Dosimetric comparison between three dimensional treatment planning system, Monte Carlo simulation and gel dosimetry in nasopharynx phantom for high dose rate brachytherapy

PURPOSE

For the treatment of nasopharnx carcinoma (NPC) using brachytherapy methods and high-energy photon sources are common techniques. In the common three dimensional (3D) treatments planning, all of the computed tomography images are assumed homogeneous. This study presents the results of Monte Carlo calculations for non-homogeneous nasopharynx phantom, MAGICA normoxic gel dosimetry and 3D treatment planning system (TPS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The head phantom was designed with Plexiglas cylinder, head bone, and nasopharynx brachytherapy silicon applicator. For the simulations, version 5 of the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code (MCNP5) was used. 3D treatment planning was performed in Flexiplan software. A normoxic radiosensitive polymer gel was fabricated under normal atmospheric conditions and poured into test tubes (for calibration curve) and the head phantom. In addition, the head phantom was irradiated with Flexitron afterloader brachytherapy machine with (192)Ir source. To obtain calibration curves, 11 dosimeters were irradiated with dose range of 0-2000 cGy. Evaluations of dosimeters were performed on 1.5T scanner.

RESULTS

Two-dimensional iso-dose in coronal plan at distances of z = +0.3, -0.3 cm was calculated. There was a good accordance between 3D TPS and MCNP5 simulation and differences in various distances were between 2.4% and 6.1%. There was a predictable accordance between MAGICA gel dosimetry and MCNP5 simulation and differences in various distances were between 5.7% and 7.4%. Moreover, there was an acceptable accordance between MAGICA gel dosimetry and MCNP5 data and differences in various distances were between 5.2% and 9.4%.

CONCLUSION

The sources of differences in this comparison are divided to calculations variation and practical errors that was added in experimental dosimetry. The result of quality assurance of nasopharynx high dose rate brachytherapy is consistent with international standards.

Development and characterization of a novel PRESAGE formulation for radiotherapy applications

A novel water equivalent formulation of PRESAGE dosimeter more suitable for radiotherapy applications has been introduced and its radiological water equivalency has been investigated. Furthermore, its radiological properties have been compared with an existing PRESAGE formulation over an energy range from 10 to 20 MeV. Monte Carlo simulation method has been implemented to determine and compare depth dose profiles in both of the PRESAGE formulations at two different photon energies (140 KV(P) and 6 MV). The results show that our proposed PRESAGE formulation is more water equivalent than its known formulation especially for low photon energy beams.

A basic dosimetric study of PRESAGE: the effect of different amounts of fabricating components on the sensitivity and stability of the dosimeter

Over the past few years there has been much interest in the development of three-dimensional dosimeters to determine the complex absorbed dose distribution in modern radiotherapy techniques such as IMRT and IGRT. In routine methods used for three-dimensional dosimetry, polymer gels are commonly used. Recently, a novel transparent polymer dosimeter, known as PRESAGE, has been introduced in which a radiochromic color change is observed upon radiation. PRESAGE has some advantages over usual polymer gel dosimeters. It has been noted that the sensitivity of PRESAGE can be changed when different amounts of the components are used for its fabrication. This study has focused on the assessment of dosimetric characteristics of PRESAGE for various amounts of components in its formulation. To achieve this, PRESAGE dosimeters were fabricated using various amounts of their constituting components. Then the dosimeters were irradiated to (60)Co gamma photons for a range of radiation doses from 0 to 50 Gy. Consequently, the light absorption changes of the dosimeters were measured by a spectrophotometer at different post-irradiation time periods. It was generally observed that as the concentration of the radical initiator is increased, the PRESAGE dosimeter sensitivity is increased while its stability is decreased. Furthermore, it was noted that with the high concentration of the radical initiator and leuco dye, the sensitivity of PRESAGE is decreased.

Effect of saccharide additives on response of ferrous-agarose-xylenol orange radiotherapy gel dosimeters

Glucose, sucrose, starch, and locust bean gum have been used as additives to the ferrous-agarose-xylenol orange (FAX) gel dosimeter. The saccharide enhanced dosimeters were found to have a higher dose sensitivity over a standard FAX gel as measured by both optical density change and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With optical density measurement, OD-dose sensitivity increases were up to 55% for glucose, 122% for sucrose and 43% for starch, while locust bean gum did not give a consistent response. With MRI, R1-dose sensitivity increases were up to 178% with sucrose addition. The FAX gel with sucrose was studied in greatest detail. The OD-dose sensitivity dependence on cooling rate was reduced for the sucrose FAX gel over the standard FAX gel, which has significant implications for uniform dose sensitivity in large gel phantoms. The thermal oxidation rate in the sucrose FAX gel was up to 2.3 times higher than in the standard gel. The OD-dose sensitivity of oxygenated sucrose FAX gels was 4.3 times greater than standard FAX gels, while continued enhancement in OD-dose sensitivity with increased sucrose concentrations beyond 2.0 g/l was found only for the oxygenated sucrose FAX gels. Both the molar absorption coefficient of the ferric ion-xylenol orange complex at 543 nm and gel pH were not affected by the presence of sucrose, with the implication that the higher OD-dose sensitivity of gels with saccharides is due to increased chain reaction production of ferric ions.