• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.375-380
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• 2002

Purpose : To develop a practical film dosimetry system for routine Quality Assurance (QA). Materials and Methods :An One Click Film (OCF) Dosimetry system was designed to perform swift routine QA with functions including automatic fog value elimination, angle adjustment, automatic symmetry calculation, and realtime profile generation with the ability to display realtime three-dimensional dose distributions. Results : The most frequently used functions for routine QA, such as the elimination of the fog value, conversion into an H&D curve, symmetry, and isodose distribution, can be achieved with only one click. Conclusion : Reliable results were achieved with the OCF dosimetry with simpler steps than other commercially available film dosimetry systems for routine QA. More research on the refined user interface will make this system be clinically useful.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.396-404
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• 2002

Purpose : Many papers support a correlation between rectal complications and rectal doses in uterine cervical cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy. In vivo dosimetry in the rectum following the ICRU report 38 contributes to the quality assurance in HDR brachytherapy, especially in minimizing side effects. This study compares the rectal doses calculated in the radiation treatment planning system to that measured with a silicon diode the in vivo dosimetry system. Methods : Nine patients, with a uterine cervical carcinoma, treated with Iridium-192 high dose rate brachytherapy between June 2001 and Feb. 2002, were retrospectively analysed. Six to eight-fractions of high dose rate (HDR)-intracavitary radiotherapy (ICR) were delivered two times per week, with a total dose of $28\~32\;Gy$ to point A. In 44 applications, to the 9 patients, the measured rectal doses were analyzed and compared with the calculated rectal doses using the radiation treatment planning system. Using graphic approximation methods, in conjunction with localization radiographs, the expected dose values at the detector points of an intrarectal semiconductor dosimeter, were calculated. Results : There were significant differences between the calculated rectal doses, based on the simulation radiographs, and the calculated rectal doses, based on the radiographs in each fraction of the HDR ICR. Also, there were significant differences between the calculated and measured rectal doses based on the in-vivo diode dosimetry system. The rectal reference point on the anteroposterior line drawn through the lower end of the uterine sources, according to ICRU 38 report, received the maximum rectal doses in only 2 out of the nine patients $(22.2\%)$. Conclusion : In HDR ICR planning for conical cancer, optimization of the dose to the rectum by the computer-assisted planning system, using radiographs in simulation, is improper. This study showed that in vivo rectal dosimetry, using a diode detector during the HDR ICR, could have a useful role in quality control for HDR brachytherapy in cervical carcinomas. The importance of individual dosimeters for each HDR ICR is clear. In some departments that do not have the in vivo dosimetry system, the radiation oncologist has to find, from lateral fluoroscopic findings, the location of the rectal marker before each fractionated HDR brachytherapy, which is a necessary and important step of HDR brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2013

Purpose: Replacing the film which used to be used for checking the set-up of the patient and dosimetry during radiation therapy, more and more EPID equipped devices are in use at present. Accordingly, this article tried to evaluated the accuracy of the position check-up and the usefulness of dosimetry during the use of an electronic portal imaging device. Materials and Methods: On 50 materials acquired with the search of Korea Society Radiotherapeutic Technology, The Korean Society for Radiation Oncology, and Pubmed using "EPID", "Portal dosimetry", "Portal image", "Dose verification", "Quality control", "Cine mode", "Quality - assurance", and "In vivo dosimetry" as indexes, the usefulness of EPID was analyzed by classifying them as history of EPID and dosimetry, set-up verification and characteristics of EPID. Results: EPID is developed from the first generation of Liquid-filled ionization chamber, through the second generation of Camera-based fluoroscopy, and to the third generation of Amorphous-silicon EPID imaging modes can be divided into EPID mode, Cine mode and Integrated mode. When evaluating absolute dose accuracy of films and EPID, it was found that EPID showed within 1% and EDR2 film showed within 3% errors. It was confirmed that EPID is better in error measurement accuracy than film. When gamma analyzing the dose distribution of the base exposure plane which was calculated from therapy planning system, and planes calculated by EDR2 film and EPID, both film and EPID showed less than 2% of pixels which exceeded 1 at gamma values (r%>1) with in the thresholds such as 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm respectively. For the time needed for full course QA in IMRT to compare loads, EDR2 film recorded approximately 110 minutes, and EPID recorded approximately 55 minutes. Conclusion: EPID could easily replace conventional complicated and troublesome film and ionization chamber which used to be used for dosimetry and set-up verification, and it was proved to be very efficient and accurate dosimetry device in quality assurance of IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy). As cine mode imaging using EPID allows locating tumors in real-time without additional dose in lung and liver which are mobile according to movements of diaphragm and in rectal cancer patients who have unstable position, it may help to implement the most optimal radiotherapy for patients.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.126-129
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• 2001

I. 목적 : Half beam을 이용하여 인접한 조사면 치료시, 경계부위에서 발생할 수 있는 Jaw Position에 의한 기하학적 오차는 정확한 선량전달에 문제를 일으킨다. 이에 본 저자는 QA용 필름을 이용하여 조사면 setting 방법과 조작자간의 오차를 분석하고 이를 최소화할 수 있는 방법을 찾고자 한다. II. 대상 및 방법 : 본 실험은 6MV선(CL2100C, Varian, USA)을 대상으로 하였으며, 폴리스틸렌팬톰($25{\times}25cm2$)을 SSD 100 cm으로 고정한 후, 측정용 필름(X-omat V2, Kodak, USA)을 5 cm 깊이에 위치 시켜 조사면의 중심에서 경계를 이루는 비대칭 조사면 ($0/7.5{\times}15,7.5/0{\times}15 cm$)을 쌍으로 조사하였다. 조사된 필름은 자동현상기를 이용하여 현상한 후 농도계(Densitometer, Multidata, USA)를 이용하여 중심축상에서의 농도분포를 측정하여 인접한 조사면에서의 오차를 분석하였다. 조작방법과 조작자간의 오차를 분석하기 위하여 5명의 방사선사를 대상으로 auto및 manual set-up을 실시하였고 각 방법의 평균 오차를 분석하기 위해 5회 반복하였다. III. 결과 : 필름 농도곡선을 이용하여 두 조사면이 만나는 경계에서의 오차를 분석한 결과, remote console set-up의 경우 주변 조사면에 비해 $-0.16{\pm}3.44\%$, pendant방식에서는 $+5.04{\pm}4.37\%$로 나타났고, 조작자간의 유의성이 관찰되었다. IV. 결론 : 비대칭 조사면을 이용한 근접 조사면의 치료시 pendant 방식보다 remote console 방식에서 오차가 적 게 나타나므로 Auto set-up 기능의 이용은 치료시에 조사면 경계에서의 선량 오차를 최소한으로 줄이는데 도움이 될 것으로 생각된다. 또한 manual 방식으로 set-up 시 오차의 편차가 크게 나타나므로 치료시에 세심한 주의가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 1997

Purpose : To collect beam data for dynamic wedge fields using conventional measurement tools without the multi-detector system, such as the linear diode detectors or ionization chambers. Materials and Methods : The accelerator CL 2100 C/D has two photon energies of 6MV and 15MV with dynamic wedge an91es of 15o, 30o, 45o and 60o. Wedge transmission factors, percentage depth doses(PDD's) and dose Profiles were measured. The measurements for wedge transmission factors are performed for field sizes ranging from $4\times4cm^2\;to\;20\times20cm^2$ in 1-2cm steps. Various rectangular field sizes are also measured for each photon energy of 6MV and 15MV, with the combination of each dynamic wedge angle of 15o 30o. 45o and 60o. These factors are compared to the calculated wedge factors using STT(Segmented Treatment Table) value. PDD's are measured with the film and the chamber in water Phantom for fixed square field. Converting parameters for film data to chamber data could be obtained from this procedure. The PDD's for dynamic wedged fields could be obtained from film dosimetry by using the converting parameters without using ionization chamber. Dose profiles are obtained from interpolation and STT weighted superposition of data through selected asymmetric static field measurement using ionization chamber. Results : The measured values of wedge transmission factors show good agreement to the calculated values The wedge factors of rectangular fields for constant V-field were equal to those of square fields The differences between open fields' PDDs and those from dynamic fields are insignificant. Dose profiles from superposition method showed acceptable range of accuracy(maximum 2% error) when we compare to those from film dosimetry. Conclusion : The results from this superposition method showed that commissionning of dynamic wedge could be done with conventional dosimetric tools such as Point detector system and film dosimetry winthin maximum 2% error range of accuracy.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.218-222
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• 2010

As radiation is irradiated from various directions in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), longer treatment time than conventional treatment method is taken. In case of the patients who have problem to keep same posture for long time because of pain and injury, reducing treatment time through increased dose rate is a way for effective treatment. This study measured and found out the variation of dose and dose distribution in accordance with dose rate variation. IMRT treatment plan was set up to investigate from 5 directions - $0^{\circ}$, $72^{\circ}$, $144^{\circ}$, $216^{\circ}$, $288^{\circ}$ - using ECLIPSE system (Varian, SomaVision 6.5, USA). To confirm dose and dose rate in accordance with dose rate variation, dose rate was set up as 100, 300, 500 MU/min, and dose and dose distribution were measured using ionization chamber (PTW, TN31014) and film dosimeter (EDR2, Kodak). At this time, film dosimeter was inserted into acrylic phantom, then installed to run parallel with beam's irradiating direction, 21EX-S (Varian, USA) was utilized as linear accelerator for irradiation. The measured film dosimeter was analyzed using VXR-16 (Vidar System Corporation) to confirm dose distribution.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.166-175
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to develop the optimization method for adjusting the film isocenter shift and to suggest the quantitative acceptable criteria for film dosimetry after optimization In the dynamic conformal arc radiation therapy (DCAR). The DCAR planning was peformed In 7 patients with brain metastasis. Both absolute dosimetry with ion chamber and relative film dosimetry were peformed throughout the DCAR using BrainLab's micro-multileaf collimator. An optimization method for obtaining the global minimum was used to adjust for the error in the film isocenter shift, which is the largest pan of systemic errors. The mean of point dose difference between measured value using ion chamber and calculated value acquired from planning system was $0.51{\pm}0.43\%$ and maximum was $1.14\%$ with absolute dosimetry These results were within the AAPM criteria of below $5\%$. The translation values of film isocenter shift with optimization were within ${\pm}$1 mm in all patients. The mean of average dose difference before and after optimization was $1.70{\pm}0.35\%$ and $1.34{\pm}0.20\%$, respectively, and the mean ratios over $5\%$ dose difference was $4.54{\pm}3.94\%$ and $0.11{\pm}0.12\%$, respectively. After optimization, the dose differences decreased dramatically and a ratio over $5\%$ dose difference and average dose difference was less than $2\%$. This optimization method is effective in adjusting the error of the film isocenter shift, which Is the largest part of systemic errors, and the results of this research suggested the quantitative acceptable criteria could be accurate and useful in clinical application of dosimetric verification using film dosimetry as follows; film isocenter shift with optimization should be within ${\pm}$1 mm, and a ratio over $5\%$ dose difference and average dose difference were less than $2\%$.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.275-286
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• 2001

Purpose : To setup procedures of quality assurance (OA) for implementing intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) clinically, report OA procedures peformed for one patient with prostate cancer. Materials and methods : $P^3IMRT$ (ADAC) and linear accelerator (Siemens) with multileaf collimator are used to implement IMRT. At first, the positional accuracy, reproducibility of MLC, and leaf transmission factor were evaluated. RTP commissioning was peformed again to consider small field effect. After RTP recommissioning, a test plan of a C-shaped PTV was made using 9 intensity modulated beams, and the calculated isocenter dose was compared with the measured one in solid water phantom. As a patient-specific IMRT QA, one patient with prostate cancer was planned using 6 beams of total 74 segmented fields. The same beams were used to recalculate dose in a solid water phantom. Dose of these beams were measured with a 0.015 cc micro-ionization chamber, a diode detector, films, and an array detector and compared with calculated one. Results : The positioning accuracy of MLC was about 1 mm, and the reproducibility was around 0.5 mm. For leaf transmission factor for 10 MV photon beams, interleaf leakage was measured $1.9\%$ and midleaf leakage $0.9\%$ relative to $10\times\;cm^2$ open filed. Penumbra measured with film, diode detector, microionization chamber, and conventional 0.125 cc chamber showed that $80\~20\%$ penumbra width measured with a 0.125 cc chamber was 2 mm larger than that of film, which means a 0.125 cc ionization chamber was unacceptable for measuring small field such like 0.5 cm beamlet. After RTP recommissioning, the discrepancy between the measured and calculated dose profile for a small field of $1\times1\;cm^2$ size was less than $2\%$. The isocenter dose of the test plan of C-shaped PTV was measured two times with micro-ionization chamber in solid phantom showed that the errors upto $12\%$ for individual beam, but total dose delivered were agreed with the calculated within $2\%$. The transverse dose distribution measured with EC-L film was agreed with the calculated one in general. The isocenter dose for the patient measured in solid phantom was agreed within $1.5\%$. On-axis dose profiles of each individual beam at the position of the central leaf measured with film and array detector were found that at out-of-the-field region, the calculated dose underestimates about $2\%$, at inside-the-field the measured one was agreed within $3\%$, except some position. Conclusion : It is necessary more tight quality control of MLC for IMRT relative to conventional large field treatment and to develop QA procedures to check intensity pattern more efficiently. At the conclusion, we did setup an appropriate QA procedures for IMRT by a series of verifications including the measurement of absolute dose at the isocenter with a micro-ionization chamber, film dosimetry for verifying intensity pattern, and another measurement with an array detector for comparing off-axis dose profile.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2005

목적 : 기존 구내 방사선 촬영에서 사용되었던 Film에서의 노출선량과 Digital Sensor를 이용한 구내 디지털 촬영에서의 노출선량을 비교하여 현재 광범위 하게 사용 되어지고 있는 Digital Sensor가 환자의 피폭선량을 감소하는데 기여하는 정도를 알아본다. 대상 및 방법 : 치아 우식증이 없는 5개의 구치부 치아를 선택하여 석고 블럭에 매식한 후 교합면과 인접면에 우식병소들을 형성하였다. 이를 필름(Kodak Insight; IS, Kodak Co, USA)과 Digital Sensor(Kodak RVG 6000; Kodak Co, USA)에 XCP Instrument(Rinn Co, USA)를 사용하고, 전면에는 조직등가물질인 Acrylic Resin Block 20mm를 설치하였다. Acrylic Resin Block의 관구 측면 에서는 조사선량계를 부착하여 단계별로 변화시키는 노출조건에 대한 조사선량을 측정하였다. 그리고 이렇게 얻어진 영상을 3명의 방사선학 전공의와 1명 의 보존과 전공의가 평가를 하였다. 결과 : Film과 Digital Sensor를 가지고 촬영한 영상을 분석한 결과 노출선량에서도 Digital Sensor는 Film 노출선량과 비슷한 결과를 도출해 낼 수 있었다. 그러나 Digital Sensor로 촬영된 영상의 경우에는 Film 경우보다 좀더 효과적으로 조사선량을 판단 할 수 있었으며, 또한 영상 판독시 필름보다 폭 넓게 응용 할 수 있었다. 결론 : 본 연구에서는 선량 변화에만 의존하는 것이 아니라 Digital Sensor로 촬영시 영상 조절을 병행한다면 좀더 정확하고 효과적인 진단 활동에 도움이 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2000

The IP(imaging plate) has been widely used to measure the two-dimensional distribution of incident radiation since it has a high sensitivity, reusability, a wide dynamic range, a high position resolution. Particularly, the easiness of acquiring digitized image using IP poses a strong merit because recent trend of data handling prefers image digitization. In order to test its usefulness in photon beam dosimetry, we measured the off-axis ratio(OAR) on portal planes and percent depth dose(PDD) within a phantom using IP, and compared the results with the data based on EGS4 Monte Carlo particle transport code, ion-chambers, conventional films. For the measurement, we used 6 MV X-rays, various field sizes. As a result, IP showed significant deviation from ion-chamber measurement: a significant overresponse, 100% greater than that of ion-chamber measurement at deep part of the phantom. Filtration of low-energy scattered photons at deep part of the phantom using 0.5 mm thick lead sheets did improve the result, only to the unacceptable extent. However, portal dose measurement showed possibilities of If as a dosimeter by showing errors less than 5%, as compared with film measurement.