Phase Space Files Research Articles

Monte Carlo source verification of Elekta Synergy for pMLC collimated electron beams

IntroductionIn previous works, an electron beam source was developed that models its energy spectrum with a Lévy distribution. This source is used in BEAMnrc Monte Carlo simulation. It was benchmarked against water tank measurements for electrons delivered through an applicator collimation system, and it was found to agree with 2%/2 mm. This study uses this electron source further by investigating its ability to simulate electrons collimated by the photon multi-leaf collimators for MERT applications. Simulated and Gafchromic EBT3 depth dose and profile data were compared. MethodMeasured data were obtained from film exposures in a mini phantom with water-equivalent slabs at SSDs of 60 and 70 cm, respectively. Output factors and R90 values were calculated from film strip data taken in the depth direction. Corresponding dose data were simulated in BEAMnrc to obtain phase-space files for each beam and used in DOSXYZnrc to obtain dose data in a 3D water tank with 2 mm side length subvoxels. ResultsSimulation data corresponded with film data within 3 %/2 mm in most cases. Uncertainties in film measurements prevent a more accurate agreement. The output factors showed good agreement and could be fitted satisfactorily with an analytic function. A clinical example of a scalp treatment showed good agreement between simulated and film data. ConclusionIt is concluded that the electron source with the Lévy-based energy distribution can model electron dose for photon multi-leaf collimated electron beams within 3 %/2 mm.

E-Brachy: New dosimetry package for electronic brachytherapy sources.

Large reported variability in the material composition and geometrical components of the Xoft electronic high-dose-rate brachytherapy Causes inter-source discrepancy in the source output. This variability is due to the manual manufacturing and assembly of thesources. This study aimed to develop a dosimetry software tool called E-Brachy to characterize the Xoft source and quantify the discrepancies in its photon spectrum and dosimetricproperties. E-Brachy is based on the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit and consists of two parts. In part one, the geometry and material composition for the source received in the computer-aided design format from the vendor were converted to the geometry description markup language format using the GUIMesh Python tool and integrated into the E-Brachy software. There was a large variation in material composition and thickness for some of the tube components. The simulation started from electrons and resulted in x-ray generations in the anode region. Multithreading, a track length estimation, and the uniform bremsstrahlung splitting variance reduction techniques were used to decrease the simulation time and increase the x-ray production. The photon energy, position, and momentum were saved into a phase space file as the photon exited the source, but before interacting with the external environment. The obtained x-ray energy spectrum was compared with measurements from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In part two, by sampling from the generated photons, the dose rates and dosimetric parameters according to the TG-43 protocol were calculated for model S7500 and compared to the ones previously calculated for model S700 source, which were deemed identical by themanufacturer. The material composition that resulted in the most similar spectrum as the measured NIST spectrum with Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a calculated Euclidean difference of keV was chosen for further dosimetric analysis of the model S7500 source. Characteristic peaks showed the presence of tungsten, yttrium, and silver in the source components. Differences in dose rates between the two source models surpassed 20% for polar angles , reaching a peak at cm and . The differences in the radial dose function values were within 5%. The relative difference in percentage between the anisotropy function values of the two models was closer to 0 for smaller values, but at higher polar angles, they increased to 300%. A software package called E-Brachy was successfully developed for the characterization and dosimetry of Xoft electronic brachytherapy sources. E-Brachy can be combined with spectral measurements to investigate the inter- and intra-source variability. The software package was tested by comparing the simulated spectra from the S7500 Xoft source model with NIST measurements and its TG-43 parameters with the S700 model. The TG-43 parameters between the two sources significantly exceed the recommendations ofTG-56.

Application of phase space file secondary computation method in cell dose distribution

Phase space files can store the particle information in one or more planes of radiation particles simulated by the Monte Carlo (MC) method. The secondary calculation method based on phase space files is commonly used to improve the efficiency of MC simulations. However, it is still unclear whether phase space files are applicable for microdosimetric evaluations. In this study, voxel-type and mesh-type monolayer cell population models of different sizes were constructed, and phase space files of secondary electrons generated by photons with different initial energies were obtained using the MC software -- PHITS. The overall average dose caused by the secondary electron phase space files in the region of interest and their microdosimetric distribution within cells were calculated and compared with the results caused by the initial photons under the same geometric conditions. The results showed that the adoption of secondary electron phase space files had almost no impact on the evaluation of macroscopic average dose, with deviations lower than 3% compared to the overall dose caused by the initial photons in the Petri dish. For microdosimetric distributions of the voxel-type model and the two different morphologies of mesh-type cell models, with a macroscopic accumulated dose of 1 mGy, the relative deviation of the cell dose distribution generated by the initial photons and the phase space files was below 10% and the total computation time of phase space files was below 2% of initial photon's. For accumulated doses of 10, 50, and 100 mGy, the relative deviation of the cell nucleus specific energy obtained by secondary electrons and initial photons was greater than 10%. As the size of the culture dish increased, the differences in cell dose distributions also increased, with the root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of variation (Cv) of dose distributions both exceeding 30%. In conclusion, this study assessed the effectiveness of the secondary calculation method utilizing phase space files for dose evaluation at the cellular scale. This research offers essential technical support and theoretical foundations for the utilization of this approach in microdosimetric investigations at the cellular level.

A methodology for computationally generating phase space files for Monte Carlo simulations applied to treatment plans for medical linear accelerators

The application of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation in the context of Medical Linear Accelerator (LinAc) treatment planning has increased in recent decades owing to its accuracy in dose calculations. The Multileaf Collimator (MLC), a component of the LinAc heads, plays an essential role by allowing the precise customization of the treatment beam's shape, effectively targeting the tumor area while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy structures. During a jaws static treatment, this MLC configuration varies for each angular position of the accelerator gantry, while the rest of the LinAc geometry remains static. To address the operation of the accelerator during the treatment planning avoiding the need of computationally intensive and repetitive simulations, phase-space files (PSF) are widely employed in LinAc MC calculations. This study aims to introduce and validate a methodology for the computational generation of PSFs specifically defined just below the MLC. These PSFs will assume the appropriate shape corresponding to the angle at which the accelerator gantry is positioned during treatment. The core of this methodology involves the creation of a comprehensive database containing precalculated probability functions derived from MC. In order to validate the methodology, simulated dose values of a LinAc emitting a 6 MV photon beam have been employed. The results have been tested against experimental data, and compared with the results from complete simulations, yielding PSFs of varying shapes. Finally, this study reveals that the results obtained by comparing organ dose values computed from the generated PSFs to those from the reference PSF are statistically compatible. This innovative method not only offers a valuable tool for optimizing LinAc treatment planning but also underscores the importance of accurate dose calculations in the field of radiation therapy.

Research Photon Energy Spectrum of Medical Linear Accelerator by Monte Carlo Method

The distribution of the photon energy spectrum in isocenter plane of the medical linear accelerator and the influence of secondary collimator on the photon energy spectrum are studied. Methods Use the BEAMnrc program to simulate the transmission of the 6 MeV electrons and photons in 5 cm×5 cm,10 cm×10 cm,15 cm×15 cm and 20 cm×20 cm fields in treatment head of the medical linear accelerator, where a phase space file was set up at the isocenter plane to record the particle information passing through this plane. The BEAMdp program is used to analyze the phase space file, in order to obtain the distribution of the photon energy spectrum in isocenter plane and the influence of secondary collimator on the photon energy spectrum. By analyzing the photon energy spectrum of a medical linear accelerator with a nominal energy of 6 MV, it is found that the secondary collimator has little effect on the photon energy spectrum; different fields have different photon energy spectrum distributions; the photon energy spectrum in different central regions of the same field have the same normalized distribution. In the dose calculation of radiation therapy, the influence of photon energy spectrum should be carefully considered.

Monte Carlo simulation of the Varian TrueBeam flattened-filtered beams using a surrogate geometry in PRIMO

BackgroundMonte Carlo simulation of radiation transport for medical linear accelerators (linacs) requires accurate knowledge of the geometrical description of the linac head. Since the geometry of Varian TrueBeam machines has not been disclosed, the manufacturer distributes phase-space files of the linac patient-independent part to allow researchers to compute absorbed dose distributions using the Monte Carlo method. This approach limits the possibility of achieving an arbitrarily small statistical uncertainty. This work investigates the use of the geometry of the Varian Clinac 2100, which is included in the Monte Carlo system PRIMO, as a surrogate.MethodsEnergy, radial and angular distributions extracted from the TrueBeam phase space files published by the manufacturer and from phase spaces tallied with PRIMO for the Clinac 2100 were compared for the 6, 8, 10 and 15 MV flattened-filtered beams. Dose distributions in water computed for the two sets of PSFs were compared with the Varian Representative Beam Data (RBD) for square fields with sides ranging from 3 to 30 cm. Output factors were calculated for square fields with sides ranging from 2 to 40 cm.ResultsExcellent agreement with the RBD was obtained for the simulations that employed the phase spaces distributed by Varian as well as for those that used the surrogate geometry, reaching in both cases Gamma (2%\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$2\\%$$\\end{document}, 2 mm) pass rates larger than 99%\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$99\\%$$\\end{document}, except for the 15 MV surrogate. This result supports previous investigations that suggest a change in the material composition of the TrueBeam 15 MV flattening filter. In order to get the said agreement, PRIMO simulations were run using enlarged transport parameters to compensate the discrepancies between the actual and surrogate geometries.ConclusionsThis work sustains the claim that the simulation of the 6, 8 and 10 MV flattening-filtered beams of the TrueBeam linac can be performed using the Clinac 2100 model of PRIMO without significant loss of accuracy.

Comparison of two methods simulating inter-track interactions using the radiobiological Monte Carlo toolkit TOPAS-nBio

Objective. To compare two independently developed methods that enable modelling inter-track interactions in TOPAS-nBio by examining the yield of radiolytic species in radiobiological Monte Carlo track structure simulations. One method uses a phase space file to assign more than one primary to one event, allowing for inter-track interaction between these primary particles. This method has previously been developed by this working group and published earlier. Using the other method, chemical reactions are simulated based on a new version of the independent reaction time approach to allow inter-track interactions. Approach. G-values were calculated and compared using both methods for different numbers of tracks able to undergo inter-track interactions. Main results. Differences in the G-values simulated with the two methods strongly depend on the molecule type, and deviations can range up to 3.9% (H2O2), although, on average, the deviations are smaller than 1.5%. Significance. Both methods seem to be suitable for simulating inter-track interactions, as they provide comparable G-values even though both techniques were developed independently of each other.

In silico study of the electronic portal imaging devices sensitivity to parotid glands shrinkage during radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cases

This computational investigation examines the capability of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) in detecting anatomical changes during radiation therapy. A photon beam for 6 MV was simulated using compliant phase-space files via BEAMnrc (an EGSnrc user code). Initially, the dose calculation was carried out using DOSXYZnrc, an EGSnrc user code, on a water-based calibration phantom made of water. Phantoms, constructed utilizing patient computed tomography data, were subsequently used to simulate clinically relevant parotid gland (PG) shrinkage through image deformation using ImSimQA software. Two EPID geometries were implemented; a simple water slab, and a comprehensive multi-layer representation of the EPID (referred to as the 17-slab model). Using a 1%/1 mm gamma index the 17-slab geometry was sensitive to volume reductions in the PG ≥ − 26% from its original volume, while the water slab detected volume reduction of ≥ − 28.5%. In a clinical setting, replanning of head and neck patients is initiated when a reduction of 24–30% in PG volume is detected through cone-beam computed tomography. The sensitivity index, indicative of the signal to error ratio between the reference and evaluated images, showed an increase as the gland volume decreased for both models. Notably, the 17-slab model consistently more sensitive than the water slab. This computational study highlights the prospective use of EPIDs in monitoring and detecting clinically significant volume changes in the PG during radiation treatment. Advances in knowledge: While EPIDs are frequently employed for patient setup and alignment, this computational work constructed a virtual EPID to assess its detection abilities for the anatomical changes in the PG due to radiation exposure in head and neck cancer cases.

Evaluation of RADIANCE Monte Carlo algorithm for treatment planning in electron based Intraoperative Radiotherapy (IOERT)

PurposeTo perform experimental as well as independent Monte Carlo (MC) evaluation of the MC algorithm implemented in RADIANCE version 4.0.8, a dedicated treatment planning system (TPS) for 3D electron dose calculations in intraoperative radiation therapy (IOERT). Methods and materialsThe MOBETRON 2000 (IntraOp Medical Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA) IOERT accelerator was employed. PDD and profiles for five cylindrical plastic applicators with 50–90 mm diameter and 0°, 30° beveling were measured in a water phantom, at nominal energies of 6, 9 and 12 MeV. Additional PDD measurements were performed for all the energies without applicator. MC modeling of the MOBETRON was performed with the user code BEAMnrc and egs_chamber of the MC simulation toolkit EGSnrc. The generated phase space files of the two 0°-bevel applicators (50 mm, 80 mm) and three energies in both RADIANCE and BEAMnrc, were used to determine PDD and profiles in various set-ups of virtual water phantoms with air and bone inhomogeneities. 3D dose distributions were also calculated in image data sets of an anthropomorphic tissue-equivalent pelvis phantom. Image acquisitions were realized with a CT scanner (Philips Big Bore CT, Netherlands). Gamma analysis was applied to quantify the deviations of the RADIANCE calculations to the measurements and EGSnrc calculations. Gamma criteria normalized to the global maximum were investigated between 2%, 2 mm and 3%, 3 mm. ResultsRADIANCE MC calculations satisfied the gamma criteria of 3%, 3 mm with a tolerance limit of 85% passing rate compared to in- water phantom measurements, except for the dose profiles of the 30° beveled applicators. Mismatches lay in surface doses, in umbra regions and in the beveled end of the 30° applicators. A very good agreement to the EGSnrc calculations in heterogeneous media was observed. Deviations were more pronounced for the larger applicator diameter and higher electron energy. In 3D dose comparisons in the anthropomorphic phantom, gamma passing rates were higher than 96 % for both simulated applicators. ConclusionsRADIANCE MC algorithm agrees within 3%, 3 mm criteria with in-water phantom measurements and EGSnrc MC dose distributions in heterogeneous media for 0°-bevel applicators. The user should be aware of missing scattering components and the 30° beveled applicators should be used with attention.

Multiscale Monte Carlo simulations for dosimetry in x-ray breast imaging: Part II - Microscopic scales.

Although the benefits of breast screening and early diagnosis are known for reducing breast cancer mortality rates, the effects and risks of low radiation doses to the cells in the breast are still ongoing topics ofstudy. To study specific energy distributions ( ) in cytoplasm and nuclei of cells corresponding to glandular tissue for different x-ray breast imagingmodalities. A cubic lattice (500 μm length side) containing 4064 spherical cells was irradiated with photons loaded from phase space files with varying glandular voxel doses ( ). Specific energy distributions were scored for nucleus and cytoplasm compartments using the PENELOPE (v. 2018) + penEasy (v. 2020) Monte Carlo (MC) code. The phase space files, generated in part I of this work, were obtained from MC simulations in a voxelized anthropomorphic phantom corresponding to glandular voxels for different breast imaging modalities, including digital mammography (DM), digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), contrast enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) and breast CT (BCT). In general, the average specific energy in nuclei is higher than the respective glandular dose scored in the same region, by up to 10%. The specific energy distributions for nucleus and cytoplasm are directly related to the magnitude of the glandular dose in the voxel ( ), with little dependence on the spatial location. For similar values, for nuclei is different between DM/DBT and CEDM/BCT, indicating that distinct x-ray spectra play significant roles in . In addition, this behavior is also present when the specific energy distribution ( ) is considered taking into account the GDD in thebreast. Microdosimetry studies are complementary to the traditional macroscopic breast dosimetry based on the mean glandular dose (MGD). For the same MGD, the specific energy distribution in glandular tissue varies between breast imaging modalities, indicating that this effect could be considered for studying the risks of exposing the breast to ionizingradiation.

Determination of Tissue Phantom Ratios of High Energy Photon Beams Using Monte Carlo Code

Monte Carlo codes are veritable tools in radiotherapy to understand the transport mechanism, dose distributions, and energy depositions of ionizing radiations traversing in different media. In some beam calibration protocols, a tissue-phantom-ratio at depths 20 cm and 10 cm (TPR20,10) in a phantom is used to determine the beam-quality conversion factor for different ion chambers. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the efficiency of Monte Carlo code in the determination of beam quality of high radiation energy beams similar to what is expected in clinical settings. Electron Gamma Shower National Research Council in Canada (EGSnrc) Monte Carlo Code was used to design complex ion chamber geometries according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Phase space files were used as x-ray beam radiation sources. Two set-ups (SAD and SSD) methods were used for the determination of TPR20,10 to conform to the accepted clinical procedures. Beam collimation was 10 cm by 10 cm field size with an ionization chamber placed at 20 cm and 10 cm in the water phantom to obtain doses at two points respectively. The TPR20,10 of each energy was obtained using the appropriate equations. The obtained results showed no significant difference between the measured and available TPR 20,10 data (p = 0.995). Ion chamber configurations and specifications were also found not to have a significant effect (p = 0.33) on the TPR 20,10 obtained values. The results obtained in this study are in agreement with the recommended standard values. The findings of this study show that the Monte Carlo codes can be used as a tool in determining x-ray beam quality indices of designed clinical linear accelerator (Linac) machines.

THE COMPARISON OF 2D DOSE PATIENT-SPECIFIC QUALITY ASSURANCE BETWEEN MONTE CARLO-CONVOLUTION AND MODIFIED CLARKSON INTEGRATION ALGORITHM

A sophisticated machine of radiotherapy treatment process follows the complexity of the quality assurance (QA) measurement. Non-measurement QA becomes one of the solutions to reduce the medical physicists’ workload. However, this method has not been clinically established. This study compared two non-measurement methods of patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) to find the feasible algorithm for the adaptive radiotherapy process. Monte Carlo-based (MC) PSQA used a phase space file of the medical linear accelerator (Linac) to obtain the photon energy fluence and forward projected to the isoplane. In contrast, Modified Clarkson Integration-based (MCI) used a non-uniform fluence map in the isoplane. For the modulated intensity, we used a pair of the dynamic log files of the multileaf-collimator (MLC) and then employed them in the algorithms. The dose distributions of MC and MCI methods were compared to the treatment planning system (TPS) using gamma index analysis. We found that the gamma pass rates (GPR) for MC-TPS and MCI-TPS were 99.54% and 99.57%, respectively. Further, the dose distribution in the off-axis region for the MCI method showed lesser accuracy due to the higher secondary dose contribution. The linac log file information can be used and calculated into a 2D dose distribution using both MC and MCI methods, providing high-accuracy results.

PRIMO Monte Carlo software as a tool for commissioning of an external beam radiotherapy treatment planning system.

The purpose was to validate the PRIMO Monte Carlo software to be used during the commissioning of a treatment planning system (TPS). The Acuros XB v. 16.1 algorithm of the Eclipse was configured for 6 MV and 6 MV flattening-filter-free (FFF) photon beams, from a TrueBeam linac equipped with a high-definition 120-leaf multileaf collimator (MLC). PRIMO v. 0.3.64.1814 software was used with the phase space files provided by Varian and benchmarked against the reference dosimetry dataset published by the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core-Houston (IROC-H). Thirty Eclipse clinical intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)/volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were verified in three ways: 1) using the PTW Octavius 4D (O4D) system; 2) the Varian Portal Dosimetry system and 3) the PRIMO software. Clinical validation of PRIMO was completed by comparing the simulated dose distributions on the O4D phantom against dose measurements for these 30 clinical plans. Agreement evaluations were performed using a 3% global/2 mm gamma index analysis. PRIMO simulations agreed with the benchmark IROC-H data within 2.0% for both energies. Gamma passing rates (GPRs) from the 30 clinical plan verifications were (6 MV/6MV FFF): 99.4% ± 0.5%/99.9% ± 0.1%, 99.8% ± 0.4%/98.9% ± 1.4%, 99.7% ± 0.4%/99.7% ± 0.4%, for the 1), 2) and 3) verification methods, respectively. Agreement between PRIMO simulations on the O4D phantom and 3D dose measurements resulted in GPRs of 97.9% ± 2.4%/99.7% ± 0.4%. The PRIMO software is a valuable tool for dosimetric verification of clinical plans during the commissioning of the primary TPS.

Improved compact representation method for Monte Carlo phase spaces

Phase space files used in particle Monte Carlo simulations can be large, and thereby awkward to distribute and slow to load into memory. To circumvent this, compact source models and phase space representations have been developed. In this study, the aim is to increase the versatility of a previously presented method, based on principal component analysis whitening, by evaluating several modifications to the method on simulated cone-beam computed tomography projection images. Scaling the phase space components before whitening was seen to give the largest improvement and allowed for accurate modelling of phase spaces with a shifted detector and/or a bowtie filter present, configurations where the original method struggled. The modified method reproduced results using the original phase space to within a few percent both in energy fluence on the detector and in simulated projection and scatter images of a patient pelvis, without obvious position-dependence of the errors. Hence, the modified method was deemed sufficiently accurate for most applications relying on cone-beam computed tomography simulations. The final aim is to use the more versatile method for a broader range of phase space-based applications such as linear accelerator beam simulations and room shielding calculations.

Monitor unit verification for Varian TrueBeam VMAT plans using Monte Carlo calculations and phase space data.

To use the open-source Monte Carlo (MC) software calculations for TPS monitor unit verification of VMAT plans, delivered with the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, and compare the results with a commercial software product, following the guidelines set in AAPM Task Group 219. The TrueBeam is modeled in EGSnrc using the Varian-provided phase-space files. Thirteen VMAT TrueBeam treatment plans representing various anatomical regions were evaluated, comprising 37 treatment arcs. VMAT plans simulations were performed on a computing cluster, using 107 -109 particle histories per arc. Point dose differences at five reference points per arc were compared between Eclipse, MC, and the commercial software, MUCheck. MC simulation with 5×107 histories per arc offered good agreement with Eclipse and a reasonable average calculation time of 9-18 min per full plan. The average absolute difference was 3.0%, with only 22% of all points exceeding the 5% action limit. In contrast, the MUCheck average absolute difference was 8.4%, with 60% of points exceeding the 5% dose difference. Lung plans were particularly problematic for MUCheck, with an average absolute difference of approximately 16%. Our EGSnrc-based MC framework can be used for the MU verification of VMAT plans calculated for the Varian TrueBeam; furthermore, our phase space approach can be adapted to other treatment devices by using appropriate phase space files. The use of 5×107 histories consistently satisfied the 5% action limit across all plan types for the majority of points, performing significantly better than a commercial MU verification system, MUCheck. As faster processors and cloud computing facilities become even more widely available, this approach can be readily implemented in clinical settings.

A Monte Carlo study to evaluate and optimise the angular dependence of the Octa – A 2D silicon array detector used for dosimetry in stereotactic radiotherapy

PurposeA detector assembly based on a 2D silicon array sensor, Octa, was previously demonstrated to be accurate for small field relative dosimetry. Experimental studies showed angular dependence of the response that has also variations with the field size. A Monte Carlo simulation model was developed and used in this work to study how the detector assembly's components contribute to the observed angular dependence. MethodsGeant4 was used as the Monte Carlo code. A detailed model of the Octa detector and its packaging was placed in the centre of a solid water phantom with the central sensitive volumes (SVs) located at the isocentre and irradiated at polar angles from 0 to 180° (the beam was normal to the detector plane at 0°). Phase-space files from the IAEA database were used to model a CyberKnife X-ray beam with collimator diameters of 5, 10, and 15 mm. Reference simulations were compared with previous experimental results. To investigate the impact of the assembly's materials, simulations were conducted by iteratively substituting the non-water-equivalent materials of certain components with solid water. In terms of geometry, the influence of the dimensions of an air gap on top of the SVs and the silicon substrate thickness were investigated. ResultsPresence of the silicon surrounding the detector's SVs caused the highest decrease in energy deposition – up to (27 ± 1)%. Thickness of the air gap placed on top of the SVs had no effect at angles below 90°, but for 90–180°, it showed the largest impact on the variation in angular dependence between fields of different sizes – from (6 ± 2)% for 1 mm gap to (24 ± 2)% for 2 mm gap. The variation in the silicon substrate thickness and the air gap's lateral length, as well as presence of the PCB layer did not show significant influence on the angular response. ConclusionFurther development of the detector assembly's design can be driven by mechanical robustness to provide reliability for clinical routine without sacrificing angular dependence. Current design is recommended for use at angles 0–90°: it has shown independence of the angular response from small field size variation and it was previously optimised to be correction-free in output factor measurements. The air gap dimensions are recommended as the main variable parameters for optimisation for further studies when small X-ray beams are measured by the detector positioned in axial plane.

Electron modes simulation of a Siemens-Primus-Linac at 10, 12, and 14 MeV with various field sizes

The electron mode of a Siemens Primus linear accelerator (SPLA) is simulated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation, BEAMnrc, with various field sizes 10 × 10, 15 × 15, and 20 × 20 cm2 at different e-beam energies of 10, 12, 14 MeV. To verify the simulation outcomes, measured data will be compared to them. A SPLA's electron beam is simulated using the BEAMnrc based on the EGSNRC code. At the end of each field size simulation the BEAMnrc will be used to acquire the phase-space (PhSp) file. Moreover, the PhSp file is utilized by DOSXYZnrc and BEAMDP to estimate the energy distribution and percentage-depth-dose (PDD) data for various field sizes. The results show minor PDD variations for the field sizes 10 × 10, 15 × 15, and 20 × 20 cm2. However, for all energies, the most considerable discrepancies in RMAX, R90, R80, and R50 between computation and experimental outcomes are less than 2 mm. Also, all field sizes were given surface dosages ranging from 2.6% to 8%. On the other hand, the variations in surface dosages quickly faded in the buildup area, reaching 0% within the first 3 cm and having no discernible impact on clinical outcomes. The MC simulation with BEAMnrc code for e-beam energies of 10, 12, and 14 MeV was shown to be accurate in replicating the SPLA's head with different field sizes. Also, the mean dosage is the acceptable limit in the buildup area for all energies and all field sizes.

Monte Carlo modeling of Halcyon and Ethos radiotherapy beam using CAD geometry: validation and IAEA-compliant phase space

Objective. A Monte Carlo (MC) model of a Halcyon and Ethos (Varian Medical Systems, a Siemens Healthineers Company) radiotherapy beam was validated and field-independent phase space (PHSP) files were recorded above the dual-layer multileaf collimators (MLC). Approach. The treatment head geometry was modeled according to engineering drawings and the dual-layer MLC was imported from CAD (computer-aided design) files. The information for the incident electron beam was achieved from an iterative electromagnetic solver. The validation of the model was performed by comparing the dose delivered by the square MLC fields as well as complex field measurements. Main results. An electron phase space was generated from linac simulations and achieved improved MC results. The output factors for square fields were within 1% and the largest differences of 5% were found in the build-up region of PDDs and the penumbra region of profiles. With the more complicated MLC-shaped field (Fishbone), the largest differences of up to 8% were found in the MLC leaf tip region due to the uncertainty of the MLC positioning and the mechanical leaf gap value. The impact of the collimator rotation on the PHSP solution has been assessed with both small and large fields, confirming negligible effects on in-field and out-of-field dose distributions. Significance. A computational model of the Halcyon and Ethos radiotherapy beam with a high accuracy implementation of the MLC was shown to be able to reproduce the radiation beam characteristics with square fields and more complex MLC-shaped fields. The field-independent PHSP files that were produced can be used as an accurate treatment head model above the MLC, and reduce the time to simulate particle transport through treatment head components.

Gamma Knife Icon™ Single Sector Characterization Based on Monte Carlo Simulation

Purpose: Gamma Knife Radiosurgery refers to surgery using radiation to destroy intracranial tissues or lesions elusive or unsuitable for open surgery. This study aimed to simulate the Gamma Knife Icon™ (GKI™) single sector to assess various attributes of the output beam and evaluate the EGSnrc C++ Monte Carlo code capabilities to perform a complete simulation of GKI™ for more investigations.
 Materials and Methods: The single source is simulated, and the geometries of the 4 and 16 mm collimators are defined based on the manufacturer data. The phase space files (PSFs) are recorded at the end of each collimator, and dose distributions are saved for the final analysis process in the last step.
 Results: The beam spectrum has two energy peaks g1 =1.17 MeV and g2 = 1.33 MeV, and low energy photons from scattering are also evident. The Gamma Index (GI) values are less than 1 in comparing the dose profiles generated in simulation with reference data. The Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) is 4.55, 10.9, 5.13 (mm) and 16.7, 35.1, 17.65 (mm) for 4mm and 16 mm collimators along x, y, and z axes, respectively. The penumbra width (80%-20%) is also 1.48, 5.5, 1.54 (mm) and 3.76, 10.1, 2.78 (mm) for 4mm and 16 mm collimators along x, y, and z axes, respectively.
 Conclusion: Results are in good agreement with what is expected, and it is possible to perform a complete simulation of the GKI™ system using egs++ for more investigations in phantoms and patients.

Dosimetry in 1.5T MR-Linacs: Monte Carlo determination of magnetic field correction factors and investigation of the air gap effect.

In Magnetic Resonance-Linac (MR-Linac) dosimetry formalisms, a new correction factor, kB,Q , has been introduced to account for corresponding changes to detector readings under the beam quality, Q, and the presence of magnetic field, B. This study aims to develop and implement a Monte Carlo (MC)-based framework for the determination of kB,Q correction factors for a series of ionization chambers utilized for dosimetry protocols and dosimetric quality assurance checks in clinical 1.5T MR-Linacs. Their dependencies on irradiation setup conditions are also investigated. Moreover, to evaluate the suitability of solid phantoms for dosimetry checks and end-to-end tests, changes to the detector readings due to the presence of small asymmetrical air gaps around the detector's tip are quantified. Phase space files for three irradiation fields of the ELEKTA Unity 1.5T/7MV flattening-filter-free MR-Linac were provided by the manufacturer and used as source models throughout this study. Twelve ionization chambers (three farmer-type and nine small-cavity detectors, from three manufacturers) were modeled (including their dead volume) using the EGSnrc MC code package. kB,Q values were calculated for the 10×10cm2 irradiation field and for four cardinal orientations of the detectors' axes with respect to the 1.5T magnetic field. Potential dependencies of kB,Q values with respect to field size, depth, and phantom material were investigated by performing additional simulations. Changes to the detectors' readings due to the presence of small asymmetrical air gaps (0.1 up to 1mm) around the chambers' sensitive volume in an RW3 solid phantom were quantified for three small-cavity chambers and two orientations. For both parallel (to the magnetic field) orientations, kB,Q values were found close to unity. The maximum correction needed was 1.1%. For each detector studied, the kB,Q values calculated for the two parallel orientations agreed within uncertainties. Larger corrections (up to 5%) were calculated when the detectors were oriented perpendicularly to the magnetic field. Results were compared with corresponding ones found in the literature, wherever available. No considerable dependence of kB,Q with respect to field size (down to 3×3cm2 ), depth, or phantom material was noticed, for the detectors investigated. As compared to the perpendicular one, in the parallel to the magnetic field orientation, the air gap effect is minimized but is still considerable even for the smallest air gap considered (0.1mm). For the 10×10cm2 field, magnetic field correction factors for 12 ionization chambers and four orientations were determined. For each detector, the kB,Q value may be also applied for dosimetry procedures under different irradiation parameters provided that the orientation is taken into account. Moreover, if solid phantoms are used, even the smallest asymmetrical air gap may still bias small-cavity chamber response. This work substantially expands the availability and applicability of kB,Q correction factors that are detector- and orientation-specific, enabling more options in MR-Linac dosimetry checks, end-to-end tests, and quality assurance protocols.