• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.85-90
• /
• 2000

In radiation therapy, the effects of radiation are decided total dose, total treatment times and number of radiation dose fractions. We considered that total dose, total treatment times and number of radiation dose fractions in intensity modulation radiation therapy(IMRT) infuence tumor cell killing. The goal of three dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3DCRT) in radiation therapy is to conform the partial distribution of the prescribed radiation dose to the precise 3D configuration of the tumor, and at the same time, to minimize the dose to the surrounding normal tissues. To optimize treatment volume of tumor, treatment volume will be same tumor volume. All IMRT compare to conventional treatment plus boost IMRT when total dose irradiated 75 - 90 Gy. Because of biological effect, total dose are decreased 12.5 - l5Gy in all IMRT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2017

Locoregional failure is the most frequent pattern of failure in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients and it leads to death in most of the patients. Second primary tumors occurring in the other head and neck region reach up to almost 40% of long-term survivors. Recommended and preferred retreatment option in operable patients is salvage surgical resection, reporting a 5-year overall survival of up to 40%. However, because of tumor location, extent, and underlying comorbidities, salvage surgery is often limited and compromised by incomplete resection. Reirradiation with or without combined chemotherapy is an appropriate option for unresectable recurrence. Reirradiation is carefully considered with a case-by-case basis. Reirradiation protocol enrollment is highly encouraged prior to committing patient to an aggressive therapy. Radiation doses greater than 60 Gy are usually recommended for successful salvage. Despite recent technical improvement in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), the use of concurrent chemotherapy, and the emergence of molecularly targeted agents, careful patient selection remain as the most paramount factor in reirradiation. Tumors that recur or persist despite aggressive prior chemoradiation therapy imply the presence of chemoradio-resistant clonogens. Treatment protocols that combine novel targeted radiosensitizing agents with conformal high precision radiation are required to overcome the resistance while minimizing toxicity. Recent large number of data showed that IMRT may provide better locoregional control with acceptable acute or chronic morbidities. However, additional prospective studies are required before a definitive conclusion can be drawn on safety and effectiveness of IMRT.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2003.09a
• /
• pp.64-64
• /
• 2003

Objectives: Patient dose verification is clinically the most important parts in the treatment delivery of radiation therapy. The three dimensional(3D) reconstruction of dose distribution delivered to target volume helps to verify patient dose and determine the physical characteristics of beams used in intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT). We present Beam Intensity Scanner(BInS) system for the pre treatment dosimetric verification of two dimensional photon intensity. The BInS is a radiation detector with a custom made software for relative dose conversion of fluorescence signals from scintillator. Methods: This scintillator is fabricated by phosphor Gadolinium Oxysulphide and is used to produce fluorescence from the irradiation of 6MV photons on a Varian Clinac 21EX. The digitized fluoroscopic signals obtained by digital video camera will be processed by our custom made software to reproduce 3D relative dose distribution. For the intensity modulated beam(IMB), the BInS calculates absorbed dose in absolute beam fluence, which are used for the patient dose distribution. Results: Using BInS, we performed various measurements related to IMRT and found the followings: (1) The 3D dose profiles of the IMBs measured by the BInS demonstrate good agreement with radiographic film, pin type ionization chamber and Monte Carlo simulation. (2) The delivered beam intensity is altered by the mechanical and dosimetric properties of the collimating of dynamic and/or static MLC system. This is mostly due to leaf transmission, leaf penumbra, scattered photons from the round edges of leaves, and geometry of leaf. (3) The delivered dose depends on the operational detail of how to make multileaf opening. Conclusions: These phenomena result in a fluence distribution that can be substantially different from the initial and calculative intensity modulation and therefore, should be taken into account by the treatment planing for accurate dose calculations delivered to the target volume in IMRT.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.48-57
• /
• 2021

Background: In this study, the complexities of step-and-shoot intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans in magnetic resonance-guided radiation therapy systems were evaluated. Materials and Methods: Overall, 194 verification plans from the abdomen, prostate, and breast sites were collected using a ⁶⁰Co-based ViewRay radiotherapy system (ViewRay Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA). Various plan complexity metrics (PCMs) were calculated for each verification plan, including the modulation complexity score (MCS), plan-averaged beam area (PA), plan-averaged beam irregularity, plan-averaged edge (PE), plan-averaged beam modulation, number of segments, average area among all segments (AA/Seg), and total beam-on time (TBT). The plan deliverability was quantified in terms of gamma passing rates (GPRs) with a 1 mm/2% criterion, and the Pearson correlation coefficients between GPRs and various PCMs were analyzed. Results and Discussion: For the abdomen, prostate, and breast groups, the average GPRs with the 1 mm/2% criterion were 77.8 ± 6.0%, 79.8 ± 4.9%, and 84.7 ± 7.3%; PCMs were 0.263, 0.271, and 0.386; PAs were 15.001, 18.779, and 35.683; PEs were 1.575, 1.444, and 1.028; AA/Segs were 15.37, 19.89, and 36.64; and TBTs were 18.86, 19.33, and 5.91 minutes, respectively. The various PCMs, i.e., MCS, PA, PE, AA/Seg, and TBT, showed statistically significant Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.416, 0.627, -0.541, 0.635, and -0.397, respectively, with GPRs. Conclusion: The area-related metrics exhibited strong correlations with GPRs. Moreover, the AA/Seg metric can be used to estimate the IMRT plan accuracy without beam delivery in the ⁶⁰Co-based ViewRay radiotherapy system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2002.09a
• /
• pp.248-251
• /
• 2002

The intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with a multileaf collimator (MLC) requires the conversion of a radiation fluence map into a leaf sequence file that controls the movement of the MLC during radiation treatment of patients. Patient dose verification is clinically one of the most important parts in the treatment delivery of the radiation therapy. The three dimensional (3D) reconstruction of dose distribution delivered to the target helps to verify patient dose and to determine the physical characteristics of beams used in IMRT. A new method is presented for the pretreatment dosimetric verification of two dimensional distributions of photon intensity by means of Beam Intensity Scanner System (BISS) as a radiation detector with a custom-made software for dose calculation of fluorescence signals from scintillator. The scintillator is used to produce fluorescence from the irradiation of 6MV photons on a Varian Clinac 21EX. The BISS reproduces 3D- relative dose distribution from the digitized fluoroscopic signals obtained by digital video camera-based scintillator(DVCS) device in the IMRT. For the intensity modulated beams (IMBs), the calculations of absorbed dose are performed in absolute beam fluence profiles which are used for calculation of the patient dose distribution. The 3D-dose profiles of the IMBs with the BISS were demonstrated by relative measurements of photon beams and shown good agreement with radiographic film. The mechanical and dosimetric properties of the collimating of dynamic and/or step MLC system alter the generated intensity. This is mostly due to leaf transmission, leaf penumbra and geometry of leaves. The variations of output according to the multileaf opening during the irradiation need to be accounted for as well. These phenomena result in a fluence distribution that can be substantially different from the initial and calculative intensity modulation and therefore, should be taken into account by the treatment planning for accurate dose calculations delivered to the target volume in IMRT.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.187-197
• /
• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the treatment outcome and long-term toxicity of 70 Gy hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for localized prostate cancer using a customized rectal balloon. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of 86 prostate cancer patients who received curative radiotherapy between January 2004 and December 2011 at our institution. Patients were designated as low (12.8%), intermediate (20.9%), or high risk (66.3%). Thirty patients received a total dose of 70 Gy in 28 fractions over 5 weeks via IMRT (the Hypo-IMRT group); 56 received 70.2 Gy in 39 fractions over 7 weeks via 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (the CF-3DRT group, which served as a reference for comparison). A customized rectal balloon was placed in Hypo-IMRT group throughout the entire radiotherapy course. Androgen deprivation therapy was administered to 47 patients (Hypo-IMRT group, 17; CF-3DRT group, 30). Late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were evaluated according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Results: The median follow-up period was 74.4 months (range, 18.8 to 125.9 months). The 5-year actuarial biochemical relapse-free survival rates for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients were 100%, 100%, and 88.5%, respectively, for the Hypo-IMRT group and 80%, 77.8%, and 63.6%, respectively, for the CF-3DRT group (p < 0.046). No patient presented with acute or late GU toxicity ${\geq}$grade 3. Late grade 3 GI toxicity occurred in 2 patients (3.6%) in the CF-3DRT group and 1 patient (3.3%) in the Hypo-IMRT group. Conclusion: Hypo-IMRT with a customized rectal balloon resulted in excellent biochemical control rates with minimal toxicity in localized prostate cancer patients.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.201-206
• /
• 1998

IMRT optimization method on multiple slice has been developed by using gradient based algorithm. On about 10-30 CT slices including treatment region of a patient, dose optimization has been performed slice by slice to meet the condition that each organ should be exposed below maximum tolerable doses and that the tumor dose within the range of 100$\pm$5 %. Field size was limited to 8$\times$8 cm$^2$ and in this condition, beam divergence was not taken into account to calculate dose distribution. Total dose distribution was calculated by superposing each beamlet whose dose distribution had been precalculated. In order to investigate beam number dependency, dose optimization was performed for one, three, five, seven, and nine coplanar beams and then each optimization index was evaluated. It is found that optimization time was proportional to number of slices to be optimized, and the most efficient plan was obtained from the case of three-to-seven incident beams with respect to calculation time and optimization index. In conclusion, dose optimization of multiple slice was able to be obtained by repeating dose optimization of single slice under condition that the beam size is not too large to ignore beam divergence. And it turns out that result of dose optimization was so sensitive to the position of isocenter that some method to optimize isocenter position is needed to improve it.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.53-65
• /
• 2001

Purpose : To improve the local control of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, we have implemented 3-D conformal radiotherapy and forward intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to used of compensating filters. Three dimension conformal radiotherapy with intensity modulation is a new modality for cancer treatments. We designed 3-D treatment planning with 3-D RTP (radiation treatment planning system) and evaluation dose distribution with tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Material and Methods : We have developed a treatment plan consisting four intensity modulated photon fields that are delivered through the compensating tilters and block transmission for critical organs. We get a full size CT imaging including head and neck as 3 mm slices, and delineating PTV (planning target volume) and surrounding critical organs, and reconstructed 3D imaging on the computer windows. In the planning stage, the planner specifies the number of beams and their directions including non-coplanar, and the prescribed doses for the target volume and the permissible dose of normal organs and the overlap regions. We designed compensating filter according to tissue deficit and PTV volume shape also dose weighting for each field to obtain adequate dose distribution, and shielding blocks weighting for transmission. Therapeutic gains were evaluated by numerical equation of tumor control probability and normal tissue complication probability. The TCP and NTCP by DVH (dose volume histogram) were compared with the 3-D conformal radiotherapy and forward intensity modulated conformal radiotherapy by compensator and blocks weighting. Optimization for the weight distribution was peformed iteration with initial guess weight or the even weight distribution. The TCP and NTCP by DVH were compared with the 3-D conformal radiotherapy and intensitiy modulated conformal radiotherapy by compensator and blocks weighting. Results : Using a four field IMRT plan, we have customized dose distribution to conform and deliver sufficient dose to the PTV. In addition, in the overlap regions between the PTV and the normal organs (spinal cord, salivary grand, pituitary, optic nerves), the dose is kept within the tolerance of the respective organs. We evaluated to obtain sufficient TCP value and acceptable NTCP using compensating filters. Quality assurance checks show acceptable agreement between the planned and the implemented MLC(multi-leaf collimator). Conclusion : IMRT provides a powerful and efficient solution for complex planning problems where the surrounding normal tissues place severe constraints on the prescription dose. The intensity modulated fields can be efficaciously and accurately delivered using compensating filters.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.181-186
• /
• 2013

Purpose: This study executed therapy plans on prostate cancer (homogeneous density area) and lung cancer (non-homogeneous density area) using radiation treatment planning systems such as $Pinnacle^3$ (version 9.2, Philips Medical Systems, USA) and Eclipse (version 10.0, Varian Medical Systems, USA) in order to quantify the difference between dose calculation according to density in IMRT. Materials and Methods: The subjects were prostate cancer patients (n=5) and lung cancer patients (n=5) who had therapies in our hospital. Identical constraints and optimization process according to the Protocol were administered on the subjects. For the therapy plan of prostate cancer patients, 10 MV and 7Beam were used and 2.5 Gy was prescribed in 28 fx to make 70 Gy in total. For lung cancer patients, 6 MV and 6Beam were used and 2 Gy was prescribed in 33 fx to make 66 Gy in total. Through two therapy planning systems, maximum dose, average dose, and minimum dose of OAR (Organ at Risk) of CTV, PTV and around tumor were investigated. Results: In prostate cancer, both therapy planning systems showed within 2% change of dose of CTV and PTV and normal organs (Bladder, Both femur and Rectum out) near the tumor satisfied the dose constraints. In lung cancer, CTV and PTV showed less than 2% changes in dose and normal organs (Esophagus, Spinal cord and Both lungs) satisfied dose restrictions. However, the minimum dose of Eclipse therapy plan was 1.9% higher in CTV and 3.5% higher in PTV, and in case of both lungs there was 3.0% difference at V5 Gy. Conclusion: Each TPS according to the density satisfied dose limits of our hospital proving the clinical accuracy. It is considered more accurate and precise therapy plan can be made if studies on treatment planning for diverse parts and the application of such TPS are made.