• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.80-88
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• 2008

Recent radiotherapy dose planning system (RTPS) generally adapted the kernel beam using the convolution method for computation of tissue dose. To get a depth and profile dose in a given depth concerened a given photon beam, the energy spectrum was reconstructed from the attenuation dose of transmission of filter through iterative numerical analysis. The experiments were performed with 15 MV X rays (Oncor, Siemens) and ionization chamber (0.125 cc, PTW) for measurements of filter transmitted dose. The energy spectrum of 15MV X-rays was determined from attenuated dose of lead filter transmission from 0.51 cm to 8.04 cm with energy interval 0.25 MeV. In the results, the peak flux revealed at 3.75 MeV and mean energy of 15 MV X rays was 4.639 MeV in this experiments. The results of transmitted dose of lead filter showed within 0.6% in average but maximum 2.5% discrepancy in a 5 cm thickness of lead filter. Since the tissue dose is highly depend on the its energy, the lateral dose are delivered from the lateral spread of energy fluence through flattening filter shape as tangent 0.075 and 0.125 which showed 4.211 MeV and 3.906 MeV. In this experiments, analyzed the energy spectrum has applied to obtain the percent depth dose of RTPS (XiO, Version 4.3.1, CMS). The generated percent depth dose from $6{\times}6cm^2$ of field to $30{\times}30cm^2$ showed very close to that of experimental measurement within 1 % discrepancy in average. The computed dose profile were within 1% discrepancy to measurement in field size $10{\times}10cm$, however, the large field sizes were obtained within 2% uncertainty. The resulting algorithm produced x-ray spectrum that match both quality and quantity with small discrepancy in this experiments.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.90-98
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• 2003

Purpose : A new virtual simulation technique for craniospinal irradiation (CSI) that uses a CT-simulator was developed to improve the accuracy of field and shielding placement as well as patient positioning. Materials and Methods : A CT simulator (CT-SIM) and a 3-D conformal radiation treatment planning system (3D-CRT) were used to develop CSI. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask while the rest of the body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetric image was then obtained with the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and body. Virtual fluoroscopy was performed with the removal of visual obstacles, such as the treatment table or immobilization devices. After virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and on the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment fields was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR) and digitally composited radiography (DCR) images from virtual simulation. Port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for geometric verification. Results : We successfully performed virtual simulations on 11 CSI patients by CT-SIM. It took less than 20 minutes to affix the immobilization devices and to obtain the volumetric images of the entire body. In the absence of the patient, virtual simulation of all fields took 20 min. The DRRs were in agreement with simulation films to within 5 mm. This not only reducee inconveniences to the patients, but also eliminated position-shift variables attendant during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyes and the spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. Differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 m in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : Our analysis showed that CT simulation of craniospinal fields was accurate. In addition, CT simulation reduced the duration of the patient's immobility. During the planning process. This technique can improve accuracy in field placement and shielding by using three-dimensional CT-aided localization of critical and target structures. Overall, it has improved staff efficiency and resource utilization by standard protocol for craniospinal irradiation.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.87-99
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• 1994

Purpose : The determination of electron beam output factor was investigated from individual applicator for various energy of ML-15MDX linear accelerator. The output factor of electron beam was extended from square to rectangular field in individual applicator size through with a least-square fit to a polynomial expression. Materials : In this experiments. the measurement of output was obtained from 2${\times}$cm$^2$ to 20${\times}$20cm$^2$ of field size in different applicator size for 4 to 15 MaV electron beam energy. The output factor was defined as the ratio of maximum dose output on the central axis of the field of individual applicator size to that of a given field size. Applicator factors were derived from comparing with the output dose of reference field size 10${\times}$10cm$^2$. The thickness of block was specially designed as 10mm in thickness of Lipowitz metal for field shaping in all electron energy. Two types of output curves are included as output factors versus side of square fields and that of variable side length for X and Y in one-dimensional to compare the expected values to that of experiments. Results : Expected output factors of rectangular which was derived from that of square fields in individual applicator size from 2${\times}$2cm$^2$ to 20${\times}$20cm$^2$ in different electron energy was very closed to that of experimental measurements within 2% uncertainty. However 1D method showed a 3% discrepancy in small rectangular field for low energy electron beam. Conclusion : Emperical non-linear polynomial regressions of square root and 1D method were performed to determin the output factor in various field size and electron energy. The expected output of electron beam of square root method for square field and 1D method for rectangular field were very closed to that of measurement in all selected electron beam energy.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2007

This study is to calculate the proper angle for the optimal image of PNS Water's view on children, comparing and analyzing the PNS Water's projection angles between children and adults at every age. This study randomly selected 50 patients who visited the Medical Center from January to May in 2005, and examined the incidence path of central ray, taking a PNS Water's and skull trans-Lat. view in Water's filming position while attaching a lead ball mark on the Orbit, EAM, and acanthion of the patients's skull. And then, we calculated the incidence angles(Angle A) of the line connected from OML and the petrous ridge to the inferior margin of maxilla on general(random) patients's skull image, following the incidence path of central ray. Finally, we analyzed two pieces of the graphs at ages, developing out the patients' ideal images at PNS Water's filming position taken by a digital camera, and calculating the angle(Angle B) between OML and IP(Image Plate). The angle between OML and IP is about $43^{\circ} in 4-years-old children, which is higher than $37^{\circ}, as age increases the angle decreases, it goes to $37^{\circ} around 30 years of age. That is similar result to maxillary growth period. We can get better quality of Water's image for children when taking the PNS Water's view if we change the projection angles, considering maxillary growth for patients in every age stage.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2013

Monte Carlo method has been known as the most accurate method for calculating absorbed dose in the human body, and an anthropomorphic phantom has been mainly used as a method of simulating internal organs for using such a calculation method. However, various efforts are made to extract data on several internal organs in the human body directly from CT DICOM files in recent Monte Carlo calculation using Geant4 code and to use by converting them into the geometry necessary for simulation. Such a function makes it possible to calculate the internal absorbed dose accurately while duplicating the actual human anatomical structure. Thus, this study calculated the absorbed dose in the human body by using Geant4 associating with DICOM files, and aimed to confirm the usefulness by compare the result with the measured dose using a Gafchromic EBT2 film. This study compared the dose calculated using simulation and the measured dose in beam central axis using the EBT2 film. The results showed that the range of difference was an average of 3.75% except for a build-up region, in which the dose rapidly changed from skin surface to the depth of maximum dose. In addition, this study made it easy to confirm the target absorbed dose by internal organ and organ through the output of the calculated value of dose by CT slice and the dose value of each voxel in each slice. Thus, the method that outputs dose value by slice and voxel through the use of CT DICOM, which is actual image data of human body, instead of the anthropomorphic phantom enables accurate dose calculations of various regions. Therefore, it is considered that it will be useful for dose calculation of radiotherapy planning system in the future. Moreover, it is applicable for currently-used several energy ranges in current use, so it is considered that it will be effectively used in order to check the radiation absorbed dose in the human body.