while maintaining the irradiation parameters. The calculated doses were compared with the doses measured using a microchamber (for target doses) or a radiochromic film (for dose profiles). The dose volume histogram (DVH) indices were compared for all plans. RESULTS: In homogeneous and inhomogeneous phantom geometries, the PDDs calculated by the MC and FSPB+ agreed with the measurements within ±2.0% for the region between the surface and a depth of 250 mm, whereas the doses calculated by the FSPB in the lung-equivalent phantom region were noticeably higher than the measurements, and the maximum dose differences were 6.1% and 4.4% for the 30.8 × 30.8 mm2 and 60.0 × 61.6 mm2 fields, respectively. The maximum distance to agreement values of the MC, FSPB+, and FSPB at the penumbra regions of OCRs were 1.0, 0.6, and 1.1 mm, respectively, but the best agreement was obtained between the MC-calculated curve and measurements at the boundary of the water- and lung-equivalent slabs, compared with those of the FSPB+ and FSPB. For clinical evaluations using the lung motion phantom, under the static motion condition, the dose errors measured by the microchamber were -1.0%, -1.9%, and 8.8% for MC, FSPB+, and FSPB, respectively; their gamma pass rates for the 3%/2 mm criterion comparing to film measurement were 98.4%, 87.6%, and 31.4% respectively. Under respiratory motion conditions, there was no noticeable decline in the gamma pass rates. In the DVH indices, for most of the gross tumor volume and planning target volume, significant differences were observed between the MC and FSPB, and between the FSPB+ and FSPB. Furthermore, significant differences were observed for lung Dmean , V15 Gy , and V20 Gy between the MC, FSPB+, and FSPB. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the doses calculated using the MC and FSPB+ differed remarkably in inhomogeneous regions, compared with the FSPB. Because the MC was the most consistent with the measurements, it is recommended for final dose calculations in inhomogeneous regions such as the lung. Furthermore, the sufficient accuracy of dose delivery using MLC-based tumor-tracking radiotherapy by CK was demonstrated for clinical implementation.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Monte Carlo Method , Radiation Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methods , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/physiopathology , Lung Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Movement , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiotherapy Dosage , RespirationABSTRACT
Containing 80% tungsten by weight, tungsten functional paper (TFP) is a radiation-shielding material that is lightweight, flexible, disposable, and easy to cut. Through experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, we investigated the feasibility of using TFP as a bolus in electron beam radiotherapy. Commercial boluses of thickness 5 and 10 mm and from one to nine layers of TFPs (0.3-2.7 mm) were positioned on the surface of water-equivalent phantoms. The percentage depth dose curves and transverse dose profiles were measured using a 9-MeV electron beam from a clinical linear accelerator. Normalized to the value at the depth of maximum dose without bolus, the relative doses at the phantom surface for no bolus, 5-mm bolus, 10-mm bolus, 1 TFP, 3 TFPs, 6 TFPs, and 9 TFPs were 78%, 88%, 92%, 84%, 92%, 102%, and 112%, respectively; the therapeutic depths corresponding to a 90% dose level were 29.1 mm, 22.7 mm, 17.7 mm, 26.6 mm, 23.2 mm, 19.3 mm, and 15.8 mm, respectively. The TFP contributed to increased skin dose and provided dose uniformity within the target volume. However, it also resulted in increased lateral constriction and penumbra width. The results of Monte Carlo simulation produced similar trends as the experimental measurements. Our findings suggest that using TFP as a novel thin and flexible skin bolus for electron beam radiotherapy is feasible.
Subject(s)
Electrons , Radiation Dose Hypofractionation , Tungsten/chemistry , Computer Simulation , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Feasibility Studies , Gamma Rays , Monte Carlo Method , Phantoms, Imaging , Radiotherapy DosageABSTRACT
A novel method is proposed to measure NO in breath. Breath NO is a useful diagnostic measure for asthma patients. Due to the low water solubility of NO, existing wet chemical NO measurements are conducted on NO(2) after removal of pre-existing NO(2) and conversion of NO to NO(2). In contrast, this study utilizes direct measurement of NO by wet chemistry. Gaseous NO was collected into an aqueous phase by a honeycomb-patterned microchannel scrubber and reacted with diaminofluorescein-2 (DAF-2). Fluorescence of the product was measured using a miniature detector, comprising a blue light-emitting diode (LED) and a photodiode. The response intensity was found to dramatically increase following addition of NO(2) into the absorbing solution or air sample. By optimizing the conditions, the sensitivity obtained was sufficient to measure parts per billion by volume levels of NO continuously. The system was applied to real analysis of NO in breath, and the effect of coexisting compounds was investigated. The proposed system could successfully measure breath NO.