Abstract

Purpose: The present work deals with pre-treatment dosimetric verification of 10 prostate intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans obtained by Gafchromic EBT3 film and 2D-Array seven29 to establish quality control protocol for the delivery of prostate IMRT in our clinic. Methods: 10 prostate patients were irradiated according to IMRT techniques with 6 MV photon beams produced by a Varian DHX linear accelerator. Dose plans were computed using Eclipse 8.9 (version8.9, Varian, Palo Alto, CA, United States) treatment planning system (TPS). Pre-treatment dosimetric verification was carried out on field-perfield and total IMRT plan basis measuring 2D dose distributions in RW3 solid water phantom (PTW-Freiburg, Germany). For 10 patient plans, the dose distribution was re-calculated with the phantom CT scan and delivered to the phantom with the original and 0 degrees gantry, collimator and table angles. Thus IMRT quality control (QC) plans were generated. Dose distribution measurements were measured with Gafchromic EBT3 film and 2D-Array seven29 (PTW-Freiburg, Germany) two dimensional ionization chamber system. Verification measurements of total IMRT plans and each individual beams were compared with expected dose maps, and differences were evaluated by Verisoft program (PTW-Freiburg, Germany). To provide comparisons of multidimensional dose distributions, dose comparison tools such as gamma dose distribution, distance- to- agreement (DTA) and dose difference (DD) have been developed. The gamma dose distribution tool was used in our study. Three different gamma criteria of dose difference (DD) and distance to agreement (DTA) (3%/3 mm, 4%/4 mm and 5%/5 mm DD / DTA) are selected. These criteria are evaluated while suppressing the dose of 5% from dose distribution. Criterion validity accepted as section with gamma value less than or equal to 1 (γ ≤ 1) to be 90%. Results: In the comparison of dose distributions obtained from TPS and the results of PTW 2D-Array seven29 and Gafchromic EBT3 film dosimetry systems, it was showed that the compatibility of both methods were above 90% with respect to 3% DD and 3mm DTA criteria. PTW 2D-Array seven29 results compared to the results of the film was closer to the TPS data and this difference was statistically meaningful (p 0.05). Conclusions: The measurements performed with PTW 2D-Array seven29 were closer to the TPS data than film measurements and it takes less time during clinical use, so it could be preferred for routine use. The present results suggest the gamma criteria of 3%/3 mm as the most suitable criteria for prostate IMRT quality assurance.

Highlights

  • Intensity modulated fields have the potential to deliver optimum dose distributions which results in greater dose uniformity in the target and lower doses to the critical organs and normal tissue as compared to conventional radiotherapy

  • When is used Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS) has to be verified before the treatment

  • Fluence maps of total IMRT plan and each individual beams measured with 2D Array seven29 and Gafchromic EBT3 film were compared by calculated data in TPS

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Summary

Introduction

Intensity modulated fields have the potential to deliver optimum dose distributions which results in greater dose uniformity in the target and lower doses to the critical organs and normal tissue as compared to conventional radiotherapy. When is used Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS) has to be verified before the treatment. The option of the TPS that permits exporting the true radiation fields to a quality control (QC) phantom [1,2]. There are several methods to verify the dose distribution calculated using two dimensional ionization chamber systems, electronic portal dosimetry (EPID) and film dosimetry [3,4,5,6,7]. Film dosimetry is a well-established method to verify dose distribution in phantoms. It has high spatial resolution but needs long calibration procedures. For this reason, it is used for relative dose distribution. Dose fluencies obtained from TPS can be measured with these measuring systems and evaluated in analysis programs due to % Dose Difference (DD) and Distance to Agreement (DTA) criteria or

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