利用独立准直器开展调强放疗算法研究

研究利用独立准直器调整射野强度分布。设计了两种递推的办法来计算射野处序列,采用模拟退火算法优化射野片的照射顺序。并以在Ｖａｒｉａｎ ６００Ｃ轲速器上实施三个临床调强射野为例,估计ＩＣ调强放疗的照射时间。照射时间一般在５至１０ｍｉｎ。它近似与机器剂量率成反比,并受调强算法,矩阵元素大小以及强度分级数的影响。     

近距离放射治疗仪和适形调强放疗机的探讨

放疗仪器是利用电离辐射对肿瘤进行治疗的装置;近距离放疗仪器是指将封装好的放射源经人体腔道放在肿瘤体附近或表面,或是将细针管插植于肿瘤体内导入射线源实施照射的放疗技术.通过改变射束剖面强度分布,达到形状适形和剂量适形,叫做调强适形放疗技术.     

河南省医用加速器多叶光栅小野输出因子验证测量方法研究

目的 调查放射治疗计划系统(TPS)计算的多叶光栅(MLC)小野输出因子,研究用0.015 cc电离室验证小野输出因子的测量方法。方法 在河南省选择8台可开展调强放射治疗的医用加速器,调查TPS计算的小野输出因子并与国际原子能机构(IAEA)推荐的出版值进行比。如果2 cm×2 cm照射野相对偏差超出IAEA要求的±3%,3 cm×3 cm、4 cm×4 cm、6 cm×6 cm照射野相对偏差超出IAEA要求的±2%,则用0.015 cc电离室和Unidos剂量仪进行测量验证。结果8台医用加速器的TPS计算小野输出因子与出版值比较,5台相对偏差符合IAEA要求,占调查总台数的62.5%,3台相对偏差超过IAEA要求,占调查总台数的37.5%。用针尖电离室测量验证,3台测量结果均符合IAEA要求。结论 河南省部分医用加速器TPS计算的MLC小野输出因子,需要现场实施小电离室测量修正,测量值作为制定放射治疗计划的依据。     

调强放射治疗数据转换系统的研发

本文旨在开发一套能将静态调强放射治疗计划文件转换成制作物理补偿器的切割机执行文件和医用直线加速器多叶准直器(Multiple Leaf Collimator,MLC)控制文件的数据转换系统。该系统采用Visual Studio 2010作为开发平台,结合DCMTK开源库实现对DICOM协议支持。系统导入计划系统输出的放疗计划文件后,经分析将患者姓名、ID、MLC各叶片位置和权重等字段信息并输出为瓦里安MLC控制文件格式;也可对于每个射野、累加射野平面内各点的机器跳数生成跳数矩阵,结合不同补偿器材料的衰减特性将其转换成相应材料的厚度信息,最后实现切割机控制文件输出。该转换系统能够实现患者的RTplan数据导入,并且转换生成物理补偿器切割文件及瓦里安加速器MLC运动控制文件,为患者提供额外的调强放射治疗方式,也能满足网络故障等特殊情况下的放射治疗。     

准直器叶片到位精度对宫颈癌容积调强计划验证的影响

目的 探讨加速器多叶准直器（MLC）叶片到位精度对宫颈癌容积调强放疗计划剂量验证通过率的影响。方法 在加速器常规质控基础上,选用Mapcheck和Arccheck两种半导体探测器矩阵在校准MLC叶片到位精度前后,分别测量30例宫颈癌容积调强放疗计划的二维和三维剂量分布。采用3%、3 mm和2%、2 mm标准,计算二维和三维剂量验证的Gamma通过率;并通过3DVH软件进一步将三维剂量分布误差与患者解剖结构建立起相互关系,评估加速器MLC叶片到位精度对宫颈癌容积调强放疗计划通过率的影响。结果 MLC校准前后,3%、3 mm标准下Mapcheck测得的Gamma通过率分别为（88.80±1.81）%和（99.25±0.53）%,平均提高10.45%;Arccheck测得的Gamma通过率分别为（87.61±1.98）%和（98.13±0.99）%（P<0.05）,平均提高了10.52%。3DVH测得的Gamma通过率分别为（89.87±2.28）%和（98.30±1.15）%（P<0.05）,平均提高了8.43%。结论 MLC叶片到位精度是影响加速器宫颈癌容积调强放疗计划执行准确性的主要因素之一。通过使用Autocal软件,可以快速、准确的完成多叶准直器的校准工作。     

IMRT计划在不同加速器上互换执行的可行性

目的：探讨调强放疗（IMRT）计划在不同多叶光栅（MLC）叶片宽度配置的加速器上互换执行的可行性。方法将设计在EX加速器上执行的5例鼻咽癌IMRT（SW）计划,不进行重新优化和计算,直接移植到IX加速器上执行;以及通过治疗计划系统（TPS）模拟在IX加速器执行1、2、3、4、5、10次后再返回EX加速器继续执行,用剂量体积直方图（DVH）分析和评估靶区和危及器官的剂量体积参数的变化。结果将EX加速器的IMRT计划完全移植到IX加速器执行,以及在IX加速器执行1、2、3、4、5、10次后再返回至EX加速器继续执行时,靶区和危及器官的剂量体积参数发生了一定程度的变化,前者的变化更大。结论若两台加速器产自同一个厂家,且能量配置和治疗时的机械参数相同时,当一台加速器发生故障且短时间内无法修复时,可以将其治疗计划移植至另一台加速器上执行（5次以内）,待故障加速器修复后再返回原计划加速器执行。     

剂量率和准直器角度对二维电离室矩阵调强验证Gamma通过率的影响

目的：研究剂量率和准直器角度对二维电离室矩阵调强验证Gamma通过率的影响。方法：使用PTw二维电离室矩阵对2组36例测试病例进行验证。两组病例分别对应不同剂量率组和不同准直器角度组,比较不同的剂量率（100cGy／min-600Gy／min的整百剂量率）和准直器角度对3％、3mm标准Gamma分析的影响。结果：本研究中6档剂量率两两配对共计15对,配对t检验结果中,除了200和500这一对t=-3．68,P〈0．05,有统计学差异,其余14对配对t检验结果均为P〉0．05,无统计学差异;不同的准直器角度Gamma通过率配对t检验结果t=-15．582,P〈0．05,有统计学差异。结论：不同的剂量率对二维电离室矩阵调强验证Gamma通过率无明显影响,不同的准直器角度对二维电离室矩阵调强验证Gamma通过率有明显的影响．制订治疗计划时适当的调整准直器角度,使不同射野的准直器角度互不相同能够明显提高调强验证的通过率。     

Analysis of Influence of Errors in Angular Settings of Couch and Collimator on the Dosimetric and Radiobiological Parameters in VMAT Plans

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of couch and collimator angular variations on dose volume histogram (DVH), tumour control probability (TCP), and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of the volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans.MethodsStereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy VMAT plans were generated for three different hypothetical planning target volumes (PTVs) that mimic brain metastases, single brain lesion, and single spine lesion. Thirty routine VMAT plans (10 prostate, 10 head and neck, and 10 brain cases) treated in our clinic were also selected for this study. The plans were generated using an Eclipse Treatment Planning System and delivered using a Clinac iX linear accelerator equipped with a Millennium 120 multileaf collimator. All the plans were generated using two complementary full arcs (with gantry angle from 179° to 181° and collimator rotation of 30° and 330°) except the brain tumour cases, which used single full arc with collimator rotation of 30°. In all the cases, the couch angle was zero. Impact of the angular variations in the collimator and couch was studied by varying the collimator and couch angular settings by 1°, 2°, and 3°, and creating six erroneous plans corresponding to the original plans. The variation due to these errors on different DVH and radiobiological parameters (TCP, equivalent uniform dose (EUD), and NTCP) of the PTVs and organs-at-risk (OARs) were observed. The relative percentage of difference in these parameters (ΔD, ΔTCP, ΔEUD, and ΔNTCP) were analysed, and statistical significance was tested.ResultsThe variation due to collimator misplacement was observed to be larger than the couch misplacement. Furthermore, in both cases, the variation increased as the degree of error increased. Among the DVH parameters, D_98%, D_95%, and V_95Gy were affected more by the errors than D_2%, D_5%, and D_50%, in both hypothetical and clinical PTVs. In the clinical PTVs, the TCP showed the most variation among all parameters. The ΔNTCP of the bladder and brain OARs were zero, whereas for head and neck OARs, it was high.ConclusionsThe couch and collimator angular variation has different effects on different planning situations and different parameters. The outcome produced by the errors is specific to the treatment sites.     

MLC leaf width impact on the clinical dose distribution: a Monte Carlo approach

PURPOSE: The influence of the multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf width on the dose distribution in patients treated with conformal radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy has been analyzed. This study was based on the Monte Carlo simulation with the beams generated by a linac with the double-focused MLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The transmission through the leaves and the exact shape of the penumbra regions are difficult to model by treatment planning system algorithms. An accurate assessment of the dose variations due to the leaf width change can be achieved by means of Monte Carlo simulation. The BEAM/EGS4 code was used at the Hospital of the Virgen Macarena to model a Siemens PRIMUS linac, featuring an MLC with a leaf width projecting 1 cm at the isocenter. Based on this real model, a virtual head was designed while allowing for a variation of the leaf width projection. Both the real linac and the virtual linac, with leaves projecting 0.5 cm, were used to obtain the dose distributions for several treatments. A few disease sites, including the prostate, head and neck, and endometrium, were selected for the design of the conformal and intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatments with a forward planning algorithm sensitive to the different shapes of the volumes of interest. Isodose curves, differential matrix, gamma function, and the dose-volume histograms (DVHs) corresponding to both MLC models were obtained for all cases. The tumor control probability and the normal tissue complication probability were derived for those cases studied featuring the greatest differences between results for both MLCs. RESULTS: The impact on the DVHs of changing leaf width projections at the isocenter from 1.0 cm to 0.5 cm was low. Radiobiologic models showed slightly better tumor control probability/normal tissue complication probability values using the virtual MLC with a leaf width projecting 0.5 cm at isocenter in those cases presenting greater differences in the DVHs. CONCLUSIONS: The impact on the clinical dose distribution due to the MLC leaf width change is low based on the design and conditions used in this study.     

Iterative reconstruction with correction of the spatially variant fan-beam collimator response in neurotransmission SPET imaging

The dopamine transporter (DAT) has been shown to be a sensitive indicator of nigrostriatal dopamine function. Although visual inspection is often sufficient to assess DAT imaging, quantification could improve the diagnostic accuracy of single-photon emission tomography (SPET) studies of the dopaminergic system. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of quantification of the striatal/background uptake ratio when correction for attenuation, scatter and spatially variant fan-beam collimator response is performed in technetium-99m and iodine-123 SPET imaging. A numerical striatal phantom was implemented, and simulated projections of low-energy photons were obtained by using the SimSET Monte Carlo code. High-energy contamination in ¹²³I studies was modelled from experimental measurements with ^99mTc and ¹²³I. The ordered subsets expectation maximisation (OSEM) algorithm was employed in reconstruction. Mean improvements of 8% and 16% were obtained in the calculated striatal/background uptake ratio in the putamen and the caudate, respectively, when the spatially variant point spread function was included in the transition matrix. Ideal scatter correction resulted in improvements in the putamen and caudate of 9% for ^99mTc agents and 19% for ¹²³I agents. Improvements averaged 31% in the putamen and 43% in the caudate when correction for attenuation, scatter and spatially variant collimator response was included in the reconstruction.