Development and implementation of an EPID-based method for localizing isocenter.

The aim of this study was to develop a phantom and analysis software that could be used to quickly and accurately determine the location of radiation isocenter to an accuracy of less than 1 mm using the EPID (Electronic Portal Imaging Device). The proposed solution uses a collimator setting of 10 × 10 cm2 to acquire EPID images of a new phantom constructed from LEGO blocks. Images from a number of gantry and collimator angles are analyzed by automated analysis software to determine the position of the jaws and center of the phantom in each image.

Assessment of three dead detector correction methods for cone-beam computed tomography.

Purpose: Dead detectors due to manufacturing defects or radiation damage in the electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) used for cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) can lead to image degradation and ring artifacts. In this work three dead detector correction methods were assessed using megavoltage CBCT (MVCBCT) as a test system, with the goals of assessing the relative effectiveness of the three methods and establishing the conditions for which they fail.

Methods: MVCBCT projections acquired with four linacs at 8 and 60 MU (monitor units) were degraded with varying percentages (2%-95%) of randomly distributed dead single detectors (RDSs), randomly distributed dead detector clusters (RDCs) of 2 mm diameter, and nonrandomly distributed dead detector disks (NRDDs) of varying diameter (4-16 mm).

Dosimetric characterization and application of an imaging beam line with a carbon electron target for megavoltage cone beam computed tomography.

Imaging dose from megavoltage cone beam computed tomography (MVCBCT) can be significantly reduced without loss of image quality by using an imaging beam line (IBL), with no flattening filter and a carbon, rather than tungsten, electron target. The IBL produces a greater keV-range x-ray fluence than the treatment beam line (TBL), which results in a more optimal detector response. The IBL imaging dose is not necessarily negligible, however.