• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 2008

Aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of 2D ion chamber array as a substitute of the water phantom system in a periodic Linac QA. For the feasibility study, a commercial ion chamber matrix was used as a substitute of the water phantom in the measurement for a routine QA beam properties. The device used in this study was the I'm RT MatriXX (Wellhofer Dosimetrie, Germany). The MatriXX consists of a 1,020 vented ion chamber array, arranged in $24{\times}24\;cm^2$ matrix. Each ion chamber has a volume of $0.08\;cm^3$, spacing of 0.762 cm. We investigated dosimetric parameters such as dose symmetry, energy ($TPR_{20,10}$), and absolute dose for comparing with the water phantom data with a Farmer-type ionization chamber (FC65G, Wellhofer Dosimetrie, Germany). For the MatriXX measurements, we used the white polystyrene phantom (${\rho}:\;1.18\;g/cm^3$) and also considered the intrinsic layer (${\rho}:\;1.06\;g/cm^3$, t: 0.36 cm) of MatriXX to be equivalent to water depth. In the preliminary study of geometrical QA using MatriXX, the rotation axis of collimator and half beam junction test were included and compared with film measurements. Regarding the dosimetrical QA, the MatriXX has shown good agreements within ${\pm}1%$ compared to the water phantom measurements. In the geometrical test, the data from MatriXX were comparable with those from the films. In conclusion, the MatriXX is a good substitute for water phantom system and film measurements. In addition, the results indicate that the MatriXX as a cost-effective novel QA tool to reduce time and personnel power.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.91-102
• /
• 2009

Purpose: To compare the accuracy and efficacy of EDR2 film, a 2D ionization chamber array (MatriXX) and an amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging device (EPID) in the pre-treatment QA of IMRT. Materials and Methods: Fluence patterns, shaped as a wedge with 10 steps (segments) by a multi-leaf collimator (MLC), of reference and test IMRT fields were measured using EDR2 film, the MatriXX, and EPID. Test fields were designed to simulate leaf positioning errors. The absolute dose at a point in each step of the reference fields was measured in a water phantom with an ionization chamber and was compared to the dose obtained with the use of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID. For qualitative analysis, all measured fluence patterns of both reference and test fields were compared with calculated dose maps from a radiation treatment planning system (Pinnacle, Philips, USA) using profiles and $\gamma$ evaluation with 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria. By measurement of the time to perform QA, we compared the workload of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID. Results: The percent absolute dose difference between the measured and ionization chamber dose was within 1% for the EPID, 2% for the MatriXX and 3% for EDR2 film. The percentage of pixels with $\gamma$%>1 for the 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria was within 2% for use of both EDR2 film and the EPID. However, differences for the use of the MatriXX were seen with a maximum difference as great as 5.94% with the 2%/2 mm criteria. For the test fields, EDR2 film and EPID could detect leaf-positioning errors on the order of -3 mm and -2 mm, respectively. However it was difficult to differentiate leaf-positioning errors with the MatriXX due to its poor resolution. The approximate time to perform QA was 110 minutes for the use of EDR2 film, 80 minutes for the use of the MatriXX and approximately 55 minutes for the use of the EPID. Conclusion: This study has evaluated the accuracy and efficacy of EDR2 film, the MatriXX and EPID in the pre-treatment verification of IMRT. EDR2 film and the EPID showed better performance for accuracy, while the use of the MatriXX significantly reduced measurement and analysis times. We propose practical and useful methods to establish an effective QA system in a clinical environment.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a commercial ion chamber array for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) quality assurance (QA) was performed IMRT patient-specific QA Materials and Methods: A use of IMRT patient-specific QA was examined for nasopharyngeal patient by using 6MV photon beams. The MatriXX (Wellhofer Dosimetrie, Germany) was used for IMRT QA. The case of nasopharyngeal cancer was performed inverse treatment planning. A hybrid dose distribution made on the CT data of MatriXX and solid phantom all of the same gantry angle (0$^\circ$). The measurement was acquired with geometrical condition that equal to hybrid treatment planning. The $\gamma$-index (dose difference 3%, DTA 3 mm) histogram was used for quantitative analysis of dose discrepancies. An absolute dose was compared at the high dose low gradient region. Results: The dose distribution was shown a good agreement by gamma evaluation. A proportion of acceptance criteria was 95.8%, 97.52%, 96.28%, 98.20%, 97.78%, 96.64% and 92.70% for gantry angles were 0$^\circ$, 55$^\circ$, 110$^\circ$, 140$^\circ$, 220$^\circ$, 250$^\circ$ and 305$^\circ$, respectively. The absolute dose in high dose low gradient region was shown reasonable agreement with the RTP calculation within $\pm$3%. Conclusion: The MatriXX offers the dosimetric characteristics required for performing both relative and absolute measurements. If MatriXX use in the clinic, it could be simplified and reduced the IMRT patient-specific QA workload. Therefore, the MatriXX is evaluated as a reliable and convenient dosimeter for IMRT patient-specific QA.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2010

Purpose: It is very important to confirm conformance of dose distribution that is formed with treatment planning from IMRS or IMRT. It has been a problem dropped accuracy and conformance when the field size is getting smaller because of character of the 2D ion chamber. Verification of MatriXX Phantom dose distribution with a change in the SAD. Dose distribution measurement and analysis to improve the accuracy and should be useful to evaluate the award. Materials and Methods: A use of Novalis linear accelerator 6 MV photon beams. In general, IMRS were 25 patients with small field size. The selected patients were divided into three groups on the basis of the field size. SAD was changed from 80 to 130 cm and field size to determine the dose distribution to the change, each dose was measured using MatriXX Phantom. Analysis of measured values obtained from the program for each patient through the treatment planning system comparison and analysis of the dose distribution and gamma values were expressed. Result: SAD 80, 100, and 120 cm in size in the gamma value to the investigation of patients less than $3\;cm^2$ average 0.939, 0.969, and 0.979, respectively. Patients with more than $5\;cm^2$ 0.962, 0.983, and 0.988, respectively. $5\;cm^2$ or more patients 0.982, 0.990, and 0.992, respectively. Conclusion: The error rate of less than $3\;cm^2$ field size is increased rapidly. If the field size is increased, resolution is increased by 2D ion chambers. It has been approved that it can be credible if it is around $3\;cm^2$ when measuring dose distribution using MatriXX. Adjusting geometric field size by changing SAD is likely to be very useful when you measure dose distribution using MatriXX.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.198-203
• /
• 2013

Generally, to evaluate gated radiation therapy, moving phantoms are used to simulate organ motion. Since the target moves in every direction, we need to take into account motion in each direction. This study proposes methods to evaluate gated radiation therapy using gamma index analysis and to visualize adequate gating window sizes according to motion ranges. The moving phantom was fabricated to simulate motion in the craniocaudal direction. This phantom consisted of a moving platform, the I'm MatriXX, and solid water phantoms. A 6 MV photon filed with a field size of $4{\times}4cm^2$ was delivered to the phantom using the gating system, while the phantom moved in the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-cm motion ranges. The gating windows were set at 40~60%, 30~40%, and 0~90%, respectively. The I'm MatriXX acquired the dose distributions for each scenario and the dose distributions were compared with a $4{\times}4cm^2$ static filed. The tolerance of the gamma index was set at 3%/3 mm. The greater the gating window, the lower the pass rate, and the greater the motion range, the lower the pass rate in this study. In case treatment without gated radiation therapy for the target with motion of 2 cm, the pass rate was less than 96%. But it was greater than 99% when gated radiation therapy was used. However gated radiation therapy was used for the target with motion greater than 4 cm, the pass rate could not be greater than 97% when gating window was set as 30~70%. But when the gating window set as 40~60%, the pass rate was greater than 99%.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.242-247
• /
• 2014

To see the discrepancies between the calculated and the delivered dose distribution of IMRT fields for respiratory-induced moving target according to the motion ranges. Four IMRT plans in which there are five fields, for lung and liver patients were selected. The gantry angles were set to $0^{\circ}$ for every field and recalculated using TPS (Eclipse Ver 8.1, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., USA). The ion-chamber array detector (MatriXX, IBA Dosimetry, Germany) was placed on the respiratory simulating platform and made it to move with ranges of 1, 2, and 3 cm, respectively. The IMRT fields were delivered to the detector with 30~70% gating windows. The comparison was performed by gamma index with tolerance of 3 mm and 3%. The average pass rate was 98.63% when there's no motion. When 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 cm motion ranges were simulated, the average pass rate were 98.59%, 97.82%, and 95.84%, respectively. Therefore, ITV margin should be increased or gating windows should be decreased for targets with large motion ranges.