Dosimetric impact of an brachytherapy source cable length modeled using a grid‐based Boltzmann transport equation solver

Abstract

To evaluate the dose distributions of an 192Ir source (model VS2000) in homogeneous water geometry calculated using a deterministic grid-based Boltzmann transport equation solver (GBBS) in the commercial treatment planning system (TPS) (BRACHYVISION-ACUROS V8.8). Using percent dose differences (%deltaD), the GBBS (BV-ACUROS) was compared to the (1) published TG-43 data, (2) MCNPX Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of the 192Ir source centered in a 15 cm radius water sphere, and (3) TG-43 output from the TPS using vendor supplied (BV-TG43-vendor) and user extended (BV-TG43-extended) 2D anisotropy functions F(r, theta). BV-ACUROS assumes 1 mm of NiTi cable, while the TPS TG-43 algorithm uses data based on a 15 cm cable. MC models of various cable lengths were simulated. The MC simulations resulted in > 20% dose deviations along the cable for 1, 2, and 3 mm cable lengths relative to 15 cm. BV-ACUROS comparisons with BV-TG43-vendor and BV-TG43-extended yielded magnitude of differences, consistent with those seen in MC simulations. However, differences > 20% extended further (theta < or = 10 degrees) when using the vendor supplied anisotropy function F(ven0(r, theta). These differences were also seen in comparisons of F(r, theta) derived from the TPS output. The results suggest that %deltaD near the cable region is larger than previously estimated. The spatial distribution of the dose deviation is highly dependent on the reference TG-43 data used to compare to GBBS. The differences observed, while important to realize, should not have an impact on clinical dosimetry in homogeneous water.