Development of a novel ArcCHECK™ insert for routine quality assurance of VMAT delivery including dose calculation with inhomogeneities

Abstract

To design a versatile, nonhomogeneous insert for the dose verification phantom ArcCHECK(™) (Sun Nuclear Corp., FL) and to demonstrate its usefulness for the verification of dose distributions in inhomogeneous media. As an example, we demonstrate it can be used clinically for routine quality assurance of two volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) systems for lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT): SmartArc(®) (Pinnacle(3), Philips Radiation Oncology Systems, Fitchburg, WI) and RapidArc(®) (Eclipse(™), Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The cylindrical detector array ArcCHECK(™) has a retractable homogeneous acrylic insert. In this work, we designed and manufactured a customized heterogeneous insert with densities that simulate soft tissue, lung, bone, and air. The insert offers several possible heterogeneity configurations and multiple locations for point dose measurements. SmartArc(®) and RapidArc(®) plans for lung SBRT were generated and copied to ArcCHECK(™) for each inhomogeneity configuration. Dose delivery was done on a Varian 2100 ix linac. The evaluation of dose distributions was based on gamma analysis of the diode measurements and point doses measurements at different positions near the inhomogeneities. The insert was successfully manufactured and tested with different measurements of VMAT plans. Dose distributions measured with the homogeneous insert showed gamma passing rates similar to our clinical results (∼99%) for both treatment-planning systems. Using nonhomogeneous inserts decreased the passing rates by up to 3.6% in the examples studied. Overall, SmartArc(®) plans showed better gamma passing rates for nonhomogeneous measurements. The discrepancy between calculated and measured point doses was increased up to 6.5% for the nonhomogeneous insert depending on the inhomogeneity configuration and measurement location. SmartArc(®) and RapidArc(®) plans had similar plan quality but RapidArc(®) plans had significantly higher monitor units (up to 70%). A versatile, nonhomogeneous insert was developed for ArcCHECK(™) for an easy and quick evaluation of dose calculations with nonhomogeneous media and for comparison of different treatment planning systems. The device was tested for SmartArc(®) and RapidArc(®) plans for lung SBRT, showing the uncertainties of dose calculations with inhomogeneities. The new insert combines the convenience of the ArcCHECK(™) and the possibility of assessing dose distributions in inhomogeneous media.