• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 2002

Purpose : In order to perform craniospinal irradiation (CSI) in the supine position on patients who are unable to lie in the prone position, a new simulation technique using a CT simulator was developed and its availability was evaluated. Materials and Method : A CT simulator and a 3-D conformal treatment planning system were used to develop CSI in the supine position. The head and neck were immobilized with a thermoplastic mask in the supine position and the entire body was immobilized with a Vac-Loc. A volumetrie image was then obtained using the CT simulator. In order to improve the reproducibility of the patients' setup, datum lines and points were marked on the head and the body. Virtual fluoroscopy was peformed with the removal of visual obstacles such as the treatment table or the immobilization devices. After the virtual simulation, the treatment isocenters of each field were marked on the body and the immobilization devices at the conventional simulation room. Each treatment field was confirmed by comparing the fluoroscopy images with the digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR)/digitally composite radiography (DCR) images from the virtual simulation. The port verification films from the first treatment were also compared with the DRR/DCR images for a geometrical verification. Results : CSI in the supine position was successfully peformed in 9 patients. It required less than 20 minutes to construct the immobilization device and to obtain the whole body volumetric images. This made it possible to not only reduce the patients' inconvenience, but also to eliminate the position change variables during the long conventional simulation process. In addition, by obtaining the CT volumetric image, critical organs, such as the eyeballs and spinal cord, were better defined, and the accuracy of the port designs and shielding was improved. The differences between the DRRs and the portal films were less than 3 mm in the vertebral contour. Conclusion : CSI in the supine position is feasible in patients who cannot lie on prone position, such as pediatric patienta under the age of 4 years, patients with a poor general condition, or patients with a tracheostomy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.44 no.10
• /
• pp.1558-1566
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine dietitians' perception of importance about standards of foodservice management associated with long-term care hospital accreditation. This study was carried out through a postal survey consisting of 500 questionnaires, and 157 returned questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. The results were summarized as follows. Average scores of perception of importance were 4.54/5 points in foodservice production management domain, 4.56/5 points in foodservice facilities management domain, and 4.70/5 points in foodservice sanitation domain. The average scores of importance of long-term care hospitals without accreditation were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those of hospitals with accreditation in items of 'establishment of ventilation equipment in kitchen', 'establishment of hand-washstand in toilet (warm-water, soap)', 'setup of sterilizing foothold in entrance of kitchen and toilet', 'division and use of knife, chopping board, gloves, and utensils before and after cook', 'establishment of cleaning plan and cyclic practice', and 'recording of receiving diary'. Results indicate that there is a need to supplement a casebook of regulations by suggesting detailed and critical limits in the case of below average points of importance. A manual, including HACCP standards for foodservice management of long-term care hospitals, is needed, along with education and webpage for comparing notes on accreditation of long-term care hospitals.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.685-693
• /
• 2008

The rates of oxidative degradation of perchloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) using $KMnO_4$ solution were evaluated under the flow condition using a bench-scale transport experimental setup. Parameters which are considered to affect the reaction rates tested in this study were the contact time (or retention time), and the concentration of oxidizing agent. A glass column packed with coarse sand was used for simulating the aquifer condition. Contact time between reactants was controlled by changing the flow rate of the solution through the column. The inflow concentrations of PCE and TCE were controlled constant within the range of $0.11{\sim}0.21\;mM$ and $1.3{\sim}1.5\;mM$, respectively. And the contact time was $14{\sim}125$ min for PCE and $15{\sim}36$ min for TCE. The $KMnO_4$ concentration was controlled constant during experiment in the range of $0.6{\sim}2.5\;mM$. It was found that the reduction of PCE and TCE concentrations were inversely proportional to the contact time. The exact reaction order for the PCE and TCE degradation reaction could not be determined under the experimental condition used in this study. However, the estimated reaction rate constants assuming pseudo-1st order reaction agree with those reported based on batch studies. TCE degradation rate was proportional to $KMnO_4$ concentration. This was considered to be the result of using high inflow concentrations of reactant, which might be the case at the vicinity of the source zones in aquifer. The results of this study, performed using a dynamic flow system, are expected to provide useful information for designing and implementing a field scale oxidative removal process for PCE/TCE-contaminated sites.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2006

Purpose: A various find of radiotherapy treatment plans have been made to determine appropriate doses for breasts, chest walls and loco-regional lymphatics in the radiotherapy of breast cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimum radiotherapy plan technique method by analyzing dose distributions qualitatively and quantitatively. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the optimum breast cancer radiotherapy plan technique, the traditional method(two dimensional method) and computed tomography image are adopted to get breast volume, and they are compared with the three-dimensional conformal radiography (3DCRT) and the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). For this, the regions of interest (ROI) such as breasts, chest walls, loco-regional lymphatics and lungs were marked on the humanoid phantom, and the computed tomography(Volume, Siemens, USA) was conducted. Using the computed tomography image obtained, radiotherapy treatment plans (XiO 5.2.1, FOCUS, USA) were made and compared with the traditional methods by applying 3DCRT and IMRT. The comparison and analysis were made by analyzing and conducting radiation dose distribution and dose-volume histogram (DVH) based upon radiotherapy techniques (2D, 3DCRT, IMRT) and point doses for the regions of interest. Again, treatment efficiency was evaluated based upon time-labor. Results: It was found that the case of using 3DCRT plan techniques by getting breast volume is more useful than the traditional methods in terms of tumor delineation, beam direction and confirmation of field boundary. Conclusion: It was possible to present the optimum radiotherapy plan techniques through qualitative and quantitative analyses based upon radiotherapy plan techniques in case of breast cancer radiotherapy. However, further studies are required for the problems with patient setup reproducibility arising from the difficulties of planning target volume (PVT) and breast immobilization in case of three-dimensional radiotherapy planning.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.113-122
• /
• 2010

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of a target position at static and dynamic state by using Dynamic phantom for the difference between tumor's actual movement during respiratory gated radiation therapy and skin movement measured by RPM (Real-time Position Management). Materials and Methods: It self-produced Dynamic phantom that moves two-dimensionally to measure a tumor moved by breath. After putting marker block on dynamic phantom, it analyzed the amplitude and status change depending on respiratory time setup in advance by using RPM. It places marker block on dynamic phantom based on this result, inserts Gafchromic EBT film into the target, and investigates 5 Gy respectively at static and dynamic state. And it scanned investigated Gafchromic EBT film and analyzed dose distribution by using automatic calculation. Results: As a result of an analysis of Gafchromic EBT film's radiation amount at static and dynamic state, it could be known that dose distribution involving 90% is distributed within margin of error of 3 mm. Conclusion: As a result of an analysis of dose distribution's change depending on patient's respiratory cycle during respiratory gated radiation therapy, it is expected that the treatment would be possible within recommended margin of error at ICRP 60.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.109-113
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To evaluate the detector dependency in the various collimator size for Stereotactic Radiosugery (SRS). Materials and Methods: This study was performed with 6 MV photon beam (Varian 21EX, Varian, US) and the measurement detectors are used by ion chamber CC01, CC13 (Wellhofer, Germany) and stereotactic diode detector (SFD, Wellhofer, Germany). SRS collimator size was used by ${\varphi}$5, 10, 20, 30 mm (Brain Lab, Germany). Percentage depth dose (PDD) was measured at SSD 100 cm and field size 10×10 cm from individual detectors. Ouput factor was measured by using same setup of PDD and with maximum dose depth. Data was normalized at field size $10{\times}10\;cm$. Beam profile was measured at SSD 100 cm in SRS collimator ${\varphi}$10, 30 mm and field $10{\times}10\;cm$ and a comparison of FWHM (full width half maximum), penumbra width (20~80%). Results: The CC13 detector was overestimated 16% than other detectors from the PDD in the 5 mm collimator. Output factors were underestimated CC01 28%, CC13 72% in the 5 mm collimator and CC01 9.6%, CC13 25% in the 10 mm collimator than the SFD. Maximum difference was 3% at the FWHM of the dose profile in the 10 mm collimator and difference of the 30 mm collimator was 0% at the FWHM. Penumbra width was increased CC01 122%, CC13 194% in the 10 mm collimator and CC01 68%, CC13 185% in the 30 mm collimator than the SFD. Conclusion: It is very important for accurate dosimetry to select a detector in small field. The SFD was considered with the most accurate dosimeter for small collimator dosimetry in this study.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 1996

Purpose : The aim of this study is to investigate the random and systematic errors and tumor movement using electronic portal imaging device in lung cancer patients for the adequate margin in the treatment planning of 3-dimensional conformal therapy. Material and Methods : The electronic portal imaging device is matrix ion chamber type(Portal Vision, Varian). Ten patients of lung cancer treated with chest irradiation were selected for this study. Patients were treated in the supine position without immobilization device. All treatments were delivered by an 10 MV linear accelerator that had the portal imaging system mounted to its ganrty. AP or PA field Portal images were only analyzed. Radiation therapy field included the tumor, mediastinum and supraclavicular lymph nodes. A total of 103 portal images were analyzed for set-up deviation and 10 multiple images were analyzed for tumor movement because of respiration and cardiac motion. Result : The average values of setup displacements in the x, y direction was 1.41 mm, 1 78 mm, respectively. The standard deviation of systematic component was 4.63 mm, 4.11 mm along the x, y axis, respectively while the random component was 4.17 mm in the x direction and 3.31 mm in the y direction. The average displacement from respiratory movement was 12.2 mm with a standard deviation of 4.03 mm. Conclusion : The overall set-up displacement includes both random and systematic component and respiratory movement. About 10 mm, 25 mm margins along x, y axis which considered the set-up displacement and tumor movement were required for initial 3-dimensional conformal treatment planning in the lung cancer patients and portal images should be made and analyzed during first week of treatment, individually.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2000

Background :The authors have developed a Digital image chart(DIC) and digital Radiotherapy Record System (DRRS). We have evaluated the DIC and DRRS for reliability, usefulness, ease of use, and efficiency. Materials and Methods :The basic design of the DIC and DRRS was to build an digital image database of radiation therapy Patient records for a more efficient and timely flow of critical image information throughout the department. This system is a submit of comprehensive radiation oncology management system (C-ROMS) and composed of a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a radiotherapy information database, and a radiotherapy imaging database. The DIC and DRRS were programmed using Delphi under a Windows 95 environment and is capable of displaying the digital images of patients identification photos, simulation films, radiotherapy setup, diagnostic radiology images, gross lesion Photos, and radiotherapy Planning isodose charts with beam arrangements. Twenty-three clients in the department are connected by Ethernet (10 Mbps) to the central image server (Sun Ultra-sparc 1 workstation). Results :From the introduction of this system in February 1998 through December 1999, we have accumulated a total of 15,732 individual images for 2,556 patients. We can organize radiation therapy in a 'paperless' environment in 120 patients with breast cancer. Using this system, we have succeeded in the prompt, accurate, and simultaneous access to patient care information from multiple locations throughout the department. This coordination has resulted in improved operational efficiency within the department. Conclusion :The authors believe that the DIC and DRRS has contributed to the improvement of radiation oncology department efficacy as well as to time and resource savings by providing necessary visual information throughout the department conveniently and simultaneously. As a result, we can also achieve the 'paperless' and 'filmless' practice of radiation oncology with this system.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 1998

Purpose : With the development of stereotactic immobilization systems capable of reliable serial repositioning, fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (FSRT) offers the Potential for an improved treatment outcome by excellent dose delivery, and dose distribution characteristics with the favorable radiobiological properties of fractionated irradiation. We describe our initial experience using FSRT for the treatment of intracranial benign tumor. Materials and Methods : Between August 1995 and December 1996. 15 patients(7 males and 8 females aged 6-70 years) were treated with FSRT. The patients had the following diagnosis pituitary adenoma(10) including one patient who previously had received radiotherapy, craniopharyngioma (2), acoustic neurinoma (1), meningioma (2). Using the Gill-Thomas-Cosman relocatable head frame and multiple non-coplanar therapy, the daily dose of 2Gy was irradiated at 90% to 100% isodose surface of the isocenter The collimator sizes ranged from 26mm to 70mm. Results : In all patients except one follow-up lost, disease was well-controlled. Acute complication was negligible and no patient experienced cranial nerve neuropathies and radiation necrosis. In overall patient setup with scalp measurements, reproducibility was found to have mean of $1.1{\pm}0.6mm$ from the baseline reading. Conclusion : Relocatable stereotactic system for FSRT is highly reproducible and comfortable. Although the follow-up period was relatively short. FSRT is considered to be a safe and effective radiation technique as the treatment of intracranial tumor. But the fractionation schedule(fraction size, overall treatment time and total dose) still remains to be solved by further clinical trials.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a GafChromic film applied to stereotactic radiosurgery with a linear accelerator could provide information on the value for acceptance testing and quality control on the absolute dose and relative dose measurements and/or calculation of treatment planning system. Materials and methods: A spherical acrylic phantom, simulating a patient's head, was constructed from three points. The absolute and relative dose distributions could be measured by inserting a GafChromic film into the phantom. We tested the use of a calibrated GafChromic film (MD-55-2, Nuclear Associate, USA) for measuring the optical density. These measurements were achieved by irradiating the films with a dose of 0-112 Gy employing 6 MV photon. To verify the accuracy of the prescribed dose delivery to a target isocenter using a five arc beams (irradiated in 3 Gy per one beam) setup, calculated by the Linapel planning system the absolute dose and relative dose distribution using a GafChromic film were measured. All the irradiated films were digitized with a Lumiscan 75 laser digitizer and processed with the RIT113 film dosimetry system. Results: We verified the linearity of the Optical Density of a MD-55-2 GafChromic film, and measured the depth dose profile of the beam. The absolute dose delivered to the target was close to the prescribed dose of Linapel within an accuracy for the GafChromic film dosimetry (of $\pm$3$\%$), with a measurement uncertainty of $\pm$1 mm for the 50$\~$90$\%$ isodose lines. Conclusion: Our results have shown that the absolute dose and relative dose distribution curves obtained from a GafChromic film can provide information on the value for acceptance. To conclude the GafChromic flim is a convenient and useful dosimetry tool for linac based radiosurgery.