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Background: Endometrial cancer is the most common disease of the female reproductive system. Vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCB) has intrinsic advantages compared to external beam therapy when treated with radiation. A single-channel cylinder is a standard applicator in VCB. The present study aims to estimate a change in the dose to vaginal mucosa due to air pockets between the cylinder and vaginal mucosa by calculating with the Acuros BV algorithm and comparing it to the Task Group 43 (TG-43) algorithm. Materials and Methods: Patients who presented with air packets were included retrospectively. For each patient, three plans were created: the first plan used TG-43, the second plan used dose recalculation with Acuros BV, and the third plan was generated by re-optimization by Acuros BV. On the same axial computed tomography image, the point doses at the cylinder's surface and the displaced mucosa were recorded and the ratios were then estimated. Results: The average volume of air pockets was 0.08 cc (range of 0.01-0.3 cc), and 84% of air pockets displaced the vaginal mucosa by ≥0.2 cm. The average ratios of dose were 0.77 ± 0.09 (1 standard deviation [SD]) and 0.78 ± 0.09 (1 SD) for TG-43 and Acuros BV algorithms, respectively. Due to the air pocket, mucosa received a reduced dose by an average of 22.72% and an average of 23.29% for TG-43 and Acuros BV, respectively. The maximum displacement of mucosa and the ratio of doses were negatively correlated for both. In the Optimized Acuros BV plan, total dwell time increased by 1.8% but no considerable change in the dose ratios. Conclusion: The calculated dose of mucous membrane forced out of the cylinder surface by air pockets by the Acuros BV algorithm was nonsignificantly different from TG-43. Therefore, even in the presence of air pockets, the TG-43 algorithm for calculating the VCB dose is appropriate.
ABSTRACT
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine's Task Group No.43 has provided a standardised dose calculation methodology that is now the international benchmark for all brachytherapy dosimetry publications and treatment planning systems. However, limitations in this methodology has seen the development of Model-Based Dose Calculation Algorithms (MBDCA). In 2009, Varian (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA) released Acuros[Formula: see text] BrachyVision (ABV) which calculates dose by explicitly solving the Linear Boltzmann Transport Equation. In this study we have assessed the accuracy of ABV dose calculations within a range of materials relevant to high dose rate brachytherapy with an iridium-192 ([Formula: see text]Ir) source. Accuracy assessment has been achieved by implementing a modelled GamaMed Plus [Formula: see text]Ir source within a series of phantoms using the GEANT4 Application for Emission Tomography (GATE) to calculate dose for comparison with dose as determined by ABV. Comparisons between GATE and ABV were made using point-to-point profile comparisons and 1D gamma analysis. Source validation results yielded good agreement with published data. Spectrum and TG43U1 comparisons showed no major differences, with TG43U1 comparisons agreeing within ± 1%. Point-to-point comparisons showed large differences between GATE and ABV near the source and in low density materials. 1D gamma analysis pass criteria of 2%/1 mm and 2%/2 mm yielded passing rates ranging between 51.72-100% and 62.07-100% respectively. A critical analysis of this study's results suggest that ABV is unable to accurately calculate doses in low density materials. Furthermore, spatial accuracy of dose near the source is within 2 mm.
Subject(s)
Radiometry , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Monte Carlo Method , Phantoms, Imaging , Computer SimulationABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Post-mastectomy radiation therapy significantly reduces locoregional recurrence rates, which can be achieved with external beam radiotherapy delivered to chest wall, followed by scar irradiation either by electron or high-dose-rate (HDR) mould brachytherapy. The present study evaluates dosimetric advantage of Acuros® BV, a TG-186 MBDCA, over TG-43 formalism using 192Ir source for HDR brachytherapy in chest wall scar boost using catheter flap. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 25 patients, free of cardiac and pulmonary co-morbidities, who met the inclusion criteria were involved in the study. Catheter flap made of silicon with 20 channels was used to deliver a total dose of 7.5 Gy/3 fx by HDR surface mould brachytherapy to delineated scar volume. Plan was optimized with iterative method to obtain desired results with TG-43 formalism, followed by Acuros® BV (GBBS algorithm) without altering dwell positions or time. The two algorithm plans were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with dose-volume histograms. RESULTS: The mean D98% CTV-HDR_evl coverage decreased by 1.16% compared to TG-43, and near-maximum dose decreased by 8.18% (p = 0.000), mean Dmax dose to CTV-HDR_evl, and mean Dmean dose was lesser by 6.25% (p = 0.000) and 10.82% (p = 0.000), respectively, compared to TG-43. Heart D2% showed significant results, whereas Dmedian (cGy) revealed very significant difference. A 5 mm thick skin contour showed statistically significant results (p = 0.000) for V150% and V200%. CONCLUSIONS: The presented data showed how Acuros® BV, algorithm-based calculation in scar boost irradiation of breast, accounting for a mass density of the medium and scatter condition, considered actual dose prediction in a medium.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To study the feasibility of using the PTW729 2D array ion-chamber to verify the relative dose distribution calculated with the Acuros BV algorithm. Both advantages and disadvantages of the method were analyzed to provide reference for practical clinical practices.@*Methods@#Based on self-built measurement phantoms, the dose distribution on the same slice of the phantom was measured with PTW729 and film, respectively, under the same measurement condition and plan. The dose distributions obtained by the two method were compared with the result calculated with Acuros BV, separately, by using γ analytical tool. And the stability of the PTW729 was tested.@*Results@#The γ comparison value was 95.9% between the film and Acuros BV, 98.9% between the PTW729 and Acuros BV and 88.0% between the film and PTW729, with 95.0%, 100.0%, and 100.0%, in their stability test respectively.@*Conclusions@#PTW729 2D array ion-chamber can be applied to the rapid verification of Acuros BV algorithm-calculated relative dose distribution.
ABSTRACT
Objective To study the feasibility of using the PTW729 2D array ion-chamber to verify the relative dose distribution calculated with the Acuros BV algorithm.Both advantages and disadvantages of the method were analyzed to provide reference for practical clinical practices.Methods Based on self-built measurement phantoms,the dose distribution on the same slice of the phantom was measured with PTW729 and film,respectively,under the same measurement condition and plan.The dose distributions obtained by the two method were compared with the result calculated with Acuros BV,separately,by using γ analytical tool.And the stability of the PTW729 was tested.Results The γ comparison value was 95.9％ between the film and Acuros BV,98.9％ between the PTW729 and Acuros BV and 88.0％ between the film and PTW729,with 95.0％,i00.0％,and 100.0％,in their stability test respectively.Conclusions PTW729 2D array ion-chamber can be applied to the rapid verification of Acuros BV algorithm-calculated relative dose distribution.
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PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to validate the Acuros BV dose calculation algorithm for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy superficial mold treatments in the absence of full scatter conditions and compare this with TG-43 dose calculations. We also investigate the impact of additional back scatter material (bolus) applied above surface molds to the dose distributions under the mold. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The absorbed dose at various depths was compared for simulations performed using either TG-43 or Acuros BV dose calculations. Parameter variations included treatment area, thickness of the bolus, and surface shape (flat or spherical). Film measurements were carried out in a flat phantom. RESULTS: Acuros BV calculations and film measurements agreed within 1.5% but were up to 15% lower than TG-43 dose calculations when no bolus was applied above the treatment catheters. The difference in dose at the prescription depth (1 cm below the central catheter) increased with increasing treatment area: 3.3% difference for a 3 × 3.5 cm2 source loading area, 7.4% for 8 × 9 cm2, and 13.4% for 18 × 19 cm2. The dose overestimation of the TG-43 model decreased when bolus was added above the treatment catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The TG-43 dosimetry formalism cannot model surface mold treatments in the absence of full scatter conditions within 5% for loading areas larger than approximately 5 × 5 cm2. The TG-43 model results in an overestimation of the delivered dose, which increases with treatment area. This confirms the need for model-based dose calculation algorithms as discussed in TG-186.
