A model based on a specific phantom, called QuAArC, has been designed for the evaluation of planning and verification systems of complex radiotherapy treatments, such as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). This model uses the high accuracy provided by the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of log files and allows the experimental feedback from the high spatial resolution of films hosted in QuAArC...

In synchrotron stereotactic radiotherapy (SSR) the tumor is loaded with a high Z element, and exposed to monochromatic x-rays from a synchrotron source, in stereotactic conditions. The SSR treatment efficiency is related to the heavy element concentration achievable in the tumor, to the radiation energy, and the irradiation geometry [1,2]. The experimental dose verification of SSR in three dime...

PURPOSE To develop an in-house software program that is able to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose volume histogram by physical dose conversion using the linear-quadratic-linear (LQL) model. MATERIAL AND METHODS The Isobio software was developed using MATLAB version 2014b to calculate and generate the biological dose distribution and biological dose vo...

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) are state-of-the-art irradiation techniques for the delivery of highly conformal radiation fields to the target volume. These techniques require complex treatment planning system (TPS) algorithms as well as sophisticated irradiation methods. As a result, the use of quality assurance tools for the verificati...

Epiqa TM is a program that allows to convert a dosimetric image acquired by an EPID into a dosemap and to compare the dosemap with a reference dose distribution. It is possible to utilize Epiqa for a verification of static as well as intensity modulated fields, including RapidArc ® fields. This text attempts to provide an overview of applied principles, describe the workflow, and discuss obtain...

BACKGROUND The two-dimensional phantom dose verification (2D-PDV) using hybrid plan and planar dose measurement has been widely used for IMRT treatment QA. Due to the lack of information about the correlations between the verification results and the anatomical structure of patients, it is inadequate in clinical evaluation. A three-dimensional anatomical dose verification (3D-ADV) method was us...

BACKGROUND Patient-specific dose verification for treatment planning in helical tomotherapy is routinely performed using a homogeneous virtual water cylindrical phantom of 30 cm diameter and 18 cm length (Cheese phantom). Because of this small length, treatment with total marrow irradiation (TMI) requires multiple deliveries of the dose verification procedures to cover a wide range of the targe...

AIM To evolve a fast dose verification method for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatment plans and to demonstrate its applicability in different clinical cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS We developed a software tool in VC++ for the Varisource HDR unit for HDR dosimetry plan verification using TG-43 parameters. HDR treatment dosimetry of a number clinical cases using Varisource was verified ...