Dosimetry Measurements Research Articles

3D-printed patient-specific pelvis phantom for dosimetry measurements for prostate stereotactic radiotherapy with dominant intraprostatic lesion boost.

Developing and assessing the feasibility of using a three-dimensional (3D) printed patient-specific anthropomorphic pelvis phantom for dose calculation and verification for stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) with dose escalation to the dominant intraprostatic lesions. A 3D-printed pelvis phantom, including bone-mimicking material, was fabricated based on the computed tomography (CT) images of a prostate cancer patient. To compare the extent to which patient and phantom body and bones overlapped, the similarity Dice coefficient was calculated. Modular cylindrical inserts were created to encapsulate radiochromic films and ionization chamber for absolute dosimetry measurements at the location of prostate and at the boost region. Gamma analysis evaluation with 2%/2mm criteria was performed to compare treatment planning system calculations and measured dose when delivering a 10 flattening filter free (FFF) SABR plan and a 10FFF boost SABR plan. Dice coefficients of 0.98 and 0.91 were measured for body and bones, respectively, demonstrating agreement between patient and phantom outlines. For the boost plans the gamma analysis yielded 97.0% of pixels passing 2%/2mm criteria and these results were supported by the chamber average dose difference of 0.47±0.03%. These results were further improved when overriding the bone relative electron density: 97.3% for the 2%/2mm gamma analysis, and 0.05±0.03% for the ionization chamber average dose difference. The modular patient-specific 3D-printed pelvis phantom has proven to be a highly attractive and versatile tool to validate prostate SABR boost plans using multiple detectors.

Analysis of Occupational Noise in Association with Blood Pressure Among Workers at Geothermal Power Plant

The purpose of this study will analyze noise intensity at a geothermal power plant and its association with employees’ blood pressure and risk of hypertension. A cross-sectional survey using questionnaire as primary data; noise dosimeter, body mass index and blood pressure measurement records as secondary data. Total 101 workers participated by purposive sampling based on a similar exposure group (SEG). Mann-Whitney & χ2 test analysis was applied to examine the association of dependent variables and independent variables. Noise intensity was measured from the noise dose result during 8 working hours. Subjects with noise dose >80 dBA had higher levels of SBP / systolic blood pressure (119.1±11.2 mmHg) and DBP / diastolic blood pressure (75.6±5.3) than subjects with noise dose ≤80 dBA (SBP: 117.9±6.6 mmHg, DBP: 75.0±5.1). The hypertension prevalence was 7.9% at participants with noise dose >80 dBA and 2.6% in noise dose ≤80 dBA. The odds ratio (OR) of noise dose >80 dBA (OR = 3.190, 95% CI = 0.358-28.394), and smoking (OR = 2.469, 95% CI = 0.416-14.645). Noise intensity was not associated with SBP (p-value = 0.664), DBP (p-value = 0.538), and hypertension (p-value = 0.405). This study was the pioneer in the geothermal industry with noise dosimetry measurement. Further comprehensive studies need to be conducted to confirm the association between noise intensity and blood pressure and the risk of hypertension.

Implementation of Beam Matching Concept for the New Installed Elekta Precise Treatment System Medical LINACs in Indonesia

A concept of radiation beam matching of some medical linear accelerators (LINACs) that have identical characteristics of the models, radiation quality, and multileaf collimator features may be implemented as long as the manufacturer provides complete specifications so that a Treatment Planning System (TPS) can be used for many beam-matched LINACs. This paper describes a preliminary study on the implementation of the beam matching concept for five units Elekta Precise Treatment System LINACs that have recently been installed in Indonesia. The beam matching criteria were based on the percentage depth dose (PDD) and beam profile for photon and electron beams. Dosimetry measurements were carried out by using an SNC 125 ionization chamber of 0.125 cm 3 in volume, PTW Pinpoint 3D of 0.016 cm 3 in volume, and PTW Farmer Chamber of 0.6 cm 3 in volume. The results indicated that the PDD 10 of 6 and 10 MV photon beams among installed five units LINACs have excellent compatibility each others with a maximum deviation of less than 0.4 %, while the maximum deviation for dose depth of 80 % (R 80 ) for the electron beams with nominal energies of 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and 18 MeV is 1 mm. The measurement results for the flatness profile were less than 6 %, and symmetry profiles were less than 3 %. It also outlines the determination of the absorbed dose to water under reference conditions. The results of the calibration of output doses show that the absorbed dose in the water was 1 cGy ≈ 1 MU. The data obtained from measurements for each LINAC conform with the requirements of the beam matching process set by the manufacturer.

University Marching Band Members' Noise Dosages and Hearing Health-Related Knowledge.

Objectives: (1) To measure sound exposures of marching band and non-marching band students during a football game, (2) to compare these to sound level dose limits set by NIOSH, and (3) to assess the perceptions of marching band students about their hearing health risk from loud sound exposure and their use of hearing protection devices (HPDs). Methods: Personal noise dosimetry was completed on six marching band members and the band director during rehearsals and performances. Dosimetry measurements for two audience members were collected during the performances. Noise dose values were calculated using NIOSH criteria. One hundred twenty-three marching band members responded to a questionnaire analyzing perceptions of loud music exposure, the associated hearing health risks, and preventive behavior. Results: Noise dose values exceeded the NIOSH recommended limits among all six marching band members during rehearsals and performances. Higher sound levels were recorded during performances compared to rehearsals. The audience members were not exposed to hazardous levels. Most marching band members reported low concern for health effects from high sound exposure and minimal use of HPDs. Conclusion: High sound exposure and low concern regarding hearing health among marching band members reflect the need for comprehensive hearing conservation programs for this population.

Patient-specific tumor and respiratory monitoring phantom design for quality controls of stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy in lung cancer cases.

The design, production and adaptability to clinical routine of a patient-specific tumor and respiratory monitoring phantom (TRMP) was investigated using 3D printer technology. TRMP and GTV modelling were done using 4D-CT images of the inhalation phase. The model was converted to STL (Stereolithography) format and printed with STH (Strong Herbal) biopolymer with HU (Hounsfield Unit) suitable for imaging purposes. The assembly of TRMP motorized parts and mechanical equipment has been completed and made suitable for clinical use. In the first part of the study, the deviations of radio-opaque markers attached to the TRMP sternum to perform mechanical quality control tests and T1-7 costal vertebrae in CC, AP, and LAT directions were evaluated. In the second part of the study, in order to evaluate the usability of the TRMP in quality assurance (QA), point dose measurements with BeO OSL dosimetry and EBT3 gafchromic film measurements were taken in Trilogy® radiotherapy accelerator and CyberKnife® robotic radiosurgery accelerator. In this study, we present a highly flexible TMRP capable of performing independent internal and external motions. TRMP was successfully tested in different treatment accelerators, both mechanically and dosimetrically.

Machine learning for real-time optical property recovery in interstitial photodynamic therapy: a stimulation-based study.

With the continued development of non-toxic photosensitizer drugs, interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) is showing more favorable outcomes in recent clinical trials. IPDT planning is crucial to further increase the treatment efficacy. However, it remains a major challenge to generate a high-quality, patient-specific plan due to uncertainty in tissue optical properties (OPs), µ a and µ s . These parameters govern how light propagates inside tissues, and any deviation from the planning-assumed values during treatment could significantly affect the treatment outcome. In this work, we increase the robustness of iPDT against OP variations by using machine learning models to recover the patient-specific OPs from light dosimetry measurements and then re-optimizing the diffusers' optical powers to adapt to these OPs in real time. Simulations on virtual brain tumor models show that reoptimizing the power allocation with the recovered OPs significantly reduces uncertainty in the predicted light dosimetry for all tissues involved.

Simplified method for determining dose to a non-water phantom through the use of ND,w and IAEA TRS 483 for the GammaPod.

GammaPod, a breast stereotactic radiosurgery device, utilizes 25 rotating Co-60 sources to deliver highly conformal dose distributions. The GammaPod system requires that reference dosimetry be performed in a specific vendor-supplied poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) phantom. The nonstandard nature of GammaPod dosimetry, in both the phantom material and machine-specific reference (msr), prohibits use of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 51 (TG-51) protocol. This study proposes a practical method using TRS 483 to make the reference dosimetry procedure simpler and to reduce overall uncertainties. The dose to PMMA (DPMMA) is determined under msr conditions using TRS 483 with an Exradin A1SL chamber placed in a PMMA phantom. The conversion factor, which converts from the dose-to-water (Dw) in broad-beam Co-60 reference geometry to DPMMA in the msr small field Co-60 (Qmsr) geometry, is derived using the Monte Carlo simulations and procedure described in TRS 483. The new conversion factor value for an Exradin A1SL chamber is 0.974. When combined with ND,w, DPMMA differs by 0.5% from the TG-21/Nx method and 0.2% from the IROC values. Uncertainty decreased from 2.2% to 1.6%. We successfully implemented TRS 483 reference dosimetry protocols utilizing ND,w for the GammaPod in the PMMA phantom. These results show not only agreement between measurements performed with the previously published method and independent thermoluminescent dosimetry measurements but also reductions in uncertainty. This also provides readers with a pathway to develop their own IAEA TRS 483 factor for any new small field machine that may be developed.

Status - International Space Station (ISS) Crewmembers' Noise Exposures

Environmental noise in space vehicles, caused by onboard equipment and crew activities, has generated concerns for crew health and safety since early U.S. space missions. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique environment where acoustic conditions can be monitored while crewmembers from the U.S. and their international partners work and live for as long as 6 to 12 consecutive months. This review of acoustic dosimetry data collected to date reveals that the noise exposure limits of NASA's stringent noise constraint flight rule have been exceeded in 41% of these dosimetry measurements since ISS Increment 17 (2008), with undefined impacts to crew. These measurements do not take into account the effects of hearing protection devices worn by the crew. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on ISS noise exposure monitoring approaches and hearing conservation strategies that include acoustic dosimetry data collected since the ISS Increment 55 mission (April 2018). Future directions and recommendations for the ISS noise exposure monitoring program will also be presented, including research initiatives aimed at better defining the impact of ISS noise on crew health and performance.

Automated treatment planning of prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy with focal boosting on a fast-rotating O-ring linac: Plan quality comparison with C-arm linacs.

PurposeThe integration of auto‐segmentation and automated treatment planning methods on a fast‐rotating O‐ring linac may improve the time efficiency of online adaptive radiotherapy workflows. This study investigates whether automated treatment planning of prostate SBRT with focal boosting on the O‐ring linac could generate plans that are of similar quality as those obtained through manual planning on clinical C‐arm linacs.MethodsFor 20 men with prostate cancer, reference treatment plans were generated on a TrueBeam STx C‐arm linac with HD120 MLC and a TrueBeam C‐arm linac with Millennium 120 MLC using 6 MV flattened dual arc VMAT. Manual planning on the Halcyon fast‐rotating O‐ring linac was performed using 6 MV FFF dual arc VMAT (HA2‐DL10) and triple arc VMAT (HA3‐DL10) to investigate the performance of the dual‐layer MLC system. Automated planning was performed for triple arc VMAT on the Halcyon linac (ET3‐DL10) using the automated planning algorithms of Ethos Treatment Planning. The prescribed dose was 35 Gy to the prostate and 30 Gy to the seminal vesicles in five fractions. The iso‐toxic focal boost to the intraprostatic tumor nodule(s) was aimed to receive up to 50 Gy. Plan deliverability was verified using portal image dosimetry measurements.ResultsCompared to the C‐arm linacs, ET3‐DL10 shows increased seminal vesicles PTV coverage (D99%) and reduced high‐dose spillage to the bladder (V37Gy) and urethra (D0.035cc) but this came at the cost of increased high‐dose spillage to the rectum (V38Gy) and a higher intermediate dose spillage (D2cm). No statistically significant differences were found when benchmarking HA2‐DL10 and HA3‐DL10 with the C‐arm linacs. All plans passed the patient‐specific QA tolerance limit.ConclusionsAutomated planning of prostate SBRT with focal boosting on the fast‐rotating O‐ring linac is feasible and achieves similar plan quality as those obtained on clinical C‐arm linacs using manual planning.

Dosimetry during adjuvant 131I therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer-clinical implications

The activity of radioiodine (131I) used in adjuvant therapy for thyroid cancer ranges between 30 mCi (1.1 GBq) and 150 mCi (5.5 GBq). Dosimetry based on Marinelli's formula, taking into consideration the absorbed dose in the postoperative tumour bed (D) should systematise the determination of 131I activity. Retrospective analysis of 57 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after thyreidectomy and adjuvant 131I therapy with the fixed activity of 3.7 GBq. In order to calculate D from Marinelli's formula, the authors took into account, among other things, repeated dosimetry measurements (after 6, 24, and 72 h) made during scintigraphy and after administration of the therapeutic activity or radioiodine. In 75% of the patients, the values of D were > 300 Gy (i.e. above the value recommended by current guidelines). In just 16% of the patients, the obtained values fell between 250 and 300 Gy, whereas in 9% of the patients, the value of D was < 250 Gy. The therapy was successful for all the patients (stimulated Tg < 1 ng/ml and 131I uptake < 0.1% in the thyroid bed in follow-up examination). Dosimetry during adjuvant 131I therapy makes it possible to diversify the therapeutic activities of 131I in order to obtain a uniform value of D.

Radioluminescence of silica optical fibre scintillators for real-time industrial radiation dosimetry

Dosimetry systems are important in any radiation facility to ensure quality, safety, validation, qualification and quality control of established and new processes, including at industrial radiation facilities. We present a study of silica optical fibre as scintillators for industrial radiation dosimetry using Radioluminescence (RL). The RL technique provides for a remote and real-time dosimetry measurement in such a high dose environment. This study establishes the dosimetric characteristics of two variants of pure silica optical fibre, low and high hydroxyl (OH) when exposed to industrial radiation levels. The samples were exposed to a linear accelerator, with doses in the order of tens of kGy (from 10 kGy through to 70 kGy in individual exposures). The performance parameters observed during the study include the RL emission spectrum, emission intensity and emission linearity with exposure dose. The RL spectrum demonstrated a central wavelength of 650 nm and 550 nm for the high and low OH scintillators, respectively. RL intensity was observed to increase with exposed dose, a result of recombination of ionizing radiation generated electron-hole pairs. The RL intensity relation with exposed dose indicated a linear response, with the higher OH sample showing the greater slope, indicating greater sensitivity. The overall results indicate the potential use of pure silica optical fibre as scintillators for remote and real-time industrial radiation dosimetry.

Quantitative analysis of xQuant reconstruction algorithm in SPECT/CT

Standard iterative Ordered Subset Expectation Maximisation (OSEM) reconstruction is well established in SPECT/CT, but despite its wide applications in image processing it comes with limitations in image noise and quality. A novel algorithm, xQuant (developed by Siemens Healthcare), uses Ordered Subset Conjugate Gradient Maximisation (OSCGM) which enables image quantification assessment such as standardised uptake value (SUV) measurements for reliable disease detection and evaluation of therapy response. As such, xQuant allows for dosimetry measurements, staging and management of diseases, analogous to the PET/CT modality for staging cancers and chemotherapy management. This study compares the accuracy of xQuant algorithm and current OSEM, by analysing image noise, SUV quantification and varying image reconstruction parameters. Standard clinical phantoms are used for comparison of both reconstruction algorithms: xQuant SUV accuracy with various Tc99m activity and varying scan times are performed for analysis. Results indicate that SUV measurements from xQuant are similar to expected SUV, regardless of selected reconstruction parameters, varying radiation activity and delayed scan times. Image noise assessment has shown that xQuant has lesser value of coefficient of variation (CoV) compared to standard OSEM, indicating xQuant's superior noise suppression without compromising image quality. The quantifiable superiority of xQuant reconstruction algorithm supersedes the basic iterative 3D OSEM reconstruction. It shows higher resolution qualitative assessment and provides consistent quantitative analysis. The reliability and superiority of xQuant enables clinical SPECT/CT quantification to detect disease and improve therapy management.

Automated data abstraction for quality surveillance and outcome assessment in radiation oncology.

Rigorous radiotherapy quality surveillance and comprehensive outcome assessment require electronic capture and automatic abstraction of clinical, radiation treatment planning, and delivery data. We present the design and implementation framework of an integrated data abstraction, aggregation, and storage, curation, and analytics software: the Health Information Gateway and Exchange (HINGE), which collates data for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. The HINGE software abstracts structured DICOM‐RT data from the treatment planning system (TPS), treatment data from the treatment management system (TMS), and clinical data from the electronic health records (EHRs). HINGE software has disease site‐specific “Smart” templates that facilitate the entry of relevant clinical information by physicians and clinical staff in a discrete manner as part of the routine clinical documentation. Radiotherapy data abstracted from these disparate sources and the smart templates are processed for quality and outcome assessment. The predictive data analyses are done on using well‐defined clinical and dosimetry quality measures defined by disease site experts in radiation oncology. HINGE application software connects seamlessly to the local IT/medical infrastructure via interfaces and cloud services and performs data extraction and aggregation functions without human intervention. It provides tools to assess variations in radiation oncology practices and outcomes and determines gaps in radiotherapy quality delivered by each provider.

Comparing natural and laboratory irradiations: A simulation approach

Autzen et al. (2018) observed a decrease in quartz luminescence at very high doses (several MGy) and hypothesised that this decrease was linked to a reduction in the trapped hole population as a result of their silt-sized grains (̴50 μm diameter) retaining excess electrons during irradiation. In this paper, we expand on simulations of Autzen et al. (2017) [1] to cover both natural and laboratory irradiations and for the first time couple the output of a radiation transport model (Geant4) directly to a luminescence production model (Bailey, 2001) [2] to predict the effects of charge imbalance on luminescence dosimetry measurements. We also investigate the difference in ionisation rate (i.e number of electron-hole pairs generated per unit dose) for different irradiations geometries and types and the implications that this may have on dose estimation using luminescence dosimetry.

Kidney Doses in 177Lu-Based Radioligand Therapy in Prostate Cancer: Is Dose Estimation Based on Reduced Dosimetry Measurements Feasible?

The radiation dose to the kidneys should be monitored in prostate cancer patients treated with radioligand therapy (RLT) targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). We analyzed whether pretherapeutic kidney function is predictive of subsequent kidney dose and to what extent the cumulative kidney dose at the end of multiple therapy cycles can be predicted from a dosimetry based on the first cycle. Methods: Data of 59 patients treated with at least 2 cycles of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (PSMA RLT) were analyzed. Treatment (median, 6 GBq/cycle) was performed at 6- to 8-wk intervals, accompanied by voxel-based 3-dimensional dosimetry (measured kidney dose) with SPECT/CT on each of days 0-3 and once during days 6-9. Pretherapeutic kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate, mercaptoacetyltriglycine clearance) was correlated to the kidney doses. Cumulative kidney doses at the end of treatment were compared with a dose estimated from the population-based mean kidney dose, individual first-cycle kidney dose, and mean kidney doses of cycles 1, 3, and 5 per administered activity. Results: In total, 176 PSMA RLT cycles were performed, with a median of 3 cycles per patient. The average kidney dose per administered activity of all 176 cycles was 0.67 ± 0.24 Gy/GBq (range, 0.21-1.60 Gy/GBq). Mercaptoacetyltriglycine clearance and estimated glomerular filtration rate were no reliable predictors of subsequent absorbed kidney dose and showed only small effect sizes (R 2 = 0.080 and 0.014 [P = 0.039 and 0.375], respectively). All simplified estimations of cumulative kidney dose correlated significantly (P < 0.001) with measured kidney doses: estimations based on the individual first-cycle dose were more accurate than the use of the population-based average kidney dose (R 2 = 0.853 vs. 0.560). Dose estimation was best when the doses of cycles 3 and 5 were included as well (R 2 = 0.960). Conclusion: Pretherapeutic renal function was not predictive of subsequent kidney dose during therapy. Extrapolation of individual data from dosimetry of the first cycle was highly predictive of the cumulative kidney dose at the end of treatment. This prediction was further improved by the integration of dose information from every other cycle. In any case, because of a high interindividual variance, an individual dosimetry is advisable.

Safety of Fibroblast Activation Protein-Targeted Radionuclide Therapy by a Low-Dose Dosimetric Approach Using 177Lu-FAPI04.

This study is set out to estimate the radiation-absorbed doses to normal organs and tumor tissue using low-dose 177Lu-FAPI04 dosimetry to determine the safety and theranostic potential of fibroblast activation protein-targeted radionuclide therapy. Four patients with metastatic advanced-stage cancer were administered low-dose 177Lu-FAPI04 for dosimetry measurements. Data acquisition for dosimetry of normal organs and tumors was performed by whole-body and 3D SPECT/CT imaging at 4, 24, 48, and 96 hours after administering 177Lu-FAPI04. Blood samples were drawn at 5, 15, 30, 60, 60, 120, and 180 minutes, and at 24, 48, and 96 hours for bone marrow dosimetry calculations. Mean absorbed doses per megabecquerel were 0.25 ± 0.16 mGy (range, 0.11-0.47 mGy), 0.11 ± 0.08 mGy (range, 0.06-0.22 mGy), and 0.04 ± 0.002 mGy (range, 0.04-0.046 mGy) for kidneys, liver, and bone marrow, respectively. The respective maximum estimated amount of radioactivity to reach radiation-absorbed dose limits were 120.9 ± 68.6 GBq, 47.5 ± 2.8 GBq, 397.8 ± 217.1 GBq, and 52.4 ± 15.3 GBq for kidneys, bone marrow, liver, and total body. The mean absorbed dose per megabecquerel was 0.62 ± 0.55 mGy for bone metastases, 0.38 ± 0.22 mGy for metastatic lymph nodes, 0.33 ± 0.21 mGy for liver metastases, and 0.37 ± 0.29 for metastatic soft tissue. The maximum absorbed dose in a tumor lesion was 1.67 mGy/MBq for bone, 0.6 mGy/MBq for lymph node, 0.62 mGy/MBq for liver, and 1 mGy/MBq for soft tissue. The mean absorbed dose to organs at risk with 177Lu-FAPI04 is reasonably low, allowing for low tumor-absorbed dose rates by administering a higher dose. Further research on optimizing therapeutic efficacy and using alternative radioisotopes is necessary, along with an individualized dosimetric approach.

3D dosimetric validation of ultrasound-guided radiotherapy with a dynamically deformable abdominal phantom.

The purpose of this study was to dosimetrically benchmark gel dosimetry measurements in a dynamically deformable abdominal phantom for intrafraction image guidance through a multi-dosimeter comparison. Once benchmarked, the study aimed to perform a proof-of-principle study for validation measurements of an ultrasound image-guided radiotherapy delivery system. The phantom was dosimetrically benchmarked by delivering a liver VMAT plan and measuring the 3D dose distribution with DEFGEL dosimeters. Measured doses were compared to the treatment planning system and measurements acquired with radiochromic film and an ion chamber. The ultrasound image guidance validation was performed for a hands-free ultrasound transducer for the tracking of liver motion during treatment. Gel dosimeters were compared to the TPS and film measurements, showing good qualitative dose distribution matches, low γ values through most of the high dose region, and average 3%/5 mm γ-analysis pass rates of 99.2%(0.8%) and 90.1%(0.8%), respectively. Gel dosimeter measurements matched ion chamber measurements within 3%. The image guidance validation study showed the measurement of the treatment delivery improvements due to the inclusion of the ultrasound image guidance system. Good qualitative matching of dose distributions and improvements of the γ-analysis results were observed for the ultrasound-gated dosimeter compared to the ungated dosimeter. DEFGEL dosimeters in phantom showed good agreement with the planned dose and other dosimeters for dosimetric benchmarking. Ultrasound image guidance validation measurements showed good proof-of-principle of the utility of the phantom system as a method of validating ultrasound-based image guidance systems and potentially other image guidance methods.

Verification and Validation of RAPID Formulations and Algorithms Based on Dosimetry Measurements at the JSI TRIGA Mark-II Reactor

In this paper, detailed verification and experimental validation of the formulations and algorithms of the Multi-stage Response-function Transport (MRT)–based Real-time Analysis for Particle-transport and In-situ Detection (RAPID) code system is presented. In particular, RAPID’s fission matrix formulation for eigenvalue calculations and its detector response function for reaction rate calculations have been examined in this study. As part of a collaboration between Virginia Tech and the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), RAPID is used to simulate dosimetry experiments performed at the JSI TRIGA Mark II reactor. In these measurements, wire dosimeters are irradiated at different axial and radial locations in the reactor, and their signature activity is measured. The RAPID calculations require the determination of the fission neutron source distribution and the Au(n,)Au reaction rates in the wires. In addition, the Monte Carlo code Serpent is used for comparison of the RAPID-calculated criticality eigenvalue, three-dimensional fission neutron source distribution. The validation results show excellent agreement of RAPID with both the experiments and the reference Serpent calculation, with an average relative difference of about 3% with respect to the measurements.

3D source tracking and error detection in HDR using two independent scintillator dosimetry systems.

The aim of this study is to perform three-dimensional (3D) source position reconstruction by combining in vivo dosimetry measurements from two independent detector systems. Time-resolved dosimetry was performed in a water phantom during HDR brachytherapy irradiation with Ir source using two detector systems. The first was based on three plastic scintillator detectors and the second on a single inorganic crystal (CsI:Tl). Brachytherapy treatments were simulated in water under TG-43U1 conditions, including a HDR prostate plan. Treatment needles were placed in distances covering a range of source movement of 120mm around the detectors. The distance from each dwell position to each scintillator was determined based on the measured dose rates. The three distances given by the mPSD were recalculated to a position along the catheter (z) and a distance radially away from the mPSD (xy) for each dwell position (a circumference around the mPSD). The source x, y, and z coordinates were derived from the intersection of the mPSD's circumference with the sphere around the ISD based on the distance to this detector. We evaluated the accuracy of the source position reconstruction as a function of the distance to the source, the most likely location for detector positioning within a prostate volume, as well as the capacity to detect positioning errors. Approximately 4000 source dwell positions were tracked for eight different HDR plans. An intersection of the mPSD torus and the ISD sphere was observed in 77.2% of the dwell positions, assuming no uncertainty in the dose rate determined distance. This increased to 100% if 1σ search regions were added. However, only 73(96)% of the expected dwell positions were found within the intersection band for 1(2) σ uncertainties. The agreement between the source's reconstructed and expected positions was within 3mm for a range of distances to the source up to 50mm. The experiments on a HDR prostate plan, showed that by having at least one of the detectors located in the middle of the prostate volume, reduces the measurement deviations considerably compared to scenarios where the detectors were located outside of the prostate volume. The analysis showed a detection probability that, in most cases, is far from the random detection threshold. Errors of 1(2)mm can be detected in ranges of 5-25 (25-50)mm from the source, with a true detection probability rate higher than 80%, while the false probability rate is kept below 20%. By combining two detector responses, we enabled the determination of the absolute source coordinates. The combination of the mPSD and the ISD in vivo dosimetry constitutes a promising alternative for real-time 3D source tracking in HDR brachytherapy.

Monte Carlo simulation and dosimetry measurements of an experimental approach for in vitro HDR brachytherapy irradiation

Irradiation of tumor cell lines is a useful way to investigate the effects of ionizing radiation on biological molecules. We designed an easy and reproducible approach for in vitro experimental high dose rate brachytherapy, which was simulated by a Monte Carlo code and dosimetrically characterized by experimental methods to evaluate the correspondence between planned doses and doses absorbed by the cells. This approach is an acrylic platform containing T25 tissue culture flasks and multiwell tissue culture plates. It allows nine parallel needles carrying an 192Ir source to irradiate the adherent cells. The whole system composed of the acrylic platform, tissue culture flasks and 192Ir source tracking was simulated by the Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code (MCNPX). Dosimetric measurements were taken by well ionization chamber and radiochromic films. There was a slight difference, averaging from 2% to 7%, between the MCNPX results and film dosimetry results regarding uniform radiation created by the source arrangement. The results showed different values for planned and measured doses in each cell culture plate, which was attributed to the non-equivalent water material used and to the lack of full scattering coming from the top of the platform. This last contribution was different for each tissue culture plate and an individual dose correction factor was calculated. The dose correction factor must be applied to match the planned dose and the actual doses absorbed by the cells. The designed approach is an efficient tool for in vitro brachytherapy experiments for most commercial cell culture plates.