A medical image-based graphical platform-Features, applications and relevance for brachytherapy

Author(s)

Fonseca, Gabriel P. ^{[1, 2]} ; Reniers, Brigitte ^{[1, 3]} ; Landry, Guillaume ^{[1, 4]} ; White, Shane ^[1] ; Bellezzo, Murillo ^[2] ; Antunes, Paula C. G. ^[2] ; de Sales, Camila P. ^[5] ; Welteman, Eduardo ^[6] ; Yoriyaz, Helio ^[2] ; Verhaegen, Frank ^{[1, 7]}

Affiliation

^[1] Maastricht Univ, Med Ctr, GROW Sch Oncol & Dev Biol, Dept Radiat Oncol MAASTRO, NL-6201 BN Maastricht - Netherlands

^[2] Inst Pesquisas Energet & Nucl IPEN, CNEN SP, Ctr Engn Nucl, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Hasselt Univ, Ctr Environm Sci, Res Grp NuTeC, Diepenbeek - Belgium

^[4] Univ Munich, Dept Med Phys, Garching - Germany

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Radiol, Hosp Clin, HC FMUSP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, HC FMUSP, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[7] McGill Univ, Dept Oncol, Med Phys Unit, Montreal, PQ - Canada

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BRACHYTHERAPY; v. 13, n. 6, p. 632-639, NOV-DEC 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

PURPOSE: Brachytherapy dose calculation is commonly performed using the Task Group-No 43 Report-Updated protocol (TG-43U1) formalism. Recently, a more accurate approach has been proposed that can handle tissue composition, tissue density, body shape, applicator geometry, and dose reporting either in media or water. Some model-based dose calculation algorithms are based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. This work presents a software platform capable of processing medical images and treatment plans, and preparing the required input data for MC simulations. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The A Medical Image-based Graphical platfOrm Brachytherapy module (AMIGOBrachy) is a user interface, coupled to the MCNP6 MC code, for absorbed dose calculations. The AMIGOBrachy was first validated in water for a high-dose-rate Ir-192 source. Next, dose distributions were validated in uniform phantoms consisting of different materials. Finally, dose distributions were obtained in patient geometries. Results were compared against a treatment planning system including a linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver capable of handling nonwater heterogeneities. RESULTS: The TG-43U1 source parameters are in good agreement with literature with more than 90% of anisotropy values within 1%. No significant dependence on the tissue composition was observed comparing MC results against an LBTE solver. Clinical cases showed differences up to 25%, when comparing MC results against TG-43U1. About 92% of the voxels exhibited dose differences lower than 2% when comparing MC results against an LBTE solver. CONCLUSION: The AMIGOBrachy can improve the accuracy of the TG-43U1 dose calculation by using a more accurate MC dose calculation algorithm. The AMIGOBrachy can be incorporated in clinical practice via a user-friendly graphical interface. (C) 2014 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/22778-8 - 3D dosimetry based on medical images and Monte Carlo codes to use in brachytherapy
• Grantee: Hélio Yoriyaz
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/23765-7 - Dose-volume relationship in planning systems for 3D brachytherapy using mcnp5 code, brachyvision and oncentra
• Grantee: Gabriel Paiva Fonseca
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 11/01913-4 - Monte Carlo modelling of the patient and treatment delivery complexities for high dose rate brachytherapy
• Grantee: Gabriel Paiva Fonseca
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate