An investigation into the use of CMOS active pixel technology in image-guided radiotherapy

Abstract

The increased intelligence, read-out speed, radiation hardness and potential large size of CMOS active pixel sensors (APS) gives them a potential advantage over systems currently used for verification of complex treatments such as IMRT and the tracking of moving tumours. The aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of using an APS-based system to image the megavoltage treatment beam produced by a linear accelerator (Linac), and to demonstrate the logic which may ultimately be incorporated into future sensor and FPGA design to evaluate treatment and track motion. A CMOS APS was developed by the MI3 consortium and incorporated into a megavoltage imaging system using the standard lens and mirror configuration employed in camera-based EPIDs. The ability to resolve anatomical structure was evaluated using an Alderson RANDO head phantom, resolution evaluated using a quality control (QC3) phantom and contrast using an in-house developed phantom. A complex intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment was imaged and two algorithms were used to determine the field-area and delivered dose, and the position of multi-leaf collimator (MLC) leaves off-line. Results were compared with prediction from the prescription and found to agree within a single image frame time for dose delivery and 0.02–0.03 cm for the position of collimator leaves. Such a system therefore shows potential as the basis for an on-line verification system capable of treatment verification and monitoring patient motion.