BEAMnrc Monte Carlo Code Research Articles

ANALYSIS OF TENTH-VALUE-LAYERS FOR COMMON SHIELDING MATERIALS FOR A ROBOTICALLY MOUNTED STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY MACHINE

Tenth-value-layers (TVLs) for a 6 MV stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) x-ray beam have been computed using Monte Carlo methods for radiation transport simulation. The first and equilibrium TVLs were determined in the three most common building materials used in radiation therapy vault construction: ordinary concrete, lead, and steel (iron). In contrast to broad-beam 6 MV TVL data found in the literature, the SRS TVLs can change rapidly with the size of the radiation field incident on the barrier. This research has investigated characteristics of TVLs as a function of field size (diameter) at the barrier for all materials, with special attention given to the TVL properties in iron. The x-ray spectrum used to perform these simulations was generated for the CyberKnife accelerator with the BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code. Using this spectrum as input to the MCNP5 Monte Carlo code, predicted tissue-maximum-ratio (TMR) values for a 6-cm-diameter field (at 80 cm from the target) were benchmarked against measured TMR data. The MCNP5 code was used to simulate all barrier transmissions, keeping the standard error of each data point below 1% of the mean. Results compare very well with previous measured concrete TVLs and also with published broad-beam 6 MV TVL data for all three barrier materials.

Monte Carlo feasibility study of orthogonal bremsstrahlung beams for improved radiation therapy imaging

The basic characteristics of orthogonal bremsstrahlung beams are studied and the feasibility of improved contrast imaging with such a beam is evaluated. In the context of this work, orthogonal bremsstrahlung beams represent the component of the bremsstrahlung distribution perpendicular to the electron beam impinging on an accelerator target. The BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code was used to study target characteristics, energy spectra and relative fluences of orthogonal beams to optimize target design. The reliability of the simulations was verified by comparing our results with benchmark experiments. Using the results of the Monte Carlo optimization, the targets with various materials and a collimator were designed and built. The primary pencil electron beam from the research port of a Varian Clinac-18 accelerator striking on Al, Pb and C targets was used to create orthogonal beams. For these beams, diagnostic image contrast was tested by placing simple Lucite objects in the path of the beams and comparing image contrast obtained in the orthogonal direction to the one obtained in the forward direction. The simulations for various target materials and various primary electron energies showed that a width of 80% of the continuous-slowing-down approximation range (RCSDA) is sufficient to remove electron contamination in the orthogonal direction. The photon fluence of the orthogonal beam for high Z targets is larger compared to low Z targets, i.e. by a factor of 20 for W compared to Be. For a 6 MeV electron beam, the mean energy for low Z targets is calculated to be 320 keV for Al and 150 keV for Be, and for a high Z target like Pb to be 980 keV. For irradiation times of 1.2 s in an electron mode of the linac, the contrast of diagnostic images created with orthogonal beams from the Al target is superior to that in the forward direction. The image contrast and the beam profile of the bremsstrahlung beams were also studied. Both the Monte Carlo study and experiment showed an improvement of the contrast for lower Z target materials. This study confirms the feasibility, both in terms of intensity and image contrast, of orthogonal bremsstrahlung beams for radiation therapy imaging.

Progress toward a microradiation therapy small animal conformal irradiator

Microradiation therapy (microRT) systems are being designed to provide conformal radiation therapy to small animals enabling quantitative radiation response evaluation. We used a Monte Carlo approach to estimate the radiation dose distributions from proposed blueprints and developed a beam model to aid in the microRT system design process. This process was applied to a prototype irradiator that uses a small (3 mm long and 3 mm in diameter), cylindrical, high-activity 192Ir source delivering the radiation beam using custom-fabricated tungsten collimators. The BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code was used to simulate dose distributions from these prototype collimators. Simulations were performed at three source-to-surface distances (50, 60, and 70 mm), and with five circular field sizes (5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mm). A dose to a 50 X 50 X 50 mm3 water phantom with 1 X 1 X 1 mm3 voxel spacing was computed. A multiparameter dose calculation algorithm was developed to efficiently and accurately calculate doses for treatment planning exercises. The parametrization was selected so that the parameters varied smoothly as a function of depth, source-to-surface distance, and field size, allowing interpolation for geometries that were not simulated using the Monte Carlo simulation. Direct comparison of the model with the Monte Carlo simulations showed that the variations were within 5% error for field sizes larger than 10 mm, and up to 10% for smaller field sizes.

Po‐Thur Eve General‐07: Dosimetry of Small Lung Lesions with EGSnrc Monte Carlo and Treatment Planning Systems

Early stage lung cancer, presenting as a small solitary pulmonary mass, is treated with radiation when concurrent disease precludes a surgical option. These small lesions are usually surrounded by less dense normal lung, which affects the ability to deliver a homogenous dose to the target volume. In low‐density tissue, such as lung, there is increased transmission of photons. In addition, lateral scatter of electrons out of the beam can lead to increased penumbral width. The magnitude of these effects is known to be dependent on beam energy. Some of the commonly used commercial treatment planning systems have had limited success in predicting accurately dose distributions under these highly inhomogeneous conditions.We present a quantitative comparison between Monte Carlo simulation and commercial planning systems for a select range of clinically relevant target geometries and beam parameters. Small water equivalent cylindrical lung tumors of diameter 3 and 5 cm were incorporated within a CT dataset at different locations. A Parallel Opposed Pair (POP) field arrangement with 6MV or 15MV photons and variable field‐edge margins were considered. These plans were calculated using BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code and on two planning systems; ADAC Pinnacle III Version 7.4 and MDS Nordion Theraplan Plus v3.8.The analysis of dose profiles and DVH's show considerable and unique differences between Monte Carlo and the results from each TPS within the tumor and at the junction between tumor and lung. For both planning systems, the severity of these errors, increases with photon energy, and decreases with field size.

SU‐FF‐T‐326: Monte Carlo Based Simulation and Analysis of SRS X‐Ray 6 MV Beam Tenth‐Value‐Layer Data for Common Shielding Materials

Treatment room shielding design depends on barrier attenuation data. It is common practice to use tenth‐value‐layers (TVLs) or related quantities measured for a given beam quality and shielding material. This investigation has applied Monte Carlo simulation to accurately determine the first, second and third TVLs for the three most common building materials: ordinary concrete, lead, and steel (iron). The radiation beam is 6 MV x‐rays coming from a robotically mounted stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) accelerator which has a maximum field diameter of 6 cm at 80 cm from the target. The first three TVLs are presented for a range of field sizes up to the broad beam equivalent of a 40 cm by 40 cm field at 1 m. The x‐ray spectrum used to perform these simulations was generated for the CyberKnife™ accelerator with the BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code. This spectrum was used as input to the MCNP5 Monte Carlo code, to predicted tissue‐maximum‐ratio (TMR) values for a 6 cm diameter field (at 80 cm from the target) and benchmarked against measured TMR data. The MCNP5 code was used to simulate all barrier transmission factors, keeping the standard error of each data point below 1% of the mean. The results show that SRS TVLs change rapidly with the diameter of the radiation field incident on the barrier (with a slower rate of increase above about 15 cm diameter). Also analyzed were the characteristics of TVLs (specifically, the ordering TVL1, TVL2, and TVL3) as a function of field diameter at the barrier for all materials, with special attention given to the TVL properties in iron. The TVL results compare very well with previously measured concrete TVLs for the SRS machine and, also, with published broad‐beam 6 MV TVL data for all three barrier materials.

TH‐E‐224A‐01: Planning and Delivery of Dynamically Modulated Electron Radiotherapy

Purpose: Evaluate capabilities of modulating electrons using the installed multileaf collimators, computing modulated electron dose distributions using Monte Carlo (MC) and optimizing the dose distributions. Materials and Methods: The modulated electron radiotherapy (MERT) evaluation was conducted with a Varian 120leaf MLC for 6–20 MeV. To provide a sharper penumbra, measurements were conducted with short SSDs (70–85cm). Aperture sizes (AS) ranging from 7–100mm (surface) were configured for measurements and modeling, using BEAMnrc MC code with 109 particles incident on the exit window and DOSXYZnrc for phantom dose calculations. Parameter included: Voxel size 0.2×0.2×0.1cm3, photon and electron transport energy cutoffs 0.01MeV and 0.521MeV, respectively. Verification measurements were performed with film and micro‐ion‐chambers. Calculated and measured data were analyzed in MatLab. Once validation of static fields was successfully completed, modulated portals (segmented and dynamic) were configured for treatment and composed for calculation using DOSXYZ. Results: Beam penumbra sharpness degraded with: decreasing energy and AS; and increasing SSD. PDD decreased significantly with AS. Nearly identical profiles when fluences were delivered by segmental and dynamic MLC sequences. The exception was in the peripheral and bremmstrahlung dose, which was higher in the segmented and dynamic deliveries, respectively. Calculations agreed with measurement within a distance‐to‐agreement of <3mm. With segmented delivery, we found it necessary to introduce small (∼1.5mm) gaps between segments to retain ranges desired in the particular segment's path. The treatment time to deliver 5 segments of 3 energies, was ∼90s, including console reprogramming. Conclusions: This study shows that MERT is feasible and provides conformal electron‐beam dose distributions.Acknowledgement: The primary author thanks Varian for technical support.

Development and validation of a BEAMnrc component module for accurate Monte Carlo modelling of the Varian dynamic Millennium multileaf collimator

A new component module (CM), designated DYNVMLC, was developed to fully model the geometry of the Varian Millennium 120 leaf collimator using the BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code. The model includes details such as the leaf driving screw hole, support railing groove and leaf tips. Further modifications also allow sampling of leaf sequence files to simulate the movement of the multileaf collimator (MLC) leaves during an intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery. As an initial validation of the code, the individual leaf geometries were visualized by tracing particles through the component module and recording their position each time a leaf boundary was crossed. A model of the Varian CL21EX linear accelerator 6 MV photon beam incorporating the new CM was built with the BEAMnrc user code. The leaf material density and abutting leaf air gap were chosen to match simulated leaf leakage profiles with film measurements in a solid water phantom. Simulated depth dose and off-axis profiles for a variety of MLC defined static fields agreed to within 2% with ion chamber and diode measurements in a water phantom. Simulated dose distributions for IMRT intensity patterns delivered using both static and dynamic techniques were found to agree with film measurements to within 4%. A comparison of interleaf leakage profiles for the new CM and an equivalent leaf model using the existing VARMLC CM demonstrated that the simplified geometry of VARMLC is not able to accurately predict the details of the MLC leakage for the 120 leaf collimator.