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

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.63-67
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• 2004

Purpose : New therapy technique appeared in 3D-CRT or IMRT according to a radiation treatment developing and worked. Such treatment technique requires the radiation irradiation of many direction. It has many restriction at radiation irradiation of many direction to the linear acceleration deception of now actually. Consequently We make new fix device and measure consequently the improvement of the activate range. Method and Material : We upload the fix device on a linear accelerator Couch. We fixed Gantry at 45, 90, 135 and Couch is spin and measure the clearance of the equipment. Couch is fixed at 0 45 90 and measures the clearance of Gantry. We upload the Extended head holder(EHH) on a linear accelerator Couch. and We measure with the experiment of the front. Result : The action range did not have big difference to increase Gantry45. but The activate range of Couch increases the angle in Gantry 90 and Gantry 135 when it uses EHH. The activate range of Gantry increases the angle in Couch 45 when it uses EHH. We showed good activate situation all in Couch 0 and Couch 90. The utility of EHH could keep a behind radiation diminution. Conclusion : The radiation irradiation of many direction comes to be possible the utility of the fix instrument(EHH). The safety space between the patient and equipment or between equipment and equipment increased the utility of the fix device. Also, The manufacture is possible imports to rather cheap price. and We could bring the frugality of the treatment expendable supplies.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.33
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• pp.117-125
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• 2021

Purpose: To purpose of this study is to find the correlation of the Set-up error according to the couch rotation and suggest additional margin setting for the GTV. Target and Method: Each scenario treatment plan was created by making the frequency of non-coplanar beams different among all beams. The set-up error value was measured by using the Exact System and the dose accuracy was evaluated by creating a re-treatment plan. Results: When the couch was rotated by 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°, the mean of the X-axis values was measured to be 0.29 mm, 0.26 mm, 0.51 mm, and 0.08 mm, respectively. The mean of the Y-axis values was measured to be 0.75 mm, 0.5mm, 0.35 mm, and 0.29 mm, respectively. The mean of the Z-axis values was measured to be 0.5 mm, 0.28 mm, 0.22 mm, and 0.1 mm, respectively. There were dose reductions of 0.1%, 3.1%, 1.9% in D99 for 1-NC VMAT, 2-NC VMAT, and 3-NC VMAT, respectively. Conclusion: When treating with 50% or more of non-coplanar beams among total beams, image verification is required. And it is considered to make the treatment plan by adding a 1.5 mm margin to the GTV.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2003

I. Purpose Confirming an error to be able to break out in a method to move couch manually while operator sees the skin marks on patient in case of curing head who got 2 targets adjoined, so we analyze coordinates price of couch, evaluate reproducibility and precision of change movements between targets. II. Materials and Methods In radiotherapy, for confirming errors in manual movements by operators by exchanging between two targets to treat patient head, we read coordinates price(vertical, longitudinal, lateral three directions of couch) shown on a monitor of LINAC( CL 2100, Varian, USA) in order to evaluate accuracy about the length that moved in time for moving couch manually. After reading movement length of coordinates recorded in three directions of all treatment, we compared distance between targets recorded in RTP(Pinnacle, ADAC, USA) with reading coordinates price of couch, setting actually done the same patient for ten times, coordinates were recorded, treated for evaluating averages and degrees of errors and standard deviations. III. Results In method to confirm skin marks of patient by operators' view and to move couch manually, average standard deviations of movements between two targets are vertical 1.4mm, longitudinal 0.9mm, lateral 2.2mm in each direction. As for the error in straight dimension, it is about 3.6mm averages and 5.1mm maximum. The average of errors in each directions was vertical 1mm, longitudinal 0.7mm, lateral 2.7mm. The greatest error broke out in lateral direction with $25\%$ of all cases ; to exceed an error average. IV. Conclusions If operators moved manually couch for changing target points, errors about 3.6mm average degrees occur. It is important that operators confirm the errors prices of actual couch coordinates for asking a correct movement between the targets adjoined each other ; in case of treatment demanding high precision like 3D conformal therapy or IMRT. Therefore, if we apply couch coordinates confirmation to reproducibility and to precision evaluation of treatment, it's expected that we can execute high-quality radiotherapy.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2010

Purpose: In radiotherapy that takes into account respiration using a RPM (Real time Position Management, Varian, USA) system, which can treat in consideration of the movement of tumor, infrared reflective markers supplied by manufacturers cannot obtain respiratory signal if the couch rotates at a certain angle or larger. In order to solve this problem, the author developed the 3D infrared reflective marker named 'Kw-marker' that can obtain respiratory signal at any angle, and evaluate its usefulness. Materials and Methods: In order to measure the stability of respiratory signal, we put the infrared reflective marker on the 3D moving phantom that can reproduce respiratory movement and acquired respiratory signal for 3 minutes under each of 3 conditions (A: $couch\;0^{\circ}$, a manufacturer's infrared reflective marker B: $couch\;0^{\circ}$, Kw-marker C: $couch\;90^{\circ}$, Kw-marker). By analyzing the respiratory signal using a breath analysis program (Labview Ver. 7.0), we obtained the peak value, valley value, standard deviation, variation value, and amplitude value. In order to examine the rotation error and moving range of the target, we placed a B.B phantom on the 3D moving phantom, and obtained images at a couch angle of $0^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ using OBI, and then acquired the X, Y and Z values (mm) of the ball bearing at the center of the B.B phantom. Results: According to the results of analyzing the respiratory signal, the standard deviation at the peak value was A: 0.002, B: 0.002 and C: 0.003, and the stability of respiration for amplitude was A: 0.15%, B: 0.14% and C:0.13%, showing that we could get respiratory signal stably by using the Kw-marker. When the couch rotated $couch\;90^{\circ}$, the mean rotation error of the ball bearing, namely, the target was X: -1.25 mm, Y: -0.45 mm and Z: +0.1 mm, which were within 1.3 mm on the average in all directions, and the difference in the moving range of the target was within 0.3 mm. Conclusion: When we obtained respiratory signal using the Kw-marker in non-coplanar treatment where the couch rotated, we could acquire respiratory signal stably and the Kw-marker was effective enough to substitute for the manufacturer's infrared reflective marker. When the rotation error and moving range of the target were measured, there was little difference, indicating that the displacement of the reflector movement in couch rotation is the cause of change in the scale and amplitude of respiratory signal. If the converted value of amplitude height according to couch angle is studied further and applied, it may be possible to perform non-coplanar phase-based gating treatment.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.220-223
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• 2016

Generally, it is recommended that the dosimetric effect of carbon fiber couch should be considered especially for an intensity-modulated therapy with a large portion of monitor units from posterior angles. Even a flattening filter free (FFF) beam has been used for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), the effect of carbon fiber couch for FFF beam is not well known. This work is an effort to evaluate the dosimetric effect of carbon fiber couch for flattened and FFF beam of Elekta linac empirically. The absorbed doses were measured with Farmer type chamber and water-equivalent phantoms with and without couch. And differences of the absorbed doses between with and without couch defined as "couch effect". By comparing calculated dose in treatment planning system (TPS) with measured dose, the optimal density of couch was evaluated. Finally, differences on patient's skin dose and target dose by couch were evaluated in TPS. As a result, the couch effect for 6 and 10 MV flattened beam were -2.71% and -2.32%, respectively. These values were agreed with provided data by vendor within 0.5%. The couch effect for 6 and 10 MV FFF beam were -3.75% and -2.80%, respectively. The patient's skin dose was increased as 18.6% and target dose was decreased as 0.87%, respectively. It was realized that the couch effect of FFF beam was more severe than that of flattened beam. Patient's skin dose and target dose were changed by the couch effect.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.53-64
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the $HexaPOD^{TM}$ evo RT system(6DoF couch) and the tendency of dose difference according to size of rotational direction error for volumetric rotational modulated radiotherapy(V-MAT) in patients with long target lengths. Therefore, it is suggested to recommend the need for rotational error correction. Materials and Methods: Ten patients with Esophagus cancer or Breast cancer including SCL treated with HexaPOD 6DoF(Six-Degree of Freedom) couch were included in this study. 6DoF couch was used to measure the difference in dose according to the rotation error in the directions of Rx(pitch), Ry(roll), and Rz(yaw). Each rotation error was applied. Positioning variation on x, y and z axis was verified and random variations were made by 6DoF couch with positioning variation. Modified DQA is conducted and point dose and gamma value are analyzed and compared. In addition, after applying the rotation error every $1^{\circ}$ to treatment plans of each target with a diameter of 3 cm, 5, 10, 15, and 20 cm respectively, gamma passing rate is being monitored by its aspect of change according to types and sizes of the target length and rotation error. Results: Mean error of the point dose and Gamma passing rate when the position variation was applied were $2.50{\pm}1.11%$ and $84.1{\pm}7.39%$ in the Rx direction, $2.36{\pm}1.16%$, and $81.0{\pm}8.49%$ in the Ry, $2.35{\pm}1.10%$ and $84.4{\pm}6.99%$ in the Rz direction, respectively. As a result of analysis on gamma passing rate according to types and sizes of the target length and rotation error, the gamma passing rate tended to decrease with increasing rotation error in the Rx and Rz directions except Ry direction. In particular, the lowest gamma passing rate (74.2 %) was in the case of $2.5^{\circ}$ rotation error in Rz direction of the target of 10 cm. Conclusion: The correction of the rotational error is needed for volumetric modulated radiotherapy of the treatment area with a long target length, and the use of 6DoF couch will improve the reproducibility of the patient position and the quality of the treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.139-151
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• 2018

Objectives : A self-made "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction was fabricated and evaluated for its usefulness. Materials and Methods : "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction is made of rigid fibreboard with a flexural strength of $200kg/cm^2$. CBCT Image from Novalis Tx and Iso-Align Phantom from MED-TEC were used to evaluate the physical accuracy. The treatment plan was designed using Accuray $Precision^{TM}$ and In House Head and Phantom. Accuray $PrecisionART^{TM}$ and $Precision^{TM}$ was used to evaluate dose. Results : Evaluation results, the self-fabricated device accurately corrected the setup error, Target dose was within 95 %~107 % of all. In order to directly evaluate the OAR dose according to the Yaw change, the absolute dose was measured. As a result, when the error in the Yaw direction was $3^{\circ}$, the specific OAR showed a maximum difference of 18.4 %. Conclusion : "Tomotherapy couch device" capable of correcting the Yaw direction can be manufactured at a lower cost compared to the effect, and it can prevent the patient's MVCT image dose for re-imaging. Accurate radiation therapy without errors can be performed.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2011

This study has its own goal to deliver the accurate dose on the target volume by calculating and modifying the attenuation rate of photon beam transmitting the couch top with geometric model. The experiment was that the transmission rate and attenuation rate of photon beam transmitting the couch top was predicted by the geometric model, then compared and analyzed with what was measured experimentally based on that. The result showed that the predicted value by the geometric model accorded closely with the experimental value. In addition, in order to judge whether the practical clinical application is available, the point dose, measured after modifying the attenuation rate modelinged according to the treatment plan of a patient of spine radiosurgery, was compared with the one done nothing. The result was that the former showed decreased error range with treatment planned one than the latter. This papers calculated the transmission and attenuation rate with the geometric model transmitting the couch top and verified it experimentally. This method is expected to be very useful in not only the radiosurgery using Novalis but also the general radiation therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2016

Purpose : When a radiation treatment, there is an attenuation by Carbon Fiber Couch. In this study, we tried to evaluate the usability of the Varian Standard Couch(VSC) by modeling with Treatment Planning System (TPS) Materials and Methods : VSC was scanned by CBCT(Cone Beam Computed Tomography) of the Linac(Clinac IX, VARIAN, USA), following the three conditions of VSC, Side Rail OutGrid(SROG), Side Rail InGrid(SRIG), Side Rail In OutSpine Down Bar(SRIOS). After scan, the data was transferred to TPS and modeled by contouring Side Rail, Side Bar Upper, Side Bar Lower, Spine Down Bar automatically. We scanned the Cheese Phantom(Middelton, USA) using Computed Tomography(Light Speed RT 16, GE, USA) and transfer the data to TPS, and apply VSC modeled previously with TPS to it. Dose was measured at the isocenter of Ion Chamber(A1SL, Standard imaging, USA) in Cheese Phantom using 4 and 10 MV radiation for every $5^{\circ}$ gantry angle in a different filed size($3{\times}3cm^2$, $10{\times}10cm^2$) without any change of MU(=100), and then we compared the calculated dose and measured dose. Also we included dose at the $127^{\circ}$ in SRIG to compare the attenuation by Side Bar Upper. Results : The density of VSC by CBCT in TPS was $0.9g/cm^3$, and in the case of Spine Down Bar, it was $0.7g/cm^3$. The radiation was attenuated by 17.49%, 16.49%, 8.54%, and 7.59% at the Side Rail, Side Bar Upper, Side Bar Lower, and Spine Down Bar. For the accuracy of modeling, calculated dose and measured dose were compared. The average error was 1.13% and the maximum error was 1.98% at the $170^{\circ}beam$ crossing the Spine Down Bar. Conclusion : To evaluate the usability for the VSC modeled by TPS, the maximum error was 1.98% as a result of compassion between calculated dose and measured dose. We found out that VSC modeling helped expect the dose, so we think that it will be helpful for the more accurate treatment.