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Karger CP, Elter A, Dorsch S, Mann P, Pappas E, Oldham M. Validation of complex radiotherapy techniques using polymer gel dosimetry. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:06TR01. [PMID: 38330494 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad278f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Modern radiotherapy delivers highly conformal dose distributions to irregularly shaped target volumes while sparing the surrounding normal tissue. Due to the complex planning and delivery techniques, dose verification and validation of the whole treatment workflow by end-to-end tests became much more important and polymer gel dosimeters are one of the few possibilities to capture the delivered dose distribution in 3D. The basic principles and formulations of gel dosimetry and its evaluation methods are described and the available studies validating device-specific geometrical parameters as well as the dose delivery by advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as 3D-CRT/IMRT and stereotactic radiosurgery treatments, the treatment of moving targets, online-adaptive magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy as well as proton and ion beam treatments, are reviewed. The present status and limitations as well as future challenges of polymer gel dosimetry for the validation of complex radiotherapy techniques are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian P Karger
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alina Elter
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Dorsch
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Mann
- Department of Medical Physics in Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology (NCRO), Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Evangelos Pappas
- Radiology & Radiotherapy Sector, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
| | - Mark Oldham
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
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Improvement of light stability of DHR123 radio fluorogenic nano clay gel dosimeter by incorporating a new dispersant. J Photochem Photobiol A Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2021.113423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Yang T, Wang J, Tu J, Zhou X, Sun J, Chen J, Wen W, Wang Y. Rare-earth doped radioluminescent hydrogel as a potential phantom material for 3D gel dosimeter. E-POLYMERS 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/epoly-2021-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cancer prevention and treatment are currently the focus of most research. Dose verification is an important step for reducing the improper dose deposition during radiotherapy. To mend the traditional gel dosimeters for 3D dose verification, a novel rare-earth nanoparticle-based composite gel was prepared, which has good radioluminescence property and reusability. It is a promising phantom material for the new 3D gel dosimeter. TEM, DLS, FT-IR, TGA, and spectrofluorometer were used to determine the chemical structure, micromorphology, and optical performance. Compared to the traditional gel dosimeters, the composite gel has a good linear relationship between the light intensity excited by X-ray and the tube current. Furthermore, it may measure the dose distribution immediately in situ, which reduces errors and saves time. This work provides a new idea for the research of 3D gel dosimeters and promotes the safe and effective use of radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
- Research Center of Multimoding Radiation Technology, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University , Suzhou 215123 , China
| | - Junhui Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Nantong Tumor Hospital , Nantong 226362 , China
| | - Jiali Tu
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
| | - Xiaoxi Zhou
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
| | - Jiamin Sun
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
| | - Jian Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
| | - Wanxin Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University , Suzhou 215123 , China
- Research Center of Multimoding Radiation Technology, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University , Suzhou 215123 , China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
- Department of Medical Ultrasound, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong 226001 , China
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Marrale M, d’Errico F. Hydrogels for Three-Dimensional Ionizing-Radiation Dosimetry. Gels 2021; 7:74. [PMID: 34205640 PMCID: PMC8293215 DOI: 10.3390/gels7020074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation-sensitive gels are among the most recent and promising developments for radiation therapy (RT) dosimetry. RT dosimetry has the twofold goal of ensuring the quality of the treatment and the radiation protection of the patient. Benchmark dosimetry for acceptance testing and commissioning of RT systems is still based on ionization chambers. However, even the smallest chambers cannot resolve the steep dose gradients of up to 30-50% per mm generated with the most advanced techniques. While a multitude of systems based, e.g., on luminescence, silicon diodes and radiochromic materials have been developed, they do not allow the truly continuous 3D dose measurements offered by radiation-sensitive gels. The gels are tissue equivalent, so they also serve as phantoms, and their response is largely independent of radiation quality and dose rate. Some of them are infused with ferrous sulfate and rely on the radiation-induced oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions (Fricke-gels). Other formulations consist of monomers dispersed in a gelatinous medium (Polyacrylamide gels) and rely on radiation-induced polymerization, which creates a stable polymer structure. In both gel types, irradiation causes changes in proton relaxation rates that are proportional to locally absorbed dose and can be imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Changes in color and/or opacification of the gels also occur upon irradiation, allowing the use of optical tomography techniques. In this work, we review both Fricke and polyacrylamide gels with emphasis on their chemical and physical properties and on their applications for radiation dosimetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Marrale
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, “Emilio Segrè” ATeN Center, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco d’Errico
- Scuola di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy
- School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Watanabe Y, Maeyama T, Mochizuki A, Mizukami S, Hayashi SI, Terazaki T, Muraishi H, Takei H, Gomi T, Shimono T. Verification of dose distribution in high-dose-rate brachytherapy using a nanoclay-based radio-fluorogenic gel dosimeter. Phys Med Biol 2020; 65:175008. [PMID: 32485693 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ab98d2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Dose distributions have become more complex with the introduction of image-guided brachytherapy in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatments. Therefore, to correctly execute HDR, conducting a quality assurance programme for the remote after-loading system and verifying the dose distribution in the patient treatment plan are necessary. The characteristics of the dose distribution of HDR brachytherapy are that the dose is high near the source and rapidly drops when the distance from the source increases. Therefore, a measurement tool corresponding to the characteristic is required. In this study, using an Iridium-192 (Ir-192) source, we evaluated the basic characteristics of a nanoclay-based radio-fluorogenic gel (NC-RFG) dosimeter that is a fluorescent gel dosimeter using dihydrorhodamine 123 hydrochloride as a fluorescent probe. The two-dimensional dose distribution measurements were performed at multiple source positions to simulate a clinical plan. Fluorescence images of the irradiated NC-RFG were obtained at a high resolution (0.04 mm pixel-1) using a gel scanner with excitation at 465 nm. Good linearity was confirmed up to a dose range of 100 Gy without dose rate dependence. The dose distribution measurement at the five-point source position showed good agreement with the treatment planning system calculation. The pass ratio by gamma analysis was 92.1% with a 2%/1 mm criterion. The NC-RFG dosimeter demonstrates to have the potential of being a useful tool for quality assurance of the dose distribution delivered by HDR brachytherapy. Moreover, compared with conventional gel dosimeters such as polymer gel and Fricke gel dosimeters it solves the problems of diffusion, dose rate dependence and inhibition of oxygen-induced reactions. Furthermore, it facilitates dose data to be read in a short time after irradiation, which is useful for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Watanabe
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
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Warman JM, de Haas MP, Luthjens LH, Yao T, Navarro-Campos J, Yuksel S, Aarts J, Thiele S, Houter J, In Het Zandt W. FluoroTome 1: An Apparatus for Tomographic Imaging of Radio-Fluorogenic (RFG) Gels. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1729. [PMID: 31652759 PMCID: PMC6918256 DOI: 10.3390/polym11111729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Radio-fluorogenic (RFG) gels become permanently fluorescent when exposed to high-energy radiation with the intensity of the emission proportional to the local dose of radiation absorbed. An apparatus is described, FluoroTome 1, that is capable of taking a series of tomographic images (thin slices) of the fluorescence of such an irradiated RFG gel on-site and within minutes of radiation exposure. These images can then be compiled to construct a 3D movie of the dose distribution within the gel. The historical development via a laboratory-bench prototype to a readily transportable, user-friendly apparatus is described. Instrumental details and performance tests are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Warman
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthijs P de Haas
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Leonard H Luthjens
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Tiantian Yao
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Julia Navarro-Campos
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Sölen Yuksel
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan Aarts
- PICO B.V., Jan Tinbergenstraat 4B, 5491 DC Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands.
| | - Simon Thiele
- PICO B.V., Jan Tinbergenstraat 4B, 5491 DC Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands.
| | - Jacco Houter
- PICO B.V., Jan Tinbergenstraat 4B, 5491 DC Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands.
| | - Wilco In Het Zandt
- PICO B.V., Jan Tinbergenstraat 4B, 5491 DC Sint-Oedenrode, The Netherlands.
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Luthjens LH, Yao T, Warman JM. A Polymer-Gel Eye-Phantom for 3D Fluorescent Imaging of Millimetre Radiation Beams. Polymers (Basel) 2018; 10:E1195. [PMID: 30961120 PMCID: PMC6290594 DOI: 10.3390/polym10111195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We have filled a 24 mm diameter glass sphere with a transparent polymer-gel that is radio-fluorogenic, i.e., it becomes (permanently) fluorescent when irradiated, with an intensity proportional to the local dose deposited. The gel consists of >99.9% tertiary-butyl acrylate (TBA), pre-polymerized to ~15% conversion, and ~100 ppm maleimido-pyrene (MPy). Its dimensions and physical properties are close to those of the vitreous body of the human eye. We have irradiated the gel with a 3 mm diameter, 200 kVp X-ray beam with a dose rate of ~1 Gy/min. A three-dimensional (3D) (video) view of the beam within the gel has been constructed from tomographic images obtained by scanning the sample through a thin sheet of UV light. To minimize optical artefacts, the cell was immersed in a square tank containing a refractive-index-matching medium. The 20⁻80% penumbra of the beam was determined to be ~0.4 mm. This research was a preparatory investigation of the possibility of using this method to monitor the millimetre diameter proton pencil beams used in ocular radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard H Luthjens
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Section Radiation and Isotopes for Health, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - Tiantian Yao
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Section Radiation and Isotopes for Health, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
| | - John M Warman
- Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Section Radiation and Isotopes for Health, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, The Netherlands.
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