:: Volume 9, Issue 3 (12-2011) ::
Int J Radiat Res 2011, 9(3): 145-150 Back to browse issues page
Evaluation of treatment planning system monitor unit calculations for three intensity modulated radiotherapy delivery techniques
M.N. Anjum , W. Parker , I. Aldahlawi , R. Ruo , M. Afzal
, muhammad.anjum@mail.mcgill.ca
Abstract:   (12356 Views)
Background: We have validated the monitor unit calculations from a commercially available treatment planning system (TPS) for three intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning techniques for tangential breast irradiation by using ionization chamber measurements. Materials and Methods: Treatment plans were generated for forty-two breast patients by a forward planned field in field technique, electronic tissue compensation (ETC), and an inverse planned sliding window technique. We also performed a reproducibility of delivery and dose linearity analysis for each technique. The treatments were delivered to a phantom using a Varian CL21EX linear accelerator. A 2571 0.6 cm3 Farmer type ionization chamber and Farmer 2570/1 electrometer from NE Technology was used to measure output of the linear accelerator and the dose at predefined point in the verification plan. Results: The agreement between the measured and calculated dose was -0.87% ± 0.54% for field in field technique, -0.74% ± 0.23% for electronic tissue compensators, and -1.26% ± 0.48% for the inverse planning technique and. In terms of reproducibility the mean deviation was -1.10% ± 0.44% for the field in field technique, -0.38% ± 0.42% for electronic tissue compensators, -1.04% ± 0.42% for inverse planning technique. Dose linearity experiments showed no significant variations for clinical situations but a breakdown was observed in relative dose for very low monitor units. Conclusion: We have found that the monitor unit calculations for all three planning techniques are correct to the order of 1%, and that the plans can be delivered in a reproducible and accurate manner. Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2011 9(3): 145-150
Keywords: IMRT QA, dose delivery system, dose calculation accuracy, electronic tissue compensators, reproducibility, dose linearity
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Type of Study: Original Research | Subject: Radiation Biology


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Volume 9, Issue 3 (12-2011) Back to browse issues page