• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2016

The objective of this study is to increase the accuracy of dose transmission in radiation therapy using two types of treatment tables, standard exact couch (Varian 21EX, Varian Medical Systems, Milpitas, CA) and 6D robotic couch (Novalis, BrainLAB A.G., Heimstetten, Germany)). We examined the dose attenuation based on the two types of treatment tables and studied the dose of attenuation using the phase (In/Out) for the standard exact couch. We measured the relative dose according to the incident angle of a penetrative photon beam under a treatment table. The incident angle of the photon beam was from $0^{\circ}$ to $360^{\circ}$ in the increments of $5^{\circ}$. The reference angle was set to $0^{\circ}$. Furthermore, the relative dose of the 6D robotic couch was measured using 6 MV and 15 MV, and that of the standard exact couch was measured at the sliding rail position (In-Out) using 6 MV and 10 MV. In the case of the standard exact couch, the measured relative dose was 16.53% (rails at the "In position," $175^{\circ}$, 6 MV), 12.42% (rails at the "In position," $175^{\circ}$, 10 MV), 13.13% (rails at the "Out position," $175^{\circ}$, 6 MV), and 9.96% (rails at the "Out position," $175^{\circ}$, 10 MV). In the case of the 6D robotic couch, the measured relative dose was 6.82% ($130^{\circ}$, 6 MV) and 4.92% ($130^{\circ}$, 15 MV). The photon energies were surveyed at the same incident angle. The dose attenuation for an energy of 10 MV was 4~5% lower than that for 6 MV. This indicated that the higher photon energy, lesser is the attenuation. The results of this study indicated that the attenuation rate for the 6D robotic couch was confirmed to be 1% larger than that for the standard exact couch at 6 MV and $180^{\circ}$. In the case of the standard exact couch, the dose attenuation was found to change rapidly in accordance with the phase ("In position" and "Out position") of the sliding rail.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2013.05a
• /
• pp.399-400
• /
• 2013

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.171-180
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to install a system that compensated for the respiration motion using an articulated robotic manipulator couch which enables a wide range of motions that a Stewart platform cannot provide and to evaluate the performance of various prediction algorithms including proposed algorithm. For that purpose, we built a miniature couch tracking system comprising an articulated robotic manipulator, 3D optical tracking system, a phantom that mimicked respiratory motion, and control software. We performed simulations and experiments using respiratory data of 12 patients to investigate the feasibility of the system and various prediction algorithms, namely linear extrapolation (LE) and double exponential smoothing (ES2) with averaging methods. We confirmed that prediction algorithms worked well during simulation and experiment, with the ES2-averaging algorithm showing the best results. The simulation study showed 43% average and 49% maximum improvement ratios with the ES2-averaging algorithm, and the experimental study with the $QUASAR^{TM}$ phantom showed 51% average and 56% maximum improvement ratios with this algorithm. Our results suggest that the articulated robotic manipulator couch system with the ES2-averaging prediction algorithm can be widely used in the field of radiation therapy, providing a highly efficient and utilizable technology that can enhance the therapeutic effect and improve safety through a noninvasive approach.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.239-245
• /
• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to verify the accuracy of dose delivery according to the pitch and roll rotational setup error with 6D robotic couch in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) for pelvic region in patients. Materials and Methods : Trilogy(Varian, USA) and 6D robotic couch(ProturaTM 1.4, CIVCO, USA) were used to measure and analyze the rotational setup error of 14 patients (157 setup cases) for pelvic region. The total 157 Images(CBCT 78, Radiography 79) were used to calculate the mean value and the incidence of pitch and roll rotational setup error with Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The measured data (3 mm, 3%) at the reference angle ($0^{\circ}$) without couch rotation of pitch and roll direction was compared to the others at different pitch and roll angles ($1^{\circ}$, $1.5^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$, $2.5^{\circ}$) to verify the accuracy of dose delivery by using 2D array ionization chamber (I'mRT Matrixx, IBA Dosimetry, Germany) and MultiCube Phantom(IBA Dosimetry, Germany). Result from the data, gamma index was evaluated. Results : The mean values of pitch and roll rotational setup error were $0.9^{\circ}{\pm}0.7$, $0.5^{\circ}{\pm}0.6$. The maximum values of them were $2.8^{\circ}$, $2.0^{\circ}$. All of the minimum values were zero. The mean values of gamma pass rate at four different pitch angles ($1^{\circ}$, $1.5^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$, $2.5^{\circ}$) were 97.75%, 96.65%, 94.38% and 90.91%. The mean values of gamma pass rate at four different roll angles ($1^{\circ}$, $1.5^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$, $2.5^{\circ}$) were 93.68%, 93.05%, 87.77% and 84.96%. when the same angles ($1^{\circ}$, $1.5^{\circ}$, $2^{\circ}$) of pitch and roll were applied simultaneously, The mean values of each angle were 94.90%, 92.37% and 87.88%, respectively. Conclusion : As a result of this study, it was able to recognize that the accuracy of dose delivered is lowered gradually as pitch and roll increases. In order to increase the accuracy of delivered dose, therefore, it is recommended to perform IGRT or correct patient's position in the pitch and roll direction, to improve the quality of treatment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.117-124
• /
• 2016

Intrafractional motion of patients, such as respiratory motion during radiation treatment, is an important issue in image-guided radiotherapy. The accuracy of the radiation treatment decreases as the motion range increases. We developed a control system for a robotic patient immobilization system that enables to reduce the range of tumor motion by compensating the tumor motion. Fusion technology, combining robotics and mechatronics, was developed and applied in this study. First, a small-sized prototype was established for use with an industrial miniature robot. The patient immobilization system consisted of an optical tracking system, a robotic couch, a robot controller, and a control program for managing the system components. A multi speed and position control mechanism with three degrees of freedom was designed. The parameters for operating the control system, such as the coordinate transformation parameters and calibration parameters, were measured and evaluated for a prototype device. After developing the control system using the prototype device, a feasibility test on a full-scale patient immobilization system was performed, using a large industrial robot and couch. The performances of both the prototype device and the realistic device were evaluated using a respiratory motion phantom, for several patterns of respiratory motion. For all patterns of motion, the root mean squared error of the corresponding detected motion trajectories were reduced by more than 40%. The proposed system improves the accuracy of the radiation dose delivered to the target and reduces the unwanted irradiation of normal tissue.