• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.78-89
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• 2017

Purpose: To determine the optimal radiotherapy technique for gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma), we compared the dosimetric parameters and the risk of solid secondary cancer from scattered doses among anterior-posterior/ posterior-anterior parallel-opposed fields (AP/PA), anterior, posterior, right, and left lateral fields (4_field), 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) using noncoplanar beams, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy composed of 7 coplanar beams (IMRT_co) and 7 coplanar and noncoplanar beams (IMRT_non). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively generated 5 planning techniques for 5 patients with gastric MALToma. Homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI), and mean doses of the kidney and liver were calculated from the dose-volume histograms. Applied the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation VII report to scattered doses, the lifetime attributable risk (LAR) was calculated to estimate the risk of solid secondary cancer. Results: The best value of CI was obtained with IMRT, although the HI varied among patients. The mean kidney dose was the highest with AP/PA, followed by 4_field, 3D-CRT, IMRT_co, and IMRT_non. On the other hand, the mean liver dose was the highest with 4_field and the lowest with AP/PA. Compared with 4_field, the LAR for 3D-CRT decreased except the lungs, and the LAR for IMRT_co and IMRT_non increased except the lungs. However, the absolute differences were much lower than <1%. Conclusion: Tailored RT techniques seem to be beneficial because it could achieve adjacent organ sparing with very small and clinically irrelevant increase of secondary solid cancer risk compared to the conventional techniques.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2015

The monitor chamber is a real time dosimetry device for the measurement and the control of radiation beam intensity of the linac system. The monitor chamber prototype was developed for monitoring and controlling radiation beam from the linac based radiation generator. The thin flexible printed circuit boards were used for electrodes of the two independent plane-parallel ionization chambers to minimize the attenuation of radiation beam. The dosimetric characteristics, saturation and linearity of the measured charge, were experimentally evaluated with the Co-60 gamma rays. The performance of the developed monitor chamber prototype was in an acceptable range and this study shows the possibility of the further development of the chamber with additional functions.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.284-289
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• 2013

A study was performed comparing dosimetric characteristics of volumetric modulated arc and intensity modulated radiatio therapy on patients with bilateral breast cancer. For 5 patients, 3 plans were made for each patient; IMRT beams 8 and 12 of the beam intensity modulated radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy plan. The average PTVs volumes and $D_{98}$ for 12-IMRT were $51.04{\pm}0.57$ Gy (right), $50.80{\pm}1.07$ Gy (left), $42.94{\pm}16.16$ Gy (right), $42.56{\pm}2.09$ Gy (left). HI ($D_5{\sim}D_{95}$) and $CI_{90,95}$, even 12-IMRT has shown excellent results. In OAR, 3 plans showed excellent results. But the lowest dose of 12-IMRT. 12-IMRT achieved similar PTV coverage and sparing of organs at risk than 8-IMRT and VMAT.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2020

This study aimed to assess of beam-matching accuracy for an 8 MV beam between the same model linear accelerators(Linac) commissioned over two years. Two models were got the customer acceptance procedure(CAP) criteria. For commissioning data for beam-matched linacs, the percentage depth doses(PDDs), beam profiles, output factors, multi-leaf collimator(MLC) leaf transmission factors, and the dosimetric leaf gap(DLG) were compared. In addition, the accuracy of beam matching was verified at phantom and patient levels. At phantom level, the point doses specified in TG-53 and TG-119 were compared to evaluate the accuracy of beam modelling. At patient level, the dose volume histogram(DVH) parameters and the delivery accuracy are evaluated on volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT) plan for 40 patients that included 20 lung and 20 brain cases. Ionization depth curve and dose profiles obtained in CAP showed a good level for beam matching between both Linacs. The variations in commissioning beam data, such as PDDs, beam profiles, output factors, TF, and DLG were all less than 1%. For the treatment plans of brain tumor and lung cancer, the average and maximum differences in evaluated DVH parameters for the planning target volume(PTV) and the organs at risk(OARs) were within 0.30% and 1.30%. Furthermore, all gamma passing rates for both beam-matched Linacs were higher than 98% for the 2%/2 mm criteria and 99% for the 2%/3 mm criteria. The overall variations in the beam data, as well as tests at phantom and patient levels remains all within the tolerance (1% difference) of clinical acceptability between beam-matched Linacs. Thus, we found an excellent dosimetric agreement to 8 MV beam characteristics for the same model Linacs.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2005

According to the Para. 5 of Art 2 of the Korean Nuclear Safety Regulations, which was revised in 1999, internal dose assessment as well as external one should be performed by law for employees at a nuclear power plant from 2003, and their estimate errors should also be within 50%. Thus, more accurate internal dosimetry becomes important. Corresponding to such regulation revision, we are developing a more accurate thyroid-uptake internal dosimetric system and have developed a Monte Carlo simulation code, the so-called CALEFF, to calculate the detection efficiency of the dosimetric system. In this paper, we calculated detection efficiencies with various test conditions by using the CALEFF code and discussed their characteristics. We may use the detection efficiency calculated by the code in calibrating the thyroid internal dose from measured data.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.621-626
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• 2017

In this paper, an optical dosimetric system for radiation dose measurement is developed and characterized for 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC(Korea Multi-Purpose Accelerator Complex). The system consists of 10 wt% Ultima GoldTM liquid organic scintillator in the ethanol, a camera lens(50 mm / f1.8), and a high sensitivity CMOS(complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera (ASI120MM, ZWO Co.). The FOV(field of view) of the system is designed to be 150 mm at a distance of 2 m. This system showed sufficient linearity in the range of 1~40 Gy for the 100 MeV proton beams in KOMAC. We also successfully got the percentage depth dose and the isodose curves of the 100 MeV proton beams from the captured images. Because the solvent is not a human tissue equivalent material, we can not directly measure the absorbed dose of the human body. Through this study, we have established the optical dosimetric procedure and propose a new volume dose assessment method.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.937-943
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• 2018

Background: This work presents the performance of a novel electronic brachytherapy (EBT) device and radiotherapy (RT) experiments on both skin cancer cells and animals using the device. Methods and materials: The performance of the EBT device was evaluated by measuring and analyzing the dosimetric characteristics of X-rays generated from the device. The apoptosis of skin cancer cells was analyzed using B16F10 melanoma cancer cells. Animal experiments were performed using C57BL/6 mice. Results: The X-ray characteristics of the EBT device satisfied the accepted tolerance level for RT. The results of the RT experiments on the skin cancer cells show that a significant apoptosis induction occurred after irradiation with 50 kVp X-rays generated from the EBT device. Furthermore, the results of the animal RT experiments demonstrate that the superficial X-rays significantly delay the tumor growth and that the tumor growth delay induced by irradiation with low-energy X-rays was almost the same as that induced by irradiation with a high-energy electron beam. Conclusions: The developed new EBT device has almost the same therapeutic effect on the skin cancer with a conventional linear accelerator. Consequently, the EBT device can be practically used for human skin cancer treatment in the near future.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.145-155
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• 2016

Purpose: Radiation therapy targeting axilla and groin lymph nodes improves regional disease control in locally advanced and high-risk skin cancers. However, trials generally used conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-RT), contributing towards relatively high rates of side effects from treatment. The goal of this study is to determine if three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) may improve radiation delivery to the target while avoiding organs at risk in the clinical context of skin cancer regional nodal irradiation. Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with locally advanced/high-risk skin cancers underwent computed tomography simulation. The relevant axilla or groin planning target volumes and organs at risk were delineated using standard definitions. Paired t-tests were used to compare the mean values of several dose-volumetric parameters for each of the 4 techniques. Results: In the axilla, the largest improvement for 3D-CRT compared to 2D-RT was for homogeneity index (13.9 vs. 54.3), at the expense of higher lung $V_{20}$ (28.0% vs. 12.6%). In the groin, the largest improvements for 3D-CRT compared to 2D-RT were for anorectum $D_{max}$ (13.6 vs. 38.9 Gy), bowel $D_{200cc}$ (7.3 vs. 23.1 Gy), femur $D_{50}$ (34.6 vs. 57.2 Gy), and genitalia $D_{max}$ (37.6 vs. 51.1 Gy). IMRT had further improvements compared to 3D-CRT for humerus $D_{mean}$ (16.9 vs. 22.4 Gy), brachial plexus $D_5$ (57.4 vs. 61.3 Gy), bladder $D_5$ (26.8 vs. 36.5 Gy), and femur $D_{50}$ (18.7 vs. 34.6 Gy). Fewer differences were observed between IMRT and VMAT. Conclusion: Compared to 2D-RT and 3D-CRT, IMRT and VMAT had dosimetric advantages in the treatment of nodal regions of skin cancer patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.138-147
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• 2020

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric variations in patients of head and neck cancer treated with definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy using optimized non-coplanar (ncVMAT) beams with coplanar (cVMAT) beams using volumetric arc therapy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients of head and neck cancer that had received radiotherapy using VMAT in our department were retrospectively analyzed. Each of the patients was planned using coplanar and non-coplanar orientations using an optimized couch angle and fluences. We analyzed the Conformity Index (C_IRTOG), Dose Homogeneity Index (DHI), Heterogeneity Index (HI_RTOG), low dose volume, target and organs-at-risk coverage in both the plans without changing planning optimization parameters. Results: The prescription dose ranged from 60 Gy to 70 Gy. Using ncVMAT, C_IRTOG, DHI and HI_RTOG, and tumor coverage (ID_95%) had improved, low dose spillage volume in the body V_5Gy was increased and V_10Gy was reduced. Integral dose and intensity-modulated radiation therapy factor had increased in ncVMAT. In the case of non-coplanar beam arrangements, maximum dose (D_max) of right and left humeral head were reduced significantly whereas apex of the right and left lung mean dose were increased. Conclusion: The use of ncVMAT produced better target coverage and sparing of the shoulder and soft tissue of the neck as well as the critical organ compared with the cVMAT in patients of head and neck malignancy.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.106-114
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• 2018

This study aimed to compare the performance of previous optimization algorithms against new a photon optimizer (PO) algorithm for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans for prostate cancer. Eighteen patients with prostate cancer were retrospectively selected and planned to receive 78 Gy in 39 fractions of the planning target volume (PTV). All plans for each patient optimized with the dose volume optimizer (DVO) and progressive resolution optimizer (PRO) algorithms for IMRT and VMAT were compared against plans optimized with the PO within Eclipse version 13.7. No interactive action was performed during optimization. Dosimetric and radiobiological indices for the PTV and organs at risk were analyzed. The monitor units (MU) per plan were recorded. Based on the plan quality for the target coverage, prostate IMRT and VMAT plans using the PO showed an improvement over DVO and PRO. In addition, the PO generally showed improvement in the tumor control probability for the PTV and normal tissue control probability for the rectum. From a technical perspective, the PO generated IMRT treatment plans with fewer MUs than DVO, whereas it produced slightly more MUs in the VMAT plan, compared with PRO. The PO showed over potentiality of DVO and PRO whenever available, although it led to more MUs in VMAT than PRO. Therefore, the PO has become the preferred choice for planning prostate IMRT and VMAT at our institution.