• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose is to evaluate dosimetric performance and delivery efficiency of VMAT with Halcyon LINAC for double target spine SBRT Materials and Methods: 12 patients with spine oligometastases were retrospectively studied. Single-isocenter spine SBRT plans was established using Halcyon® with Dual Layer MLC and Truebeam® with High Definition MLC. All patients' plans were created in Eclipse TPS through the identical conditions and optimization. C.I, H.I, G.I (Gradient Index), maximal and volumetric doses to spinal cord and low dose area were evaluated for comparison of both plans. Also, total MU and BOT(Beam On Time) were evaluated. Results: Halcyon plans was no Statistical differences in C.I and H.I. However, the average of G.I was 4.64 for Halcyon, which decreased to 5.5% compared to Truebeam (P<0.001). Halcyon plans demonstrated statistically significant reduced G.I. The average of 50% and 25% isodose volume was 487.56 cc (-3.82%, P<0.001), 1859.45 cc (-4.75%, P<0.001) in Halcyon, respectively. Significantly reduced low dose spill were observed in Halcyon plans. In the evaluation of the spinal cord, the average of Dmean and V10 of Halcyon plans in the sample group with an overlap volume of less than 1 cc was 6.802 Gy (-3.504%, P=0.067), 5.766±1.683 cc (-8.199%, P=0.002), respectively. Halcyon plans demonstrated statistically significant reduced D_mean and V10. For delivery efficiency, MU and BOT(maximum dose rate for each machine), on average, increased in Halcyon plans. However, the average of BOT(800MU/min for each machine) was 648.33 sec for Halcyon (-1.74%, P<0.001). Conclusion: Halcyon plan for double-target spine SBRT demonstrated advantages in the low dose area with a steep dose gradient, while having dosimetrically equivalent target dose distribution and spinal cord protective effect. As a result, Halcyon LINAC produced a dosimetrically improved plan for double-target spine SBRT.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2007

Purpose: We proposed the method using dose-volume Histogram index to compare prospective plan trials in tomotherapy planning optimization. Materials and Methods: For 3 patients in cranial region, thorax and abdominal region, we acquired computed tomography images with PQ 5000 in each case. Then we delineated target structure and normal organ contour with pinnacle Ver 7.6c, after transferred each data to tomotherapy planning system (hi-art system Ver 2.0), we optimized 3 plan trials in each case that used differ from beam width, pitch, importance. We analyzed 3 plan trials in each region with isodose distribution, dose-volume histogram and dose statistics. Also we verified 3 plan trials with specialized DVH-indexes that is dose homogeneity index in target organ, conformity index around target structure and dose gradient index in non-target structures. Results: We compared with the similarity of results that the one is decide the best plan trial using isodose distribution, dose volume histogram and dose statistics, and the another is using DVH-indexes. They all decided the same plan trial to better result in each case. Conclusion: In some of case, it was appeared a little difference of results that used to DVH-index for comparison of plan trial in tomotherapy by special goal in it. But because DVH-index represented both dose distribution in target structure and high dose risk about normal tissue, it will be reasonable method for comparison of many plan trials before the tomotherapy treatments.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2000

New method about the dose optimization problem in radiation treatment was researched. Since all conditions are more complex and there are more relevant variables, the solution of three-dimensional treatment planning is much more complicate than that of current two-dimensional one. There(ore, in this study, as a method to solve three-dimensional dose optimization problem, the considered variables was minized and researched by reducing the domain that solutions can exist and pre-determining the important beam parameters. First, the dangerous beam range that passes critical organ was found by coordinate transformation between linear accelerator coordinate and patient coordinate. And the beam size and rotation angle for rectangular collimator that conform tumor at arbitrary beam position was also determined. As a result, the available beam position could be reduced and the dependency on beam size and rotation angle, that is very important parameter in treatment planning, totally removed. Therefore, the resultant combinations of relevant variables could be greatly reduced and the dose optimization by objective function can be done with minimum variables. From the above results, the dose optimization problem was solved for the two-dimensional radiation treatment planning useful in clinic. The objective function was made by combination of dose gradient, critical organ dose and dose homogeniety. And the optimum variables were determined by applying step search method to objective function. From the dose distributions by optimum variables, the merit of new dose optimization method was verified and it can be implemented on commercial radiation treatment planning system with further research.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2001

The region, near the edge of a radiation beam, where the dose changes rapidly according to the distance from the beam axis is known as the penumbra. There is a sharp dose gradient zone even in megavoltage photon beams due to source size, collimator, lead alloy block, other accessories, and internal scatter ray. We investigate dosimetric characteristics on penumbra regions of a standard collimator and compare to those of theoritical model for the optimal use of the system in radiotherapy. Peripheral dose distribution of 6 W Photon beams represents penumbral forming function as the depth. Also we have discussed that the peripheral dose distribution of clinical photon beams, differences between calculation dose use of emperical penumbral forming function and measurements in penumbral region. Predictions by emperical penumbral forming functions are compared with measurements in 3-dimensional water phantom and it is shown that the method is capable of reproduceing the measured peripheral dose values usually to within the statistical uncertainties of the data. The semiconductor detector and ion chamber were positioned at a dmax depth, 5cm depth, 10cm depth, and its specific ratio was determined using a scanning data. The effective penumbra, the distance from 80% to 20% isodose lines were analyzed as a function of the distance. The extent of penumbra will also expand with depth increase. Difference of measurement value and model functions value according to character of the detector show small error in dose distribution of the peripheral dose.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.431-437
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• 1993

An important problem in radiosurgery is the utilization of the proper beam parameters, to which dose shape is sensitive. Streotactic radiosurgery techniques for a linear accelerator typically, use circular radiation fields with multiple arcs to produce an spherical radiation distribution. Target volumes are irregular in shape for a certain case, and spherical distributions can irradiate normal tissues to high dose as well as the target region. The current improvement to dose distribution utilizes treating multiple isocenters or weighting various arcs to change treatment volume shape. in this paper another promising study relies upon dynamically shaping the treatment beam to fit the beam's eye view of the target. This conformal irradiation technique was evaluated by means of visual three dimensional dose distribution, dose volume histograms to the target volume and surrounding normal brain. It is shown that using even less arcs than multiple isocenter irradiation technique, the conformal therapy yields comparable dose gradients and superior homogeneity of dose within the target volume.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.1991-1997
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• 2019

In this manuscript, we present a method for the direct calculation of an ambient dose equivalent (H^* (10)) for the external gamma-ray exposure with an energy range of 40 keV to 2 MeV in an electronic personal dosimeter (EPD). The designed EPD consists of a 3 × 3 ㎟ PIN diode coupled to a 3 × 3 × 3 ㎣ CsI (Tl) scintillator block. The spectrum-to-dose conversion function (G(E)) for estimating H^* (10) was calculated by applying the gradient-descent method based on the Monte-Carlo simulation. The optimal parameters for the G(E) were found and this conversion of the H^* (10) from the gamma spectra was verified by using ²⁴¹Am, ¹³⁷Cs, ²²Na, ⁵⁴Mn, and ⁶⁰Co radioisotopes. Furthermore, gamma spectra and H^* (10) were obtained for an arbitrarily mixed multiple isotope case through Monte-Carlo simulation in order to expand the verification to more general cases. The H^* (10) based on the G(E) function for the gamma spectra was then compared with H^* (10) calculated by simulation. The relative difference of H^* (10) from various single-source spectra was in the range of ±2.89%, and the relative difference of H^* (10) for a multiple isotope case was in the range of ±5.56%.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.537-546
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• 1997

It has been postulated that the intracellular taurine is co-transported with $Na^+$down a concentration gradient and prevents the intracellular accumulation of sodium. It is therefore, expected that an elevated level of intracellular taurine prevents the sodium-promoted calcium influx to protect the cellular damages associated with sodium and calcium overload. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of intra- and extracellular taurine on the myocardial $Na^+$and$Ca^{++}$ contents and the cardiac functions in isolated rat hearts which were loaded with sodium by monensin, a $Na^+-ionophore$. Monensin caused a dose-dependent increase in intracellular $Na^+$ accompanied with a subsequent increase in intracellular $Ca^{++}$ and a mechanical dysfunction. In this monensin-treated heart, myocardial taurine content was decreased with a concomittent increase in the release of taurine. The monensin-induced increases in intracellular $Na^+$, $Ca^{++}$ and depression of cardiac function were prevented in the hearts of which taurine content had been increased by high-taurine diet. Conversely, in the hearts of which taurine concentration gradient had been decreased by addition of taurine in the perfusate, the monensin-induced increases in $Na^+$, $Ca^{++}$ and functional depression were accelerated. These results suggest that taurine, depending on the intra-extracellular concentration gradient, can affect intracellular sodium and calcium concentrations, and that an increased intracellular taurine may play a role in protection of myocardial dysfunction associated with the sodium and calcium overload.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.73-78
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• 2003

MEMS technology in the field of aerospace engineering is more important with light weight and high resolution. Therefore the investigation of thin films properties is issued and the residual stress of thin filrns is one of the important problems to solve. Ion implantation without thermal annealing is applied for the stress gradient relaxation of LPCVD polysilicon films used as the structural part in MEMS. He+ and Ar+ ion implantations reduce the stress gradient of polysilicon films. The property modification of polysilicon films by ion implantation is also investigated. The elastic modulus and hardness of polysilicon films with ion implantation is studied by CSM method which is an advanced nano-indentation method. Ion implantation decreases the elastic modulus and hardness of polysilicon films. However, they are improved with increasing ion dose.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2015

Purpose: To compare the depiction of brain metastases on contrast-enhanced images with 7.0 tesla (T) and at 1.5T MRI. Materials and Methods: Four consecutive patients with brain metastases were scanned on 7.0T whole-body scanner and 1.5T MRI. A 3D T1-weighted gradient echo sequence (3D T1-GRE) at 1.5T (voxel size = $0.9{\times}0.9{\times}1.5mm^3$ after double-dose, gadoterate meglumine, Gd-DOTA) was compared to a 7.0T 3D T1-GRE sequence (voxel size = $0.4{\times}0.4{\times}0.8mm^3$, single-dose Gd-DOTA) in four patients after a 5 minute delay. The number of contrast-enhancing metastases in MPRAGE images was compared in each patient by two radiologists in consensus. We measured contrast ratio of enhancing brain metastases and white matter in 1.5T and 7.0T. Results: In all four patients 7.0T 3D T1-GRE images after single-dose Gd-DOTA and 1.5T after double-dose Gd-DOTA depicted 11 brain metastases equally. In the quantitative analysis of contrast ratios of enhancing brain metastases and white matter, the 1.5T 3D T1-GRE after double-dose showed an increased contrast ratio compared to 7.0T 3D T1-GRE after single-dose ($0.961{\pm}0.571$ versus $0.885{\pm}0.494$; n = 11 metastases). But this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.711). Conclusion: Our preliminary results indicate that 7.0T single-dose Gd-enhanced images were not different to 1.5T double-dose Gd-enhanced images for the detection of brain metastases.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.63-70
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• 2020

Stereotactic radiosurgery is one of the most sophisticated forms of modern advanced radiation therapy. Unlike conventional fractionated radiotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery uses a high dose of radiation with steep gradient precisely delivered to target lesions. Lars Leksell presented the principle of radiosurgery in 1951. Gamma Knife^® (GK) is the first radiosurgery device used in clinics, and the first patient was treated in the winter of 1967. The first GK unit had 179 cobalt 60 sources distributed on a hemispherical surface. A patient could move only in a single direction. Treatment planning was performed manually and took more than a day. The latest model, Gamma Knife^® Icon^TM, shares the same principle but has many new dazzling characteristics. In this article, first, a brief history of radiosurgery was described. Then, the physical properties of modern radiosurgery machines and physicists' endeavors to assure the quality of radiosurgery were described. Intrinsic characteristics of modern radiosurgery devices such as small fields, steep dose distribution producing sharp penumbra, and multi-directionality of the beam were reviewed together with the techniques to assess the accuracy of these devices. The reference conditions and principles of GK dosimetry given in the most recent international standard protocol, International Atomic Energy Agency TRS 483, were shortly reviewed, and several points needing careful revisions were highlighted. Understanding the principles and physics of radiosurgery will be helpful for modern medical physicists.