Verification of Acuros XB dose algorithm using 3D printed low-density phantoms for clinical photon beams.

The transport-based dose calculation algorithm Acuros XB (AXB) has been shown to accurately account for heterogeneities primarily through comparisons with Monte Carlo simulations. This study aims to provide additional experimental verification of AXB for clinically relevant flattened and unflattened beam energies in low density phantoms of the same material. Polystyrene slabs were created using a bench-top 3D printer.

Characterization of nanoDot optically stimulated luminescence detectors and high-sensitivity MCP-N thermoluminescent detectors in the 40-300 kVp energy range.

Purpose: To investigate empirically the energy dependence of the detector response of two in vivo luminescence detectors, LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP-N) high-sensitivity TLDs and Al O :C OSLDs, in the 40-300-kVp energy range in the context of in vivo surface dose measurement. As these detectors become more prevalent in clinical and preclinical in vivo measurements, knowledge of the variation in the empirical dependence of the measured response of these detectors across a wide spectrum of beam qualities is important.

Method: We characterized a large range of beam qualities of three different kilovoltage x-ray units: an Xstrahl 300 Orthovoltage unit, a Precision x-Ray X-RAD 320ix biological irradiator, and a Varian On-Board Imaging x-ray unit.

Modulated photon radiotherapy (XMRT): an algorithm for the simultaneous optimization of photon beamlet energy and intensity in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) planning.

This is a proof of principle study on an algorithm for optimizing external beam radiotherapy in terms of both photon beamlet energy and fluence. This simultaneous beamlet energy and fluence optimization is denoted modulated photon radiotherapy (XMRT). XMRT is compared with single-energy intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for five clinically relevant test geometries to determine whether treating beamlet energy as a decision variable improves the dose distributions.

Aperture modulated, translating bed total body irradiation.

Purpose: Total body irradiation (TBI) techniques aim to deliver a uniform radiation dose to a patient with an irregular body contour and a heterogeneous density distribution to within +/-10% of the prescribed dose. In the current article, the authors present a novel, aperture modulated, translating bed TBI (AMTBI) technique that produces a high degree of dose uniformity throughout the entire patient.

Methods: The radiation beam is dynamically shaped in two dimensions using a multileaf collimator (MLC).

Angular dependence of the output of a kilovoltage X-ray therapy unit.

During the recommissioning of a Philips RT-250 kilovoltage X-ray unit, unexpected output variations with tube head rotation (cross-plane) and tube head tilt (in-plane) were observed. The measured output showed an increase of up to 7.3% relative to the neutral position (0? in-plane and 0? cross-plane) over the possible range of angles of in-plane rotation for 75 kVp (half-value layer, HVL = 1.