eISSN: 2081-2841
ISSN: 1689-832X
Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy
Current Issue Archive Supplements Articles in Press Journal Information Aims and Scope Editorial Office Editorial Board Register as Author Register as Reviewer Instructions for Authors Abstracting and indexing Subscription Advertising Information Links
Editorial System
Submit your Manuscript
SCImago Journal & Country Rank

6/2018
vol. 10
 
Share:
Share:
abstract:
Original paper

End-to-end test for computed tomography-based high-dose-rate brachytherapy

Fabian Krause
,
Franziska Risske
,
Susann Bohn
,
Marc Delaperriere
,
Jürgen Dunst
,
Frank-André Siebert

J Contemp Brachytherapy 2018; 10, 6: 551–558
Online publish date: 2018/12/28
View full text Get citation
 
Purpose
One of the important developments in brachytherapy in recent years has been the clinical implementation of complex modern technical procedures. Today, 3D-imaging has become the standard procedure and it is used for contouring and precise position determination and reconstruction of used brachytherapy applicators. Treatment planning is performed on the basis of these imaging methods, followed by data transfer to the afterloading device. Therefore, checking the entire treatment chain is of high importance. In this work, we describe an end-to-end test for computed tomography (CT)-based brachytherapy with an high-dose-rate (HDR) afterloading device, which fulfills the recommendation of the German radiation-protection-commission.

Material and methods
The treatment chain consists of a SOMATOM S64 CT scanner (Siemens Medical), the treatment planning system (TPS) BrachyVision v.13.7 (VMS), which utilizes the calculation formalism TG-43 and the Acuros algorithm v. 1.5.0 (VMS) as well as GammaMedplus HDR afterloader (VMS) using an Ir-192 source. Measurement setups for common brachytherapy applicators are defined in a water phantom, and the required PMMA applicator holders are developed. These setups are scanned with the CT and the data is imported into the TPS. Computed TPS reference dose values for significant points located on the side of the applicator are compared with dose measurements performed with a PinPoint 3D chamber 31016 (PTW Freiburg).

Results
The deviations for the end-to-end test between computed and measured values are shown to be ≤ 5%, when using an implant needle or vaginal cylinder. Furthermore, it can be demonstrated that the test procedure provides reproducible results, while repositioning the applicators without carrying out a new CT-scan.

Conclusions
The end-to-end test presented allows a practice-oriented realization for checking the whole treatment chain for HDR afterloading technique and CT-imaging. The presented phantom seems feasible for performing periodic system checks as well as to verify newly introduced brachytherapy techniques with sufficient accuracy.

keywords:

CT-based brachytherapy, CT planning, end-to-end test, HDR, treatment chain

 
Quick links
© 2024 Termedia Sp. z o.o.
Developed by Bentus.