Records |
Author |
Valdes-Cortez, C.; Mansour, I.; Rivard, M.J.; Ballester, F.; Mainegra-Hing, E.; Thomson, R.M.; Vijande, J. |
Title |
A study of Type B uncertainties associated with the photoelectric effect in low-energy Monte Carlo simulations |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Physics in Medicine and Biology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Phys. Med. Biol. |
Volume |
66 |
Issue |
10 |
Pages |
105014 - 14pp |
Keywords |
Monte Carlo simulations; brachytherapy; low energy physics; photoelectric effect |
Abstract |
Purpose. To estimate Type B uncertainties in absorbed-dose calculations arising from the different implementations in current state-of-the-art Monte Carlo (MC) codes of low-energy photon cross-sections (<200 keV). Methods. MC simulations are carried out using three codes widely used in the low-energy domain: PENELOPE-2018, EGSnrc, and MCNP. Three dosimetry-relevant quantities are considered: mass energy-absorption coefficients for water, air, graphite, and their respective ratios; absorbed dose; and photon-fluence spectra. The absorbed dose and the photon-fluence spectra are scored in a spherical water phantom of 15 cm radius. Benchmark simulations using similar cross-sections have been performed. The differences observed between these quantities when different cross-sections are considered are taken to be a good estimator for the corresponding Type B uncertainties. Results. A conservative Type B uncertainty for the absorbed dose (k = 2) of 1.2%-1.7% (<50 keV), 0.6%-1.2% (50-100 keV), and 0.3% (100-200 keV) is estimated. The photon-fluence spectrum does not present clinically relevant differences that merit considering additional Type B uncertainties except for energies below 25 keV, where a Type B uncertainty of 0.5% is obtained. Below 30 keV, mass energy-absorption coefficients show Type B uncertainties (k = 2) of about 1.5% (water and air), and 2% (graphite), diminishing in all materials for larger energies and reaching values about 1% (40-50 keV) and 0.5% (50-75 keV). With respect to their ratios, the only significant Type B uncertainties are observed in the case of the water-to-graphite ratio for energies below 30 keV, being about 0.7% (k = 2). Conclusions. In contrast with the intermediate (about 500 keV) or high (about 1 MeV) energy domains, Type B uncertainties due to the different cross-sections implementation cannot be considered subdominant with respect to Type A uncertainties or even to other sources of Type B uncertainties (tally volume averaging, manufacturing tolerances, etc). Therefore, the values reported here should be accommodated within the uncertainty budget in low-energy photon dosimetry studies. |
Address |
[Valdes-Cortez, Christian; Ballester, Facundo; Vijande, Javier] Univ Valencia UV, Dept Fis Atom Mol & Nucl, Burjassot, Spain, Email: javier.vijande@uv.es |
Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
Iop Publishing Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0031-9155 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000655291500001 |
Approved |
no |
Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4847 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Vijande, J.; Tedgren, A.C.; Ballester, F.; Baltas, D.; Papagiannis, P.; Rivard, M.J.; Siebert, F.A.; De Werd, L.; Perez-Calatayud, J. |
Title |
Source strength determination in iridium-192 and cobalt-60 brachytherapy: A European survey on the level of agreement between clinical measurements and manufacturer certificates |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2021 |
Publication |
Physics and Imaging in Radiation Oncology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Phys. Imag. Radiat. Oncol. |
Volume |
19 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
108-111 |
Keywords |
RAKR; Calibration; HDR; PDR; Brachytherapy |
Abstract |
Background and purpose: Brachytherapy treatment outcomes depend on the accuracy of the delivered dose distribution, which is proportional to the reference air-kerma rate (RAKR). Current societal recommendations require the medical physicist to compare the measured RAKR values to the manufacturer source calibration certificate. The purpose of this work was to report agreement observed in current clinical practice in the European Union. Materials and methods: A European survey was performed for high- and pulsed-dose-rate (HDR and PDR) highenergy sources (Ir-192 and Co-60), to quantify observed RAKR differences. Medical physicists at eighteen hospitals from eight European countries were contacted, providing 1,032 data points from 2001 to 2020. Results: Over the survey period, 77% of the Ir-192 measurements used a well chamber instead of the older Krieger phantom method. Mean differences with the manufacturer calibration certificate were 0.01% +/- 1.15% for Ir-192 and -0.1% +/- 1.3% for Co-60. Over 95% of RAKR measurements in the clinic were within 3% of the manufacturer calibration certificate. Conclusions: This study showed that the agreement level was generally better than that reflected in prior societal recommendations positing 5%. Future recommendations on high-energy HDR and PDR source calibrations in the clinic may consider tightened agreements levels. |
Address |
[Vijande, Javier; Ballester, Facundo] Univ Valencia UV, Dept Fis Atom Mol & Nucl, Burjassot, Spain, Email: Javier.vijande@uv.es |
Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
Elsevier |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
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ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000694711800017 |
Approved |
no |
Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
4969 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Valdes-Cortez, C.; Niatsetski, Y.; Perez-Calatayud, J.; Ballester, F.; Vijande, J. |
Title |
A Monte Carlo study of the relative biological effectiveness in surface brachytherapy |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2022 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
Volume |
49 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
5576-5588 |
Keywords |
Monte Carlo; relative biological effectiveness; surface HDR brachytherapy |
Abstract |
Purpose This work aims to simulate clustered DNA damage from ionizing radiation and estimate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for radionuclide (rBT)- and electronic (eBT)-based surface brachytherapy through a hybrid Monte Carlo (MC) approach, using realistic models of the sources and applicators. Methods Damage from ionizing radiation has been studied using the Monte Carlo Damage Simulation algorithm using as input the primary electron fluence simulated using a state-of-the-art MC code, PENELOPE-2018. Two Ir-192 rBT applicators, Valencia and Leipzig, one Co-60 source with a Freiburg Flap applicator (reference source), and two eBT systems, Esteya and INTRABEAM, have been included in this study implementing full realizations of their geometries as disclosed by the manufacturer. The role played by filtration and tube kilovoltage has also been addressed. Results For rBT, an RBE value of about 1.01 has been found for the applicators and phantoms considered. In the case of eBT, RBE values for the Esteya system show an almost constant RBE value of about 1.06 for all depths and materials. For INTRABEAM, variations in the range of 1.12-1.06 are reported depending on phantom composition and depth. Modifications in the Esteya system, filtration, and tube kilovoltage give rise to variations in the same range. Conclusions Current clinical practice does not incorporate biological effects in surface brachytherapy. Therefore, the same absorbed dose is administered to the patients independently on the particularities of the rBT or eBT system considered. The almost constant RBE values reported for rBT support that assumption regardless of the details of the patient geometry, the presence of a flattening filter in the applicator design, or even significant modifications in the photon energy spectra above 300 keV. That is not the case for eBT, where a clear dependence on the eBT system and the characteristics of the patient geometry are reported. A complete study specific for each eBT system, including detailed applicator characteristics (size, shape, filtering, among others) and common anatomical locations, should be performed before adopting an existing RBE value. |
Address |
[Valdes-Cortez, Christian] Hosp Reg Antofagasta, Nucl Med Dept, Antofagasta, Chile, Email: cvalcort@gmail.com |
Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
Wiley |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0094-2405 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000811709400001 |
Approved |
no |
Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
5262 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Assam, I.; Vijande, J.; Ballester, F.; Perez-Calatayud, J.; Poppe, B.; Siebert, F.A. |
Title |
Evaluation of dosimetric effects of metallic artifact reduction and tissue assignment on Monte Carlo dose calculations for I-125 prostate implants |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2022 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
Volume |
49 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
6195-6208 |
Keywords |
metallic artifact reduction; Monte Carlo dosimetry; post-implant CT; prostate brachytherapy; tissue assignment schemes; voxelized virtual patient model |
Abstract |
Purpose Monte Carlo (MC) simulation studies, aimed at evaluating the magnitude of tissue heterogeneity in I-125 prostate permanent seed implant brachytherapy (BT), customarily use clinical post-implant CT images to generate a virtual representation of a realistic patient model (virtual patient model). Metallic artifact reduction (MAR) techniques and tissue assignment schemes (TAS) are implemented on the post-implant CT images to mollify metallic artifacts due to BT seeds and to assign tissue types to the voxels corresponding to the bright seed spots and streaking artifacts, respectively. The objective of this study is to assess the combined influence of MAR and TAS on MC absorbed dose calculations in post-implant CT-based phantoms. The virtual patient models used for I-125 prostate implant MC absorbed dose calculations in this study are derived from the CT images of an external radiotherapy prostate patient without BT seeds and prostatic calcifications, thus averting the need to implement MAR and TAS. Methods The geometry of the IsoSeed I25.S17plus source is validated by comparing the MC calculated results of the TG-43 parameters for the line source approximation with the TG-43U1S2 consensus data. Four MC absorbed dose calculations are performed in two virtual patient models using the egs_brachy MC code: (1) TG-43-based D-w,w-TG(43), (2) D-w,D-w-MBDC that accounts for interseed scattering and attenuation (ISA), (3) D-m,D-m that examines ISA and tissue heterogeneity by scoring absorbed dose in tissue, and (4) D-w,D-m that unlike D-m,D-m scores absorbed dose in water. The MC absorbed doses (1) and (2) are simulated in a TG-43 patient phantom derived by assigning the densities of every voxel to 1.00 g cm(-3) (water), whereas MC absorbed doses (3) and (4) are scored in the TG-186 patient phantom generated by mapping the mass density of each voxel to tissue according to a CT calibration curve. The MC absorbed doses calculated in this study are compared with VariSeed v8.0 calculated absorbed doses. To evaluate the dosimetric effect of MAR and TAS, the MC absorbed doses of this work (independent of MAR and TAS) are compared to the MC absorbed doses of different I-125 source models from previous studies that were calculated with different MC codes using post-implant CT-based phantoms generated by implementing MAR and TAS on post-implant CT images. Results The very good agreement of TG-43 parameters of this study and the published consensus data within 3% validates the geometry of the IsoSeed I25.S17plus source. For the clinical studies, the TG-43-based calculations show a D-90 overestimation of more than 4% compared to the more realistic MC methods due to ISA and tissue composition. The results of this work generally show few discrepancies with the post-implant CT-based dosimetry studies with respect to the D-90 absorbed dose metric parameter. These discrepancies are mainly Type B uncertainties due to the different I-125 source models and MC codes. Conclusions The implementation of MAR and TAS on post-implant CT images have no dosimetric effect on the I-125 prostate MC absorbed dose calculation in post-implant CT-based phantoms. |
Address |
[Assam, Isong; Siebert, Frank-Andre] UKSH, Clin Radiotherapy Radiooncol, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany, Email: Isong.Assam@uksh.de |
Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
Wiley |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0094-2405 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000835807200001 |
Approved |
no |
Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
5321 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Perez-Calatayud, J.; Ballester, F.; Tedgren, C.; DeWerd, L.A.; Papagiannis, P.; Rivard, M.J.; Siebert, F.A.; Vijande, J. |
Title |
GEC-ESTRO ACROP recommendations on calibration and traceability of HE HDR-PDR photon-emitting brachytherapy sources at the hospital level |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2022 |
Publication |
Radiotherapy and Oncology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Radiother. Oncol. |
Volume |
176 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
108-117 |
Keywords |
Brachytherapy; High energy; Calibration; Dosimetry; HDR-PDR |
Abstract |
The vast majority of radiotherapy departments in Europe using brachytherapy (BT) perform temporary implants of high-or pulsed-dose rate (HDR-PDR) sources with photon energies higher than 50 keV. Such techniques are successfully applied to diverse pathologies and clinical scenarios. These recommen-dations are the result of Working Package 21 (WP-21) initiated within the BRAchytherapy PHYsics Quality Assurance System (BRAPHYQS) GEC-ESTRO working group with a focus on HDR-PDR source cal-ibration. They provide guidance on the calibration of such sources, including practical aspects and issues not specifically accounted for in well-accepted societal recommendations, complementing the BRAPHYQS WP-18 Report dedicated to low energy BT photon emitting sources (seeds). The aim of this report is to provide a European-wide standard in HDR-PDR BT source calibration at the hospital level to maintain high quality patient treatments. |
Address |
[Perez-Calatayud, Jose] La Fe Hosp, Radiotherapy Dept, Valencia, Spain, Email: javier.vijande@uv.es |
Corporate Author |
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Thesis |
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Publisher |
Elsevier Ireland Ltd |
Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Series Editor |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0167-8140 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Area |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000880438000006 |
Approved |
no |
Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
5466 |
Permanent link to this record |