Abstract

The goal of this project is to develop and test fully 3-dimensional electron beam dose calculation system which uses Monte Carlo techniques. Monte Carlo transport techniques represent the most accurate physical model available but previously have been considered too time consuming for routine treatment planning on hardware typically available in radiotherapy centers. With major breakthroughs occuring in computing hardware, this will no longer be a constraint. Monte Carlo techniques are needed in electron treatment planning. Even the most advanced dose-computation models are known to make errors of greater than 10% near inhomogeneities. Much of the software developed will be applicable to dose computation in photon beams, although for photon beams the errors in analytic models are less severe and the time for Monte Carlo simulation is much longer. There are four specific components of this project: 1) The development of highly efficient and accurate Monte Carlo codes for calculating 3-dimension dose distributions in individual patients, starting for CT data and the description of the clinical beam and any beam modifying devices; 2) The development of techniques for characterizing clinical electron beams for input to the treatment planning routines; 3) The demonstration within a 3-dimensional radiotherapy treatment planning system for routine Monte Carlo computation of clinical electron- beam dose distributions using the new generation of very fast but inexpensive computers; 4) The validation of the technique using a variety of experimental phantoms and clinical examples.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA052692-03
Application #
3197530
Study Section
Radiation Study Section (RAD)
Project Start
1990-09-01
Project End
1994-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-01
Budget End
1994-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715

  Publications

Sheikh-Bagheri, Daryoush; Rogers, D W O (2002) Monte Carlo calculation of nine megavoltage photon beam spectra using the BEAM code. Med Phys 29:391-402
Sheikh-Bagheri, Daryoush; Rogers, D W O (2002) Sensitivity of megavoltage photon beam Monte Carlo simulations to electron beam and other parameters. Med Phys 29:379-90
Sheikh-Bagheri, D; Rogers, D W; Ross, C K et al. (2000) Comparison of measured and Monte Carlo calculated dose distributions from the NRC linac. Med Phys 27:2256-66
Zhang, G G; Rogers, D W; Cygler, J E et al. (1999) Monte Carlo investigation of electron beam output factors versus size of square cutout. Med Phys 26:743-50
Ding, G X; Rogers, D W; Cygler, J E et al. (1997) Electron fluence correction factors for conversion of dose in plastic to dose in water. Med Phys 24:161-76
Ma, C M; Seuntjens, J P (1997) Correction factors for water-proofing sleeves in kilovoltage x-ray beams. Med Phys 24:1507-13
Liu, H H; Mackie, T R; McCullough, E C (1997) A dual source photon beam model used in convolution/superposition dose calculations for clinical megavoltage x-ray beams. Med Phys 24:1960-74
Liu, H H; Mackie, T R; McCullough, E C (1997) Calculating output factors for photon beam radiotherapy using a convolution/superposition method based on a dual source photon beam model. Med Phys 24:1975-85
Ma, C M; Faddegon, B A; Rogers, D W et al. (1997) Accurate characterization of Monte Carlo calculated electron beams for radiotherapy. Med Phys 24:401-16
Ding, G X; Rogers, D W (1996) Mean energy, energy-range relationships and depth-scaling factors for clinical electron beams. Med Phys 23:361-76

Showing the most recent 10 out of 16 publications