Polymer Gel and Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry Based 3D Dose Monitoring

Polymer Gel and Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry Based 3D Dose Monitoring
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 82
Release: 2014
Genre: Dissertations, Academic
ISBN:

Recent advances in radiation therapy physics have enabled sophisticated treatment plans that conform accurately to the target volume while sparing normal tissue. The complex three- dimensional treatment planning requires dose verification (dosimetry) techniques that can validate with high spatial resolution in 3D dose distribution with accuracy and precision. Routinely used dosimetry techniques include ionization chambers which can map very accurately but are restricted to a single plane or 2D film based techniques. Gel dosimetry can be considered as 3D integrating dosimeters that offer high spatial resolution, precision and accuracy for the verification of a large range of treatment plans. However, gel dosimetry has not been evaluated for a wide range of treatment plans, especially using more advanced radiation therapy units such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery. In addition gel dose readouts are performed with Magnetic Resonance Imaging sequences that are extremely long, precluding routine usage of this technique in a clinical setting. This thesis is focused on establishing gel dosimetry as a viable method for clinical use to validate a wide variety of treatment plans. A new fast MR pulse sequence (stepped TE multi-shot Echo Planar Imaging) is proposed for T2 (spin-spin relaxation) relaxometry studies and evaluated against the conventional multiple spin echo sequence. Three different radiation dose treatment plans using Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Stereotactic Radio Surgery (SRS) systems were evaluated with the gel dosimeter. Since the dose calibration curves did not yield accurate absolute values of dose, several methods for scaling are discussed. Gel dosimetry provided accurate isodose contour lines for the three treatment plans investigated in this thesis. Calibration using small vials did not yield accurate absolute values of dose, however the internal scaling schemes provided accurate absolute values. The dose maps from the gel dosimetry agreed to within +-5% (acceptable range) of the treatment plan dose in the targeted volume of interest as well as in the peripheral dose fall off regions. Future plans include internal dose calibration methods to increase the accuracy of absolute dose quantification

Statistical Regression Methods of 3D Polymer Gel Dosimetry and Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry

Statistical Regression Methods of 3D Polymer Gel Dosimetry and Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 42
Release: 2015
Genre: Electronic books
ISBN:

Purpose: Recent advances in radiation therapy physics have enabled sophisticated treatment plans that conform accurately to the target volume while sparing normal tissue. The complex 3D treatment planning requires dose verification techniques that can validate high spatial resolution 3D dose distribution with accuracy and precision. Traditional dosimetry techniques include ionization chambers, which map accurately but are restricted to 2D film based techniques. Polymer gel dosimetry integrates a 3D dosimeter with high spatial resolution, precision, and accuracy for the verification of a large range of treatment plans. In addition, polymer gel dosimetry uses human tissue equivalent phantoms and a wide range of dose algorithms to increase dose measurement accuracy. However, polymer gel dosimetry has not been widely evaluated for its extensive range of statistical regression methods in advanced radiation therapy units, such as Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). In addition, the construction of polymer gel dosimeters is a toxic process, and sunlight and oxygen environments degrades the gel. Described is a method in which a deformable phantom is introduced that is non-toxic and safe to handle. In addition, the phantom decreases oxygen sensitivity and increases its ease of use towards translational use in the Radiation Oncology clinical environment. Methods: Radiation dose treatment plans were evaluated with the gel dosimeter. In addition, T2 fitting methods were evaluated to determine the best fitting technique. Statistical regression algorithms for T2 fitting included: Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE), MLE with Rician, Least Squares No Constant Term, and Weighted Least Squares. Since the dose calibration curves did not yield accurate absolute values of dose, several methods for scaling were evaluated. Results: Evaluation of statistical regression algorithms yielded a range of signal-to-noise ratios, and internal scaling schemes provided accurate absolute values. While being characterized as a phantom that is non-toxic and protected from oxygen contamination, the deformable gel phantom expressed reduced oxygen sensitivity. Conclusion: Deformable polymer gel dosimetry provides dose verification of complex radiotherapy treatment plans. Future work includes internal dose calibration methods to increase the accuracy of absolute dose quantification.

Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

Radiotherapy Treatment Planning
Author: Olivier C. Haas
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 236
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1447108213

An in depth examination of many of the complex issues associated with planning and optimisation of intensity modulated radiotherapy treatment. It includes: a presentation of current practice, techniques and equipment used by medical physicists and others to deliver radiotherapy treatment; a systems modelling approach in the formulation of a beam model for optimisation, describing the effect of X-rays on human body tissues; a deterministic approach to the inverse problem in radiotherapy, based on weighted iterative least squares is modified to allow an adaptive scaling of the error to improve the performance of a general least squares algorithm; a guided random search methodology, based on genetic algorithms which is aimed at solving multi-objective optimisation problems is developed to optimise beam weight/wedge angle as well as coplanar beam orientation; the overall approach developed is demons trated practically using both traditional and modern measurement techniques.

World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, June 7-12, 2015, Toronto, Canada

World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, June 7-12, 2015, Toronto, Canada
Author: David A. Jaffray
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 1790
Release: 2015-07-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319193872

This book presents the proceedings of the IUPESM World Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics, a tri-annual high-level policy meeting dedicated exclusively to furthering the role of biomedical engineering and medical physics in medicine. The book offers papers about emerging issues related to the development and sustainability of the role and impact of medical physicists and biomedical engineers in medicine and healthcare. It provides a unique and important forum to secure a coordinated, multileveled global response to the need, demand and importance of creating and supporting strong academic and clinical teams of biomedical engineers and medical physicists for the benefit of human health.

New Technologies in Radiation Oncology

New Technologies in Radiation Oncology
Author: Wolfgang C. Schlegel
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 453
Release: 2006-01-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3540299998

- Summarizes the state of the art in the most relevant areas of medical physics and engineering applied to radiation oncology - Covers all relevant areas of the subject in detail, including 3D imaging and image processing, 3D treatment planning, modern treatment techniques, patient positioning, and aspects of verification and quality assurance - Conveys information in a readily understandable way that will appeal to professionals and students with a medical background as well as to newcomers to radiation oncology from the field of physics