• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.62-68
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• 2002

A muiltileaf collimator (MLC) is used as a replacement for conventional blocks. The MLC, however may not be appropriate for a fine field shaping. For the fine field shaping, conventional block can be added under the MLC. But it may significantly affect on the dosimetric characteristics such as surface dose of skin, buildup region and percent depth doses. We performed the study to evaluate the surface dose and the maximum depth dose using MLC conjunction with conventional blocks for various field sizes and energies. We confirmed the surface dose was increased by using the additional conventional block under the MLC ranging from 10 to 35.6％ according to various field sizes and radiation beam energies. The surface dose was effectively reduced by application of 2 or 3 m thickness of lead plate as electron filter.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 1997

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 2015

Multi-leaf collimator (MLC) systems are frequently used to deliver photon-based radiation, and allow conformal shaping of treatment beams. Many proton beam centers currently make use of aperture and snout systems, which involve use of a snout to shape and focus the proton beam, a brass aperture to modify field shape, and an acrylic compensator to modulate depth. However, it needs a lot of time and cost of preparing treatment, therefore, we developed the manual MLC for solving this problem. This study was carried out with the intent of designing an MLC system as an alternative to an aperture block system. Radio-activation and dose due to primary proton beam leakage and the presence of secondary neutrons were taken into account during these iterations. Analytical calculations were used to study the effects of leaf material on activation. We have fabricated tray model for adoption with a wobbling snout ($30{\times}40cm^2$) system which used uniform scanning beam. We designed the manual MLC and tray and can reduce the cost and time for treatment. After leakage test of new tray, we upgrade the tray with brass and made the safety tool. First, we have tested the radio-activation with usually brass and new brass for new manual MLC. It shows similar behavior and decay trend. In addition, we have measured the leakage test of a gantry with new tray and MLC tray, while we exposed the high energy with full modulation process on film dosimetry. The radiation leakage is less than 1%. From these results, we have developed the design of the tray and upgrade for safety. Through the radio-activation behavior, we figure out the proton beam leakage level of safety, where there detects the secondary particle, including neutron. After developing new design of the tray, it will be able to reduce the time and cost of proton treatment. Finally, we have applied in clinic test with original brass aperture and manual MLC and calculated the gamma index, 99.74% between them.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.269-276
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• 2009

Radiation treatment techniques using photon beam such as three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) as well as intensity modulated radiotherapy treatment (IMRT) demand accurate dose calculation in order to increase target coverage and spare healthy tissue. Both jaw collimator and multi-leaf collimators (MLCs) for photon beams have been used to achieve such goals. In the Pinnacle3 treatment planning system (TPS), which we are using in our clinics, a set of model parameters like jaw collimator transmission factor (JTF) and MLC transmission factor (MLCTF) are determined from the measured data because it is using a model-based photon dose algorithm. However, model parameters obtained by this auto-modeling process can be different from those by direct measurement, which can have a dosimetric effect on the dose distribution. In this paper we estimated JTF and MLCTF obtained by the auto-modeling process in the Pinnacle3 TPS. At first, we obtained JTF and MLCTF by direct measurement, which were the ratio of the output at the reference depth under the closed jaw collimator (MLCs for MLCTF) to that at the same depth with the field size $10{\times}10\;cm^2$ in the water phantom. And then JTF and MLCTF were also obtained by auto-modeling process. And we evaluated the dose difference through phantom and patient study in the 3D-CRT plan. For direct measurement, JTF was 0.001966 for 6 MV and 0.002971 for 10 MV, and MLCTF was 0.01657 for 6 MV and 0.01925 for 10 MV. On the other hand, for auto-modeling process, JTF was 0.001983 for 6 MV and 0.010431 for 10 MV, and MLCTF was 0.00188 for 6 MV and 0.00453 for 10 MV. JTF and MLCTF by direct measurement were very different from those by auto-modeling process and even more reasonable considering each beam quality of 6 MV and 10 MV. These different parameters affect the dose in the low-dose region. Since the wrong estimation of JTF and MLCTF can lead some dosimetric error, comparison of direct measurement and auto-modeling of JTF and MLCTF would be helpful during the beam commissioning.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate feasibility of Vertical Multileaf Collimator for determination of irradiation size using Vertical Multileaf Collimator and lead block to determine 4 different irradiation shape in case of Co-60 gamma-ray and 6 MV X-ray. We chose ion chamber, glass dosimeter and EBT chromic film to compare with Vertical Multileaf Collimator results and lead block results. In case of Co-60 gamma-ray and 6 MV X-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with ion chamber results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 5.1%, 4.2%. In case of Co-60 gamma-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with glass dosimeter results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 2.2%, 7.8%, 7.2%, 4.0% for reference, circle, triangle, cross field, respectively. In case of 6 MV X-ray, the central axis point dose normalized at reference field of lead block with glass dosimeter results for Vertical Multileaf Collimator were estimated higher than lead block about 6.7%, 6.2%, 3.8%, 6.2% for reference, circle, triangle, cross field, respectively. The results of EBT chromic film, Vertical Multileaf Collimator of penumbra size for all irradiation shape was smaller than lead block of those size that 2.0~3.5 mm for Co-60 gamma-ray, 0.5~1.0 mm for 6 MV X-ray. The results from this study, radiation treatment volume that results in shielding block can be minimized. In addition, during radiation treatment for 2, 3-dimensional radiation therapy using a Vertical Multileaf Collimator of this survey can be used to determine variety of irradiation fields.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2017

Purpose: A purpose of this study was to compare dose of junction between breast and SCL fields in radiation therapy by MLC located at the junction. Materials and Methods: With 6 MV of 21EX-S equipped with 120-leaf Millennium MLC, treatment plans were designed with 30 patients who underwent radiation therapy using TFT. Plan 1 where the MLC was all used at the junction. In plan 2 and plan 3, MCLs were retracted 5 mm from breast and SCL, respectively. Plan 4 with all of MLC retracted at the junction were designed. In all of the plans, collimator angle for SCL field was divided into $0^{\circ}$ and $270^{\circ}$. To verify junction dose, the dose at 3cm depth of junction was compared with average value by MapCHECK. Results: In case of the SCL field with $0^{\circ}$ collimator angle, average value of D3cm was 4131.1, 4215.9, 4351.4, and 4423.0 cGy. In case of the SCL field with $270^{\circ}$ collimator angle, average value of D3cm was 4044.3, 4246.7, 4291.1, and 4441.2 cGy. In plan1 and 3, change in average dose depending on collimator angle was changed more significantly than paln2 and 4. Dose measured at 3cm depth of junction was similar to treatment plan. Conclusion: In radiation therapy plan for breast cancer with SCL, retracting MLCs from junction between breast and SCL fields will lead to decrease effect of dose of the junction.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

Multileaf collimator (MLC) is now rapidly replacing the lead ahoy block to shape the radiation treatment field. In addition to its defect of rectangular field shaping and increased penumbra width, it has another possible problem, and that is of radiation transmission between leaves, which needs to be maintained at as low a level as is permissible. The authors measured and analyzed the inter-leaf and cross-leaf transmissions of MLC by Varian Associates Inc, before its clinical application. The inter-leaf and cross-leaf transmissions were calculated by comparing the measured point doses in the polystyrene phantom in the open field and in a total closure of MLC. The beam profile of the inter-leaf and cross-leaf transmissions were depicted by using a water phantom. A photon beam of 6 MV was used in the measurement. The inter-leaf transmission was 1.63∼1.67%, indicating that the shielding effect of MLC is excellent. However, the cross-leaf transmission in the central area was 18.4∼18.7% and this is well over the clinically acceptable limitation of 5%. The beam profile of cross-leaf transmission displayed 80∼90% transmission near the field edge, so that the cross-leaf transmission was 14∼17% in this area. The multileaf collimator has an excellent shi디ding effect and the inter-leaf transmission is negligible so that it can be used in clinic as a good replacement of the conventional lead alloy block. However, care must be taken to avoid the cross-leaf transmission in the radiation field.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2007

This study was designed to evaluate radiosurgery technique using multiple noncoplanar arc therapy with intensity modulated fine MLC shaped photon beam. The stereotactic radiosurgery was performed with 6-MV X-ray beams from a Clinac 21EX LINAC (Varian, Palo Alto, CA, USA) with a MLC-120, which features a full $40{\times}40cm$ field and is the first MLC for general use that offers 0.5 cm resolution for high precision treatment of small and irregular fields. We used a single isocenter and five gantry-couch combinations with a set of intensity modulated arc therapy. We investigated dosimetric characteristics of 2 cm sized spherical target volume with film (X-OMAT V2 film, Kodak Inc, Rochester NY, USA) dosimetry within $25{\times}25cm$ acrylic phantom. A simulated single isocentric treatment using inversely Planned 3D radiotherapy planning system demonstrated the ability to conform the dose distribution to an spherical target volume. The 80% dose level was adequate to encompass the target volume in frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes, and the region between the 40% and 80% isodose lines was $4.0{\sim}4.5mm$ and comparable to the dose distribution of the Boston Arcs. We expect that our radiosurgery technique could be a treatment option for irregular-shaped large intracranial target.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.182-188
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• 2008

The MLC(multi leaf collimator) in charge of important role in radiation therapy field recently have been exchanging from shielding block into it rapidly, owing to being convenient. However, MLC can be occurred the leakage dose of inter_leaves and the error of algorithm in imput and output from digital signal. We compared the difference of imput method to MLC made by Varian Cop. with the error and effective field induced by MLC shaper and film scanner based on XimaVision value as using MLC layer of various shapes. According to comparing standard value with them to basic MLC layer (test1-5), MLC shaper was $0{\sim}0.29cm$, $0.23{\sim}3.59cm^2$ and film scanner was $0{\sim}0.78cm$, $0.24{\sim}3.89cm^2$. At the MLC layer to be applied in clinic, MLC shaper was $0{\sim}0.54cm$, $0.04{\sim}1.68cm^2$ and film scanner was $0{\sim}0.78cm$, $0.24{\sim}3.89cm^2$. The more distance and field from axis of central line increase, the more bigger the error value increases. There is a few mm error from standard point at the process which imput various information to apply MLC in clinic. and effective field did not have variation of monitor unit and dose owing to being a few cm2 error against real field. But there are some problem to shield critical organs because some part of target volume induced by the movement of organs can be not included, therefore we have to pay attention on the process to imput MLC layer

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.253-262
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• 1994

The patterns of the conventional radiation treatment fields and their shielding blocks are analysed to determine the optimal dimension of the MultiLeaf Collimator (MLC) which is considered as an essential tool for conformal therapy. Total 1109 radiation fields from 303 patients (203 from Asan Medical center, 50 from Baek Hosp and 50 from Hanyang Univ. Hosp.) were analysed for this study. Weighted case selection treatment site (from The Korean Society of Therapeutic Radiology 1993). Ninety one percent of total fields have shielding blocks. Y axis is defined as leaf movement direction and it is assumed that MLC is installed on the cranial-caudal direction. The length of X axis were distributed from 4cm to 40cm (less than 21cm for $95\%$ of cases), and Y axis from 5cm to 38cm (less than 22cm for $95\%$ of cases). The shielding blocks extended to less than 6cm from center of the field for $95\%$ of the cases. Start length for ninety five percent of block is less than 10cm for X axis and 11cm for Y axis. Seventy six percent of shielding blocks could be placed by either X or Y axis direction, $7.9\%$ only by Y axis, $5.1\%$ only by X axis and It is reasonable to install MLC for Y direction. Ninety five percent of patients can be treated with coplanar rotation therapy without changing the collimator angle. Eleven percent of cases of cases were impossible to replace with MLC. Futher study of shielding technique is needed for $11\%$ impossible cases. The treatment field dimension of MLC should be larger than $21cm{\times}22cm$. The MLC should be designed as a pair of 21 leaves with 1cm wide for an acceptable resolution and 17cm long to enable the leaf to overtravel at least 6cm from the treatment field center.