Analysis of the Imaging Dose for IGRT/Gated Treatments

Purpose: The introduction of image guided radiation therapy/four-dimensional radiation therapy (IGRT/4DRT) potentially increases the accumulated dose to patients from imaging and verification processes as compared to conventional practice. It is therefore essential to investigate the level of the imaging dose to patients when IGRT/4DRT devices are installed. The imaging dose level was monitored and was compared with the use of pre-IGRT practice. Materials and Methods: A four-dimensional CT (4DCT) unit (GE, Ultra Light Speed 16), a simulator (Varian Acuity) and Varian IX unit with an on-board imager (OBI) and cone beam CT (CBCT) were installed. The surface doses to a RANDO phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY USA) were measured with the newly installed devices and with pre-existing devices including a single slice CT scanner (GE, Light Speed), a simulator (Varian Ximatron) and L-gram linear accelerator (Varian, 2100C Linac). The surface doses were measured using thermo luminescent dosimeters (TLDs) at eight sites-the brain, eye, thyroid, chest, abdomen, ovary, prostate and pelvis. Results: Compared to imaging with the use of single slice non-gated CT, the use of 4DCT imaging increased the dose to the chest and abdomen approximately ten-fold ($1.74{\pm}0.34$ cGy versus $23.23{\pm}3.67$cGy). Imaging doses with the use of the Acuity simulator were smaller than doses with the use of the Ximatron simulator, which were $0.91{\pm}0.89$ cGy versus $6.77{\pm}3.56$ cGy, respectively. The dose with the use of the electronic portal imaging device (EPID; Varian IX unit) was approximately 50% of the dose with the use of the L-gram linear accelerator ($1.83{\pm}0.36$ cGy versus $3.80{\pm}1.67$ cGy). The dose from the OBI for fluoroscopy and low-dose mode CBCT were $0.97{\pm}0.34$ cGy and $2.3{\pm}0.67$ cGy, respectively. Conclusion: The use of 4DCT is the major source of an increase of the radiation (imaging) dose to patients. OBI and CBCT doses were small, but the accumulated dose associated with everyday verification need to be considered.

영상유도 및 호흡동조 방사선치료에서의 영상장비에 의한 흡수선량 분석

목적: 영상유도방사선치료(IGRT)와 호흡동조방사선치료(4DRT)의 도입은 치료계획 및 치료부위 확인에서 환자에게 방사선 조사량을 증가시킬 가능성이 있다. 따라서 IGRT/4DRT용 영상장비와 기존 장비에서 영상선량을 측정 및 비교하였다. 대상 및 방법: IGRT 및 4DRT를 위해 새로이 도입된 4DCT (GE, Ultra Light Speed 16)와 모의치료기(Varian Acuity), 그리고 치료기(Varian IX)에 장착된 kVp (OBI)의 영상장비 및 EPID (aSi 1000)를 대상으로, RANDO 팬톰의 표면 선량을 측정하여 기존의 장비들(single slice CT (GE, Light Speed), 모의치료기(Varian, Ximatron), L-gram (Varian 2100C))과 비교하였다. 측정은 열형광선량계를 이용하여 두뇌부, 눈, 갑상선, 흉부, 복부 및 골반부의 표면에서 측정하였다. 결과: 기존 CT와 비교하여 4DCT모드에서는 흉부와 복부에서 10배 이상의 선량증가를 보였다($1.74{\pm}0.34$ vs $23.23{\pm}3.67$ cGy). Acuity에서의 선량은 모든 측정부위에서 Ximatron보다 감소하였다($0.91{\pm}0.89$ vs $6.77{\pm}3.56$ cGy). EPID는 기존 L-gram 선량의 약 50% ($1.83{\pm}0.36$ vs $3.80{\pm}1.67$ cGy)였다. OBI의 투시영상선량은 $0.97{\pm}0.34$ cGy며, CBCT 선량은 $2.3{\pm}0.67$ cGy였다. 결론: 4DCT가 선량증가의 가장 큰 원인이며, OBI와 CBCT에 의한 선량은 적으나 매번 치료에 적용 시 총 선량 증가에 대한 고려가 필요하다.