4D ultrasound speckle tracking of intra-fraction prostate motion: a phantom-based comparison with x-ray fiducial tracking using CyberKnife.

This study investigates the use of a mechanically-swept 3D ultrasound (3D-US) probe for soft-tissue displacement monitoring during prostate irradiation, with emphasis on quantifying the accuracy relative to CyberKnife® x-ray fiducial tracking. An US phantom, implanted with x-ray fiducial markers was placed on a motion platform and translated in 3D using five real prostate motion traces acquired using the Calypso system. Motion traces were representative of all types of motion as classified by studying Calypso data for 22 patients.

Application of a new dosimetry formalism to volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT).

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) offers a challenge to classical dosimetry protocols as the beams are dynamic in orientation and aperture shape and may include small apertures. The aim of this paper is to apply a formalism to VMAT beams that has recently been published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) working party to improve the dosimetry for small and non-standard fields. We investigated three possible fields and assessed their suitability as plan class specific reference (pcsr) fields.