• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 2013

This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of $T_{1/2}$ upon count rates in the analysis of dynamic scan using NaI (Tl) scintillation camera, and suggest a new quality control method with this effects. We producted a point source with $^{99m}TcO_4^-$ of 18.5 to 185 MBq in the 2 mL syringes, and acquired 30 frames of dynamic images with 10 to 60 seconds each using Infinia gamma camera (GE, USA). In the second experiment, 90 frames of dynamic images were acquired from 74 MBq point source by 5 gamma cameras (Infinia 2, Forte 2, Argus 1). There were not significant differences in average count rates of the sources with 18.5 to 92.5 MBq in the analysis of 10 to 60 seconds/frame with 10 seconds interval in the first experiment (p>0.05). But there were significantly low average count rates with the sources over 111 MBq activity at 60 seconds/frame (p<0.01). According to the second analysis results of linear regression by count rates of 5 gamma cameras those were acquired during 90 minutes, counting efficiency of fourth gamma camera was most low as 0.0064%, and gradient and coefficient of variation was high as 0.0042 and 0.229 each. We could not find abnormal fluctuation in $x^2$ test with count rates (p>0.02), and we could find the homogeneity of variance in Levene's F-test among the gamma cameras (p>0.05). At the correlation analysis, there was only correlation between counting efficiency and gradient as significant negative correlation (r=-0.90, p<0.05). Lastly, according to the results of calculation of $T_{1/2}$ error from change of gradient with -0.25% to +0.25%, if $T_{1/2}$ is relatively long, or gradient is high, the error increase relationally. When estimate the value of 4th camera which has highest gradient from the above mentioned result, we could not see $T_{1/2}$ error within 60 minutes at that value. In conclusion, it is necessary for the scintillation gamma camera in medical field to manage hard for the quality of radiation measurement. Especially, we found a tendency that count rate changes over time at this study, and we proved that it can effect $T_{1/2}$. And also, there is need of appropriate phantoms and the method of quality management like this study, because there are not any advice or limitation degrees for domestic medical purpose scintillation camera.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.137-141
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• 1998

The purposes of this report are to evaluate whether lead ball and steel ball could be used as protective material of radiation and to acquire physical data of them for protecting 4-10 MV X-ray beams. Lead balls of diameter 2.0～2.5mm or steel balls of diameter 1.5～2.0 mm were filled in an acrylic box of uniform width. An MV radiograph of metal balls in a box were taken to ascertain uniformity of ball distribution in the box. Average density of metal ball and linear attenuation coefficient of metal balls for 4～10 MV X -rays were measured. At the time of measurement of linear attenuation coefficient, Farmer ionization chamber was used and to minimize the scatter effect, distance between the ball and the ionization chamber was 70 cm and field size was 5.5cm${\times}$5.5cm. For comparison, same parameters of lead and steel plates were measured. The distribution of metal balls was uniform in the box. The density of a mixture of lead-air was 6.93g/cm$^3$, 0.611 times density of lead, and the density of a mixture of steel-air was 4.75g/cm$^3$, 0.604 times density of steel. Half-value layers of a mixture of lead-air were 1.89 cm for 4 MV X-ray, 2.07 cm for 6 MV X-ray and 2.16 cm for 10 MV X-ray, and approximately 1.64 times of HVL of lead plate. Half-value layers of a mixture of steel-air were 3.24 cm for 4 MV X-ray, 3.70 cm for 6 MV X-ray and 4.15 cm for 10 MV X-ray, and approximately 1.65 times of HVL of lead plate. Metal balls can be used because they could be distributed evenly. Average densities of mixtures of lead-air and steel-air were 6.93g/cm$^3$, 4.75g/cm$^3$ respectively and approximately 1.65 times of densities of lead and steel. Product of density and HVL for a mixture of metal-air are same as the metal.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

In this study, we evaluated the dose response of MAGAT (Methacrylic Acid Gelatin gel and THPC) normoxic polymer gel dosimeters based on the X-ray CT scanner. To perform this study, we determined the proper ratio of the gel composition and acquired X-ray scan parameters. MAGAT gel dosimeters were manufactured using MAA (MethacrylicAcid) and gelatin of various concentration, irradiated up to 20 Gy. We obtained the 20 CT images from the irradiated gel dosimeters by using on a Phillips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner with the various scan parameters. This CT images were used to determine the $N_{CT}$-dose response, dose sensitivity and dose resolution As an amount of MAA and gelatin were increase, the slope and intercept were increase in each MAGAT gel dosimeter with various concentration of the $N_{CT}$-dose response curve. The dose sensitivity was $0.38{\pm}0.08$ to $0.859{\pm}0.1$ and increased were amount of the MAA was increased or the gelatin was decreased. However, the change of gelatin concentration was very small compare to MAA. The Dose resolution ($D_{\Delta}^{95%}$) varies considerably from 2.6 to 6 Gy, dependent on dose resolution and CT image noise. The slope and dose sensitivity was almost ident verywith the variation of the tube voltage, tube current and slice thickness in the dose response curve, but the noise (standard deviation of averamalg CT number) was decreased when the tube voltage, tube current and slice thickness are increase. The optimal MAGAT polymer gel dosimeter based on the CT were evaluated to determine the CT imaging scan parameters of the maximum tube voltage, tube current and slice thickness (commonly used in clinical) using the composition ratio of a 9% MAA, 8% gelatin and 83% water. This study could get proper composition ratio and scan parameter evaluating dose response of MAGAT normoxic polymer gel dosimeter using CT scanner.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2009

Absorbed dose to water based protocols recommended that plane-parallel chambers be calibrated against calibrated cylindrical chambers in a high energy electron beam with $R_{50}$>7 $g/cm^2$ (E${\gtrsim}$16 MeV). However, such high-energy electron beams are not available at all radiotherapy centers. In this study, we are compared the absorbed dose to water determined according to cross-calibration method in a high energy electron beam of 16 MeV and in electron beam energies of 12 MeV below the cross-calibration quality remark. Absorbed dose were performed for PTW 30013, Wellhofer FC65G Farmer type cylindrical chamber and for PTW 34001, Wellhofer PPC40 Roos type plane-parallel chamber. The cylindrical and the plane-parallel chamber to be calibrated are compared by alternately positioning each at reference depth, $Z_{ret}=0.6R_{50}-0.1$ in water phantom. The $D_W$ of plane-parallel chamber are derived using across-calibration method at high-energy electron beams of 16, 20 MeV. Then a good agreement is obtained the $D_W$ of plane-parallel chamber in 12 MeV. The agreement between 20 MeV and 12 MeV are within 0.2% for IAEA TRS-398.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2009

Recently, the mathematical analysis of stent simulation has been improved, with the help of development of various tool which measure mechanical property and location of stent in artery. The most crucial part of the stent modeling is how to design ideal stent and to evaluate the interaction between stent and artery. While there has been great deal of researches on the evaluation of the expansion, stress distribution, deformation of the stent in terms of the various parameters, few verification through computer simulation has been performed about deformation and stress distribution of the stent. In this study, we have produced the corresponding results between experimental test using Universal Testing Machine and computer simulation for the ideal model of stent. Also, we have analyzed and compared stress distribution of stent in the cases of that with membrane and that without membrane. The results of this study would provide minimum change of plan and good quality for ideal stent replacing damaged artery through the analysis using computer simulation in the early stage of stent design.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2008

We developed a high-resolution micro-CT system based on rotational gantry and flat-panel detector for live mouse imaging. This system is composed primarily of an x-ray source with micro-focal spot size, a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) flat panel detector coupled with Csl (TI) (thallium-doped cesium iodide) scintillator, a linearly moving couch, a rotational gantry coupled with positioning encoder, and a parallel processing system for image data. This system was designed to be of the gantry-rotation type which has several advantages in obtaining CT images of live mice, namely, the relative ease of minimizing the motion artifact of the mice and the capability of administering respiratory anesthesia during scanning. We evaluated the spatial resolution, image contrast, and uniformity of the CT system using CT phantoms. As the results, the spatial resolution of the system was approximately the 11.3 cycles/mm at 10% of the MTF curve, and the radiation dose to the mice was 81.5 mGy. The minimal resolving contrast was found to be less than 46 CT numbers on low-contrast phantom imaging test. We found that the image non-uniformity was approximately 70 CT numbers at a voxel size of ${\sim}55{\times}55{\times}X100\;{\mu}^3$. We present the image test results of the skull and lung, and body of the live mice.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2014

Liquid ionization chamber is filled with liquid equivalent material unlike air filled ionization chamber. The high density material allow very small-volume chamber to be constructed that still have a sufficiently high sensitivity. However liquid ionization chamber should be considered for both initial recombination and general recombination. We, therefore, studied using the Co-60 beam as the continuous beam and the microLion chamber (PTW) for comparing the ion collection efficiency by Greening theory, two-dose rate method and our experiment method. The measurements were carried out using Theratron 780 as the cobalt machine and water phantom and 0.6 cc Farmer type ionization chamber was used with microLion chamber in same condition for measuring the charge of microLion chamber according to the dose rates. Dose rate was in 0.125~0.746 Gy/min and voltages applied to the microLion chamber were +400, +600 and +800 V. As the result, the collection efficiency by three method was generally less than 1%. In particular, our experimental collection efficiency was in good agreement within 0.3% with Greening theory except the lowest two dose rates. The collection efficiency by two-dose rate method also agreed with Greening theory generally less than 1%, but the difference was about 4% when the difference of two dose rates were lower. The ion recombination correction factors by Greening theory, two-dose rate method and our experiment were 1.0233, 1.0239 and 1.0316, respectively, in SSD 80 cm, depth 5 cm recommended by TRS-398 protocol. Therefore we confirmed that the loss by ion recombination was about 3% in this condition. We think that our experiment method for ion recombination correction will be useful tool for radiation dosimetry in continuous beam.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 1998

Any detector inserted into a phantom should have such a geometry that it caused as small as possible perturbation of the electron fluence. Plane parallel chambers meet this requirement better than other chambers of configurations. IAEA protocol recommends the use of plane parallel chambers for this reason. However, the cylindrical chambers are widely used for convenient. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the absorbed dose due to the differences of four different dosimetry protocols such as IAEA protocol using cylindrical chamber, TG 21 protocol using cylindrical chamber, Markus protocol using plane parallel chamber, and TG 39 report for the calibration of plane parallel chamber in electron beams. Depth-ionization measurements for the electron beams of nominal energy 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 MeV from Siemens accelerator with a 10$\times$10 cm$^2$ field size were made using a radiation field analyser with 0.125 cc ion chamber. Dosimetric measurements by IAEA and TG 21 protocol were made with a farmer type ionization chamber in solid water for each electron energy, respectively. Dosimetric measurements by Markus protocol were made with a plane parallel ionization chamber in solid water for each electron energy, respectively. The cavity-gas calibration factor for the plane parallel chamber was obtained with the use of 18 MeV electron beam as guided by TG 39 report. Dosimetric measurements by TG 39 were performed with a plane parallel ionization chamber in solid water for each electron energy, respectively. For all the energies and protocols, measurements were made along the central axis of the distance of 100 cm (SSD = 100 cm) with 10$\times$10 cm$^2$ field size at the depth of d$_{max}$ for each electron beam, respectively. In the case of 18 MeV, the discrepancy of 0.9 % between IAEA and TG 21 was found and the two protocols were agreed within 0.7 % for other energies. In the case of 18 MeV and 6 MeV, the discrepancies of $\pm$ 0.8 % between Markus and TG 39 was found, respectively and the two protocols were agreed within 0.5 % for other energies. Since the discrepancy of 1.6 % between cylindrical and plane parallel chamber was found for 18 MeV, it is suggested to get the calibration factor using other method as guided. by TG 39.9.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.42-51
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• 2015

In proton therapy, verification of proton dose distribution is important to treat cancer precisely and to enhance patients' safety. To verify proton dose distribution, in a previous study, our team incorporated a vertically-aligned one-dimensional array detection system. We measured 2D prompt-gamma distribution moving the developed detection system in the longitudinal direction and verified similarity between 2D prompt-gamma distribution and 2D proton dose distribution. In the present, we have developed two-dimension prompt-gamma measurement system consisted of a 2D parallel-hole collimator, 2D array-type NaI(Tl) scintillators, and multi-anode PMT (MA-PMT) to measure 2D prompt-gamma distribution in real time. The developed measurement system was tested with $^{22}Na$ (0.511 and 1.275 MeV) and $^{137}Cs$ (0.662 MeV) gamma sources, and the energy resolutions of 0.511, 0.662 and 1.275 MeV were $10.9%{\pm}0.23p%$, $9.8%{\pm}0.18p%$ and $6.4%{\pm}0.24p%$, respectively. Further, the energy resolution of the high gamma energy (3.416 MeV) of double escape peak from Am-Be source was $11.4%{\pm}3.6p%$. To estimate the performance of the developed measurement system, we measured 2D prompt-gamma distribution generated by PMMA phantom irradiated with 45 MeV proton beam of 0.5 nA. As a result of comparing a EBT film result, 2D prompt-gamma distribution measured for $9{\times}10^9$ protons is similar to 2D proton dose distribution. In addition, the 45 MeV estimated beam range by profile distribution of 2D prompt gamma distribution was $17.0{\pm}0.4mm$ and was intimately related with the proton beam range of 17.4 mm.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2011

For overall system test, hidden-target test have been used using film which leads to inherent analysis error. The purpose of our study is to quantify this error and to propose gel dosimeter based verification technique for 3-dimensional target point error. The phantom was made for simulation of human head and this has ability to equip 10 gel-dosimeter. $BANGkit^{TM}$ which we are able to manufacture whenever it is needed as well as to easily change the container with different shapes was used as a gel dosimeter. The 10 targets were divided into two groups based on shapes of areas with a planned 50% isodose line. All treatment and analysis was performed three times using Novalis and $BrainSCAN^{TM}$. The target point error is $0.77{\pm}0.15mm$ for 10 targets and directional target point error in each direction is $0.54{\pm}0.23mm$, $0.37{\pm}0.08mm$, $0.33{\pm}0.10mm$ in AP (anterior-posterior), LAT (lateral), and VERT (vertical) direction, respectively. The result of less than 1 mm shows that the treatment was performed through each precise step in treatment procedure. In conclusion, the 3-dimensional target point verification technique can be one of the techniques for overall system test.