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Author |
Granero, D.; Perez-Calatayud, J.; Vijande, J.; Ballester, F.; Rivard, M.J. |
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Title |
Limitations of the TG-43 formalism for skin high-dose-rate brachytherapy dose calculations |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
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Volume |
41 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
021703 - 8pp |
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Keywords  |
HDR; brachytherapy; skin; Monte Carlo; Geant4; Co-60; Ir-192; Yb-169 |
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Abstract |
Purpose: In skin high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, sources are located outside, in contact with, or implanted at some depth below the skin surface. Most treatment planning systems use the TG-43 formalism, which is based on single-source dose superposition within an infinite water medium without accounting for the true geometry in which conditions for scattered radiation are altered by the presence of air. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric limitations of the TG-43 formalism in HDR skin brachytherapy and the potential clinical impact. Methods: Dose rate distributions of typical configurations used in skin brachytherapy were obtained: a 5 cm x 5 cm superficial mould; a source inside a catheter located at the skin surface with and without backscatter bolus; and a typical interstitial implant consisting of an HDR source in a catheter located at a depth of 0.5 cm. Commercially available HDR Co-60 and Ir-192 sources and a hypothetical Yb-169 source were considered. The Geant4Monte Carlo radiation transport code was used to estimate dose rate distributions for the configurations considered. These results were then compared to those obtained with the TG-43 dose calculation formalism. In particular, the influence of adding bolus material over the implant was studied. Results: For a 5 cm x 5 cm Ir-192 superficial mould and 0.5 cm prescription depth, dose differences in comparison to the TG-43 method were about -3%. When the source was positioned at the skin surface, dose differences were smaller than -1% for Co-60 and Ir-192, yet -3% for Yb-169. For the interstitial implant, dose differences at the skin surface were -7% for Co-60, -0.6% for Ir-192, and -2.5% for Yb-169. Conclusions: This study indicates the following: (i) for the superficial mould, no bolus is needed; (ii) when the source is in contact with the skin surface, no bolus is needed for either Co-60 and Ir-192. For lower energy radionuclides like Yb-169, bolus may be needed; and (iii) for the interstitial case, at least a 0.1 cm bolus is advised for Co-60 to avoid underdosing superficial target layers. For Ir-192 and Yb-169, no bolus is needed. For those cases where no bolus is needed, its use might be detrimental as the lack of radiation scatter may be beneficial to the patient, although the 2% tolerance for dose calculation accuracy recommended in the AAPM TG-56 report is not fulfilled. |
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Address |
[Granero, Domingo] Hosp Gen Univ, ERESA, Dept Radiat Phys, Valencia 46014, Spain, Email: dgranero@eresa.com |
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Amer Assoc Physicists Medicine Amer Inst Physics |
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English |
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ISSN |
0094-2405 |
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Conference |
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Notes |
WOS:000331213300006 |
Approved |
no |
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Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
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Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
1704 |
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Author |
Piriz, G.H.; Gonzalez-Sprinberg, G.A.; Ballester, F.; Vijande, J. |
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Title |
Dosimetry of Large Field Valencia applicators for Cobalt-60-based brachytherapy |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2024 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
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Volume |
51 |
Issue |
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Pages |
5094-5098 |
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Keywords |
dosimetry; Monte Carlo; skin brachytherapy; Valencia applicators |
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Abstract |
BackgroundNon-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and one of the main approaches is brachytherapy. For small lesions, the treatment of this cancer with brachytherapy can be done with two commercial applicators, one of these is the Large Field Valencia Applicators (LFVA).PurposeThe aim of this study is to test the capabilities of the LFVA to use clinically 60Co sources instead of the 192Ir ones. This study was designed for the same dwell positions and weights for both sources.MethodsThe Penelope Monte Carlo code was used to evaluate dose distribution in a water phantom when a 60Co source is considered. The LFVA design and the optimized dwell weights reported for the case of 192Ir are maintained with the only exception of the dwell weight of the central position, that was increased. 2D dose distributions, field flatness, symmetry and the leakage dose distribution around the applicator were calculated.ResultsWhen comparing the dose distributions of both sources, field flatness and symmetry remain unchanged. The only evident difference is an increase of the penumbra regions for all depths when using the 60Co source. Regarding leakage, the maximum dose within the air volume surrounding the applicator is in the order of 20% of the prescription dose for the 60Co source, but it decreases to less than 5% at about 1 cm distance.ConclusionsFlatness and symmetry remains unaltered as compared with 192Ir sources, while an increase in leakage has been observed. This proves the feasibility of using the LFVA in a larger range of clinical applications. |
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[Piriz, Gustavo H.; Gonzalez-Sprinberg, Gabriel A.] Univ Republica, Fac Sci, Med Phys Unit, Montevideo, Uruguay, Email: ghpiriz@gmail.com |
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Wiley |
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English |
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0094-2405 |
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Notes |
WOS:001187737100001 |
Approved |
no |
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Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
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Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
6011 |
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Author |
Albiol, A.; Corbi, A.; Albiol, F. |
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Title |
Automatic intensity windowing of mammographic images based on a perceptual metric |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2017 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
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Volume |
44 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
1369-1378 |
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Keywords |
contrast stretching; Gabor filtering; human visual system; mammogram; mutual information; window level/width |
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Abstract |
Purpose: Initial auto-adjustment of the window level WL and width WW applied to mammographic images. The proposed intensity windowing (IW) method is based on the maximization of the mutual information (MI) between a perceptual decomposition of the original 12-bit sources and their screen displayed 8-bit version. Besides zoom, color inversion and panning operations, IW is the most commonly performed task in daily screening and has a direct impact on diagnosis and the time involved in the process. Methods: The authors present a human visual system and perception-based algorithm named GRAIL (Gabor-relying adjustment of image levels). GRAIL initially measures a mammogram's quality based on the MI between the original instance and its Gabor-filtered derivations. From this point on, the algorithm performs an automatic intensity windowing process that outputs the WL/WW that best displays each mammogram for screening. GRAIL starts with the default, high contrast, wide dynamic range 12-bit data, and then maximizes the graphical information presented in ordinary 8-bit displays. Tests have been carried out with several mammogram databases. They comprise correlations and an ANOVA analysis with the manual IW levels established by a group of radiologists. A complete MATLAB implementation of GRAIL is available at . Results: Auto-leveled images show superior quality both perceptually and objectively compared to their full intensity range and compared to the application of other common methods like global contrast stretching (GCS). The correlations between the human determined intensity values and the ones estimated by our method surpass that of GCS. The ANOVA analysis with the upper intensity thresholds also reveals a similar outcome. GRAIL has also proven to specially perform better with images that contain micro-calcifications and/or foreign X-ray-opaque elements and with healthy BI-RADS A-type mammograms. It can also speed up the initial screening time by a mean of 4.5 s per image. Conclusions: A novel methodology is introduced that enables a quality-driven balancing of the WL/WW of mammographic images. This correction seeks the representation that maximizes the amount of graphical information contained in each image. The presented technique can contribute to the diagnosis and the overall efficiency of the breast screening session by suggesting, at the beginning, an optimal and customized windowing setting for each mammogram. |
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Address |
[Albiol, Alberto] Univ Politecn Valencia, iTeam Res Inst, Valencia, Spain, Email: alberto.corbi@ific.uv.es |
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Wiley |
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English |
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0094-2405 |
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Notes |
WOS:000400572700016 |
Approved |
no |
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Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
no |
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Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
3122 |
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Author |
Beaulieu, L.; Ballester, F.; Granero, D.; Tedgren, A.C.; Haworth, A.; Lowenstein, J.R.; Ma, Y.Z.; Mourtada, F.; Papagiannis, P.; Rivard, M.J.; Siebert, F.A.; Sloboda, R.S.; Smith, R.L.; Thomson, R.M.; Verhaegen, F.; Fonseca, G.; Vijande, J. |
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Title |
AAPM WGDCAB Report 372: A joint AAPM, ESTRO, ABG, and ABS report on commissioning of model-based dose calculation algorithms in brachytherapy |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2023 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
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Volume |
50 |
Issue |
8 |
Pages |
e946–e960 |
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Keywords |
brachytherapy; commissioning; dose calculation; model-based dose calculation; Monte Carlo; TG-186 |
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Abstract |
The introduction of model-based dose calculation algorithms (MBDCAs) in brachytherapy provides an opportunity for a more accurate dose calculation and opens the possibility for novel, innovative treatment modalities. The joint AAPM, ESTRO, and ABG Task Group 186 (TG-186) report provided guidance to early adopters. However, the commissioning aspect of these algorithms was described only in general terms with no quantitative goals. This report, from the Working Group on Model-Based Dose Calculation Algorithms in Brachytherapy, introduced a field-tested approach to MBDCA commissioning. It is based on a set of well-characterized test cases for which reference Monte Carlo (MC) and vendor-specific MBDCA dose distributions are available in a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine-Radiotherapy (DICOM-RT) format to the clinical users. The key elements of the TG-186 commissioning workflow are now described in detail, and quantitative goals are provided. This approach leverages the well-known Brachytherapy Source Registry jointly managed by the AAPM and the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) Houston Quality Assurance Center (with associated links at ESTRO) to provide open access to test cases as well as step-by-step user guides. While the current report is limited to the two most widely commercially available MBDCAs and only for Ir-192-based afterloading brachytherapy at this time, this report establishes a general framework that can easily be extended to other brachytherapy MBDCAs and brachytherapy sources. The AAPM, ESTRO, ABG, and ABS recommend that clinical medical physicists implement the workflow presented in this report to validate both the basic and the advanced dose calculation features of their commercial MBDCAs. Recommendations are also given to vendors to integrate advanced analysis tools into their brachytherapy treatment planning system to facilitate extensive dose comparisons. The use of the test cases for research and educational purposes is further encouraged. |
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Address |
[Beaulieu, Luc; Ma, Yunzhi] CHU Quebec Univ Laval, Serv Phys Med & Radioprotect, Quebec City, PQ, Canada, Email: beaulieu@phy.ulaval.ca |
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Wiley |
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English |
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0094-2405 |
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Notes |
WOS:001026540300001 |
Approved |
no |
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Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
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Call Number |
IFIC @ pastor @ |
Serial |
5579 |
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Author |
Ballester, F.; Granero, D.; Perez-Calatayud, J.; Venselaar, J.L.M.; Rivard, M.J. |
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Title |
Study of encapsulated Tm-170 sources for their potential use in brachytherapy |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Medical Physics |
Abbreviated Journal |
Med. Phys. |
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Volume |
37 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
1629-1637 |
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Keywords |
brachytherapy; cancer; dosimetry; prosthetics; radioisotopes; thulium |
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Abstract |
Methods: The authors have assumed a theoretical Tm-170 cylindrical source encapsulated with stainless steel and typical dimensions taken from the currently available HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy sources. The dose-rate distribution was calculated for this source using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo (MC) code considering both photon and electron Tm-170 spectra. The AAPM TG-43 U1 brachytherapy dosimetry parameters were derived. To study general properties of Tm-170 encapsulated sources, spherical sources encapsulated with stainless steel and platinum were also studied. Moreover, the influence of small variations in the active core and capsule dimensions on the dosimetric characteristics was assessed. Treatment times required for a Tm-170 source were compared to those for Ir-192 and Yb-169 for the same contained activity. Results: Due to the energetic beta spectrum and the large electron yield, the bremsstrahlung contribution to the dose was of the same order of magnitude as from the emitted gammas and characteristic x rays. Moreover, the electron spectrum contribution to the dose was significant up to 4 mm from the source center compared to the photon contribution. The dose-rate constant Lambda of the cylindrical source was 1.23 cGy h(-1) U-1. The behavior of the radial dose function showed promise for applications in brachytherapy. Due to the electron spectrum, the anisotropy was large for r < 6 mm. Variations in manufacturing tolerances did not significantly influence the final dosimetry data when expressed in cGy h(-1) U-1. For typical capsule dimensions, maximum reference dose rates of about 0.2, 10, and 2 Gy min(-1) would then be obtained for Tm-170, Ir-192, and Yb-169, respectively, resulting in treatment times greater than those for HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy. Conclusions: The dosimetric characteristics of source designs exploiting the low photon energy of Tm-170 were studied for potential application in HDR-brachytherapy. Dose-rate distributions were obtained for cylindrical and simplified spherical Tm-170 source designs (stainless steel and platinum capsule materials) using MC calculations. Despite the high activity of Tm-170, calculated treatment times were much longer than for Ir-192. |
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Address |
[Ballester, Facundo] Univ Valencia, Dept Atom Mol & Nucl Phys, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain, Email: fballest@uv.es |
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Publisher |
Amer Assoc Physicists Medicine Amer Inst Physics |
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Language |
English |
Summary Language |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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ISSN |
0094-2405 |
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Conference |
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Notes |
ISI:000276211200027 |
Approved |
no |
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Is ISI |
yes |
International Collaboration |
yes |
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Call Number |
IFIC @ elepoucu @ |
Serial |
478 |
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