The objective of this paper is to present our experience in the commissioning and quality assurance (QA) for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using dynamic multileaf collimator (dMLC), sliding window technique. Using Varian equipment solution, the connectivity and operation between all IMRT chain components was checked. Then the following test were done: stability of leaf positioning and...

PURPOSE To study the impacts of multileaf collimators (MLC) width [standard MLC width of 10 mm (sMLC) and micro-MLC width of 4 mm (mMLC)] in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning for the upper thoracic esophageal cancer (UTEC). METHODS AND MATERIALS 10 patients with UTEC were retrospectively planned with the sMLC and the mMLC. The monitor unites (MUs) and dose volume histogram-...

Detection and accurate quantification of treatment delivery errors is important in radiation therapy. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of DVH based QA in quantifying delivery errors. Eighteen previously treated VMAT plans (prostate, H&N, and brain) were randomly chosen for this study. Conventional IMRT delivery QA was done with the ArcCHECK diode detector for error-free plans and plans ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of an aperture complexity metric for volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans to predict plan delivery accuracy. We developed a complexity analysis tool as a plug-in script to Varian's Eclipse treatment planning system. This script reports the modulation of plans, arcs, and individual control points for VMAT plans using a previously dev...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Solid-state detectors such as diodes and diamonds are useful radiation detectors, particularly for small field measurements, such as in stereotactic dosimetry or in the small sub-field measurements required for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) . In all small field measurements, positioning of the detector is critical. Generally it is assumed that the center of the ...

Volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) has been shown to be able to deliver plans equivalent to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in a fraction of the treatment time. This improvement is important for patient immobilization/localization compliance due to comfort and treatment duration, as well as patient throughput. Previous authors have suggested commissioning methods for this moda...

Partial transmission through rounded leaf ends of Varian multileaf collimators (MLC) is accounted for with a parameter called the dosimetric leaf gap (DLG). Verification of the value of the DLG is needed when the dose delivery is accompanied by gantry rotation in VMAT plans. We compared the doses measured with GAFCHROMIC film and an ionization chamber to treatment planning system (TPS) calculat...