• 한국의학물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국의학물리학회 2002년도 Proceedings
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• pp.252-254
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• 2002

A new protocol for dosimetry in external beam radiotherapy is published by the Japan Society of Medical Physics (JSMP) in 2002. The protocol deals with proton and heavy ion beams as well as photon and electron beams, in accordance with IAEA Technical Report Series No. 398. To establish inter-institutional uniformity in proton beam dosimetry, an intercomparison program was carried out with the new protocol. The absorbed doses are measured with different cylindrical ionization chambers in a water phantom at a position of 30-mm residual range for a proton beam, that had range of 155 mm and a spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) of 60-mm width. As a result, the intercomparison showed that the use of the new protocol would improve the +/- 1.0 % (one standard deviation) and 2.7 % (maximum discrepancy) differences in absorbed doses stated by the participating institutions to +/- 0.3% and 0.9 %, respectively. The new protocol will be adopted by all of the participants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권5호
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• pp.1406-1416
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• 2019

In this research, a multi-slit prompt-gamma camera was developed to locate the distal dose falloff of the proton beam spots in spot scanning proton therapy. To see the performance of the developed camera, therapeutic proton beams were delivered to a solid plate phantom and then the prompt gammas from the phantom were measured using the camera. Our results show that the camera locates the 90% distal dose falloff (= d90%), within about 2-3 mm of error for the spots which are composed $3.8{\times}10^8$ protons or more. The measured location of d90% is not very sensitive to the irradiation depth of the proton beam (i.e., the depth of proton beam from the phantom surface toward which the camera is located). Considering the number of protons per spot for the most distal spots in typical treatment cases (i.e., 2 Gy dose divided in 2 fields), the camera can locate d90% only for a fraction of the spots depending on the treatment cases. However, the information of those spots is still valuable in that, in the multi-slit prompt-gamma camera, the distal dose falloff of the spots is located solely based on prompt gamma measurement, i.e., not referring to Monte Carlo simulation.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.60-69
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• 2010

전신 피부 전자선 치료(total skin electron beam therapy, TSET)를 위해서는 흔히 행해지는 일반적인 방사선 치료와 달리 치료 전 다양한 조건에서의 선량 측정과 더불어, 치료 중 지속적인 환자 신체부위별 선량 측정이 요구된다. 본 연구에서는 선형 가속기에 기반한 modified Stanford Technique으로 전신 피부 전자선 치료를 할 때 치료에 필요한 치료 전자선의 에너지와 선량의 공간적 분포 및 치료 중 환자의 각 부위별 조사선량을 EBT2 필름을 이용하여 측정 하였다. 전자선의 에너지는 이온전리함으로 측정한 값과 비교하였을 때 잘 일치하였고, 선량의 공간 분포 및 환자 각 신체부위에서의 선량 분포는 EBT2 필름을 이용하여 편리하게 측정할 수 있었다. 또한 TSET 치료중 EBT2 필름을 사용하여 in-vivo로 측정된 환자 신체 부위별 선량분포의 변화는 열형광선량계(thermoluminescent dosimeter, TLD)로 동시에 측정한 값과 비교하였을 때 잘 일치함을 알 수 있었다. 이로써 EBT2 필름의 전신 피부 전자선 치료를 위한 선량계로서의 가능성을 확인하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권9호
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• pp.3422-3428
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• 2022

The prompt gamma imaging (PGI) technique is considered as one of the most promising approaches to estimate the range of proton beam in the patient and unlock the full potential of proton therapy. In the PGI technique, a dedicated algorithm is required to estimate the range of the proton beam from the prompt gamma (PG) distribution acquired by a PGI system. In the present study, a new range estimation algorithm was developed for a multi-slit prompt-gamma camera, one of PGI systems, to estimate the range of proton beam with high accuracy. The performance of the developed algorithm was evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations for various beam/phantom combinations. Our results generally show that the developed algorithm is very robust, showing very high accuracy and precision for all the cases considered in the present study. The range estimation accuracy of the developed algorithm was 0.5-1.7 mm, which is approximately 1% of beam range, for 1×10⁹ protons. Even for the typical number of protons for a spot (1×10⁸), the range estimation accuracy of the developed algorithm was 2.1-4.6 mm and smaller than the range uncertainties and typical safety margin, while that of the existing algorithm was 2.5-9.6 mm.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.209-218
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• 2008

IMRT, 양성자 치료와 같이 방사선 치료 기술이 발전할수록 치료 시 환자의 위치를 확인하고 그 정확성을 평가하는 기술의 중요성이 강조되고 있다. 현재 국립암센터 양성자치료센터에 설치되어 있는 양성자 치료기의 단순 X-선 영상시스템을 이용하여 콘빔 CT (cone-beam CT) 3차원 영상을 획득, 영상유도 방사선 치료의 가능성을 확인하고자 하였다. 양성자 치료기에 설치되어있는 X-선 영상시스템(SDD: 2,108 mm, SOD: 1,511 mm, Varian a277 x-ray tube & Varian Paxscan 4030: a-Si＋DRZ screen)을 이용하여 양성자 갠트리를 $2^{\circ}$씩 회전시켜가면서 기하학적인 오차 측정을 위한 팬톰과 인체 팬톰 (Humanoid phantom, Rando, CA, USA)의 투사영상을 획득하였다. 현재 시스템적으로 연속적인 회전과 영상획득이 지원되지 않아서 영상획득 후 갠트리를 회전하는 방법으로 투사영상을 획득하였다. 기하학적 오차측정을 위한 팬텀과 두경부 팬텀에 대해서 $360^{\circ}$를 회전하며 180장의 투사영상($2,304{\times}3,200$, 14 bit with 127${\mu}m$ pixel pitch)을 관전압 85 kVp, 관전류 80 mA, 조사시간 0.5 s의 조건으로 촬영하였다. 콘빔 CT 영상재구성을 위해 Ram-Lak filter를 적용한 Feldkamp cone-beam 알고리즘을 사용하였으며, 획득한 180장의 투사영상을 사용하여 $0.4{\times}0.4{\times}0.4mm^3$의 voxel size를 가진 $512{\times}512{\times}512$ CT영상을 재구성하였다. 기하학적인 오차 측정방법을 통해 X-선 선원, 검출기와 갠트리의 기하학적 정보를 측정하였다. 측정된 결과에 의하면 검출기가 $0.25^{\circ}$ 회전된 오차를 보이는 것을 발견하였다. 기하학적 교정으로 재구성된 콘빔 CT 영상을 multi-planar view (axial, sagittal and coronal view) 및 3차원 영상으로 재구성하여 비교 평가 하였다. 현재 양성자치료기에 설치되어있는 단순 X-선 영상 시스템에서 기하학적 오차 측정을 위한 볼 팬텀을 이용하여 시스템의 오차를 측정하였다. 측정한 오차를 바탕으로 기하학적 교정을 통해서 두경부 및 복부 팬텀에 대한 3차원 영상인 콘빔 CT 영상들을 재구성하였다. 추후 연속적인 회전을 통한 영상획득이 가능하게 된다면, 보다 정확하고 신속한 영상재구성이 가능 하며 콘빔 CT가 영상유도 양성자 치료에 매우 유용할 것으로 사려된다.

• 한국의학물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국의학물리학회 2002년도 Proceedings
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• pp.189-191
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• 2002

In the proton therapy using a gantry system, periodical verification of iso-center position is very important to assure precision of patient positioning system at any gantry angles in proton treatment. In the gantry system, there are three different types of iso-center; 1) in a geometrical view, 2) in an X-ray beam's eye view, 3) in a proton beam's eye view. Idealistically, they would be an identical point. They could, however, be different points. It may be a source of errors in patient positioning. At PMRC, we have established a system of verification for iso-center positions using a stainless ball of 2-cm in diameter and an imaging plate. This system provides the relation among a center of a patient target position, a center of proton irradiation field, and/or a center of X-ray field in accuracy of 50$\square$m in the 2) and 3) views, as images of a center of the stainless ball and a center of a 100 mm${\times}$100 mm-aperture brass collimator recorded on the imaging plate, which is setup at 1-cm behind the ball. In addition, it provides simultaneously the images of the ball and the collimator on an imaging intensifier (II), which is setup downstream of the proton or X-ray beam. We present a method of quality assurance (QA) for calibration of iso-center position in a rotation gantry system at PMRC and the performance of this system. A proton beam position on the 1$\^$st/ scatterer in the nozzle of the gantry affects less sensitive (reduced by a factor of 1/5) to the results of the iso-center position. The effect is systematically correctable. The effect of the nozzle (or the collimator) position is less than 0.5 mm at the maximum extraction (390 mm).

• 한국의학물리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국의학물리학회 2002년도 Proceedings
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• pp.116-118
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• 2002

It has been noted that Monte Carlo simulations are the most accurate method to calculate dose distributions in any material and geometry. Monte Carlo transport algorithms determine the absorbed dose by following the path of representative particles as they travel through the medium. Accurate Monte Carlo dose calculations rely on detailed modeling of the radiation source. We modeled the effects of beam modifiers such as collimators, blocks, wedges, etc. of our accelerator, Varian Clinac 600C/D to ensure accurate representation of the radiation source using the EGSnrc based BEAM code. These were used in the EGSnrc based DOSXYZ code for the simulation of particles transport through a voxel based Cartesian coordinate system. Because Monte Carlo methods use particle-by-particle methods to simulate a radiation transport, more particle histories yield the better representation of the actual dose. But the prohibitively long time required to get high resolution and accuracy calculations has prevented the use of Monte Carlo methods in the actual clinical spots. Our ultimate aim is to develop a Monte Carlo dose calculation system designed specifically for radiation therapy planning, which is distinguished from current dose calculation methods. The purpose of this study in the present phase was to get dose calculation results corresponding to measurements within practical time limit. We used parallel processing and some variance reduction techniques, therefore reduced the computational time, preserving a good agreement between calculations of depth dose distributions and measurements within 5% deviations.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.250-257
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• 2015

양성자 치료를 위해서는 Snout이 부착된 받침대(gantry)를 사용하는데 빔의 형태를 만들기 위해 환자 종양의 크기와 거리에 맞게 황동 차폐체(aperture)가 많이 사용된다. 또한 빔의 거리를 보정하기 위해 PMMA를 이용한 거리 보상체도 사용된다. 이렇게 황동으로 만들어진 차폐체의 경우 가공하는데 많은 시간이 소요되며 비용 발생이 높다. 또한 치료 사용되었던 차폐체의 방사선 노출에 따라 재사용이 어렵다. 이러한 단점을 보안하기 위해 황동 차폐체 대신 X-선 치료에서 사용되는 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터 시스템을 도입하였다. 수동형 다업 콜리메이터는 여러 개의 황동판을 조립하여 차폐체를 제작하는 방식이다. 본 연구는 제작된 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터의 방사화 실험 및 필름을 이용해 선량측정을 진행하였다. 다엽 콜리메이터를 투과한 2차 발생 선량 1% 이하였으며, 여러 번의 230 MeV의 빔에서도 방사화가 2시간 이내에서 감소하였다. 이렇게 개발된 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터를 임상에 적용하여 일반 차폐체와 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터를 감마지표 분석을 했을 시 99.74%의 높은 일치도가 측정되었다. 또한, 일반 황동 차폐체에 비해 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터를 제작하는데 소요되는 비용과 시간을 1/10 이상 단축시킬 수 있다. 개발된 수동형 다엽 콜리메이터는 성공적으로 양성자 환자치료에 사용하고 있다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권9호
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• pp.3140-3149
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• 2023

In theory, the sharp dose falloff at the distal end of a proton beam allows for high conformal dose to the target. However, conformity has not been fully achieved in practice, primarily due to beam range uncertainty, which is approximately 4% and varies slightly across institutions. To address this issue, we developed a new range verification system prototype: a multi-slit prompt-gamma camera (MSPGC). This system features high prompt-gamma detection sensitivity, an advanced range estimation algorithm, and a precise camera positioning system. We evaluated the range measurement precision of the prototype for single spot beams with varying energies, proton quantities, and positions, as well as for spot-scanning proton beams in a simulated SSPT treatment using a phantom. Our results demonstrated high accuracy (<0.4 mm) in range measurement for the tested beam energies and positions. Measurement precision increased significantly with the number of protons, achieving 1% precision with 5 × 10⁸ protons. For spot-scanning proton beams, the prototype ensured more than 5 × 10⁸ protons per spot with a 7 mm or larger spot aggregation, achieving 1% range measurement precision. Based on these findings, we anticipate that the clinical application of the new prototype will reduce range uncertainty (currently approximately 4%) to 1% or less.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.114-120
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• 2022

Purpose: Particle beam therapy is advantageous over photon therapy. However, adequately delivering therapeutic doses to tumors near critical organs is difficult. Nanoparticle-aided radiation therapy can be used to alleviate this problem, wherein nanoparticles can passively accumulate at higher concentrations in the tumor tissue compared to the surrounding normal tissue. In this study, we investigate the dose enhancement effect due to gold nanoparticle (GNP) when Carbon-12, He-4, and proton beams are irradiated on GNP. Methods: First, monoenergetic Carbon-12 and He-4 ion beams of energy of 283.33 MeV/u and 150 MeV/u, respectively, and a proton beam of energy of 150 MeV were irradiated on a water phantom of dimensions 30 cm×30 cm×30 cm. Subsequently, the secondary-particle information generated near the Bragg peak was recorded in a phase-space (phsp) file. Second, the obtained phsp file was scaled down to a nanometer scale to irradiate GNP of diameter 50 nm located at the center of a 4 ㎛×4 ㎛×4 ㎛ water phantom. The dose enhancement ratio (DER) was calculated in intervals of 1 nm from the GNP surface. Results: The DER of GNP computed at 1 nm from the GNP surface was 4.70, 4.86, and 4.89 for Carbon-12, He-4, and proton beams, respectively; the DER decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the GNP surface. Conclusions: The results indicated that GNP can be used as radiosensitizers in particle beam therapy. Furthermore, the dose enhancement effect of the GNP absorbed by tumor cells can aid in delivering higher therapeutic doses.