Interobserver delineation variability of computed tomography-based radiomic features of the parotid gland.

Purpose: To assess the interobserver delineation variability of radiomic features of the parotid gland from computed tomography (CT) images and evaluate the correlation of these features for head and neck cancer (HNC) radiotherapy patients.

Materials And Methods: Contrast-enhanced CT images of 20 HNC patients were utilized. The parotid glands were delineated by treating radiation oncologists (ROs), a selected RO and AccuContour auto-segmentation software.

CBCT-to-CT Translation Using Registration-Based Generative Adversarial Networks in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.

Recently, deep learning with generative adversarial networks (GANs) has been applied in multi-domain image-to-image translation. This study aims to improve the image quality of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) by generating synthetic CT (sCT) that maintains the patient's anatomy as in CBCT, while having the image quality of CT. As CBCT and CT are acquired at different time points, it is challenging to obtain paired images with aligned anatomy for supervised training.

Correction: Suwanbut et al. Assessment of Fetal Dose and Health Effect to the Fetus from Breast Cancer Radiotherapy during Pregnancy. 2022, , 84.

In the original publication [...

Assessment of Fetal Dose and Health Effect to the Fetus from Breast Cancer Radiotherapy during Pregnancy.

Decision for radiotherapy during the first trimester of pregnancy may occur, as patients may not realize their pregnancy at the very early stage. Since radiation dose can affect fetal development, the aim of this study was to evaluate fetal dose and associated deterministic effects and risks to the fetus from breast cancer radiotherapy of an 8-week pregnant patient. PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System) Monte Carlo simulation and the J-45 computational pregnancy phantom were used to simulate breast cancer radiotherapy from a 6 MV TrueBeam linear accelerator using the three dimensional-conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) technique with a prescribed dose to the planning target volume (PTV) of 50 Gy.

Track-structure modes in particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS): application to radiobiological research.

Purpose: In radiation physics, Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations are powerful tools to evaluate the cellular responses after irradiation. When investigating such radiation-induced biological effects, it is essential to perform track structure simulations by explicitly considering each atomic interaction in liquid water at the sub-cellular and DNA scales. The Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport code System (PHITS) is a Monte Carlo code which enables to calculate track structure at DNA scale by employing the track-structure modes for electrons, protons and carbon ions.

Verification of KURBUC-based ion track structure mode for proton and carbon ions in the PHITS code.

The particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS) is a general-purpose Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation code. It has the ability to handle diverse particle types over a wide range of energy. The latest PHITS development enables the generation of track structure for proton and carbon ions (H, C) based on the algorithms in the KURBUC code, which is considered as one of the most verified track-structure codes worldwide.

CHARACTERIZATION OF AN IN-HOUSE DEVELOPED MULTI-CYLINDRICAL MODERATOR NEUTRON SPECTROMETER.

This article describes the characterization of an in-house developed multi-cylindrical moderator neutron spectrometer, which consists of a cylindrical 3He proportional counter and cylindrical moderator shells of different sizes. The response matrix of the spectrometer was calculated by Monte Carlo simulations for neutron energies from 1 × 10-8 to 10 MeV and verified with measurements in 0.144 MeV, 1.

Radiation track, DNA damage and response-a review.

The purpose of this paper has been to review the current status and progress of the field of radiation biophysics, and draw attention to the fact that physics, in general, and radiation physics in particular, with the aid of mathematical modeling, can help elucidate biological mechanisms and cancer therapies. We hypothesize that concepts of condensed-matter physics along with the new genomic knowledge and technologies and mechanistic mathematical modeling in conjunction with advances in experimental DNA (Deoxyrinonucleic acid molecule) repair and cell signaling have now provided us with unprecedented opportunities in radiation biophysics to address problems in targeted cancer therapy, and genetic risk estimation in humans. Obviously, one is not dealing with 'low-hanging fruit', but it will be a major scientific achievement if it becomes possible to state, in another decade or so, that we can link mechanistically the stages between the initial radiation-induced DNA damage; in particular, at doses of radiation less than 2 Gy and with structural changes in genomic DNA as a precursor to cell inactivation and/or mutations leading to genetic diseases.

Microdosimetry of the full slowing down of protons using Monte Carlo track structure simulations.

The article investigates two approaches in microdosimetric calculations based on Monte Carlo track structure (MCTS) simulations of a 160-MeV proton beam. In the first approach, microdosimetric parameters of the proton beam were obtained using the weighted sum of proton energy distributions and microdosimetric parameters of proton track segments (TSMs). In the second approach, phase spaces of energy depositions obtained using MCTS simulations in the full slowing down (FSD) mode were used for the microdosimetric calculations.

Microdosimetry of proton and carbon ions.

Purpose: To investigate microdosimetry properties of 160 MeV/u protons and 290 MeV/u(12)C ion beams in small volumes of diameters 10-100 nm.

Methods: Energy distributions of primary particles and nuclear fragments in the beams were calculated from simulations with the general purpose code SHIELD-HIT, while energy depositions by monoenergetic ions in nanometer volumes were obtained from the event-by-event Monte Carlo track structure ion code PITS99 coupled with the electron track structure code KURBUC.

Results: The results are presented for frequencies of energy depositions in cylindrical targets of diameters 10-100 nm, dose distributions yd(y) in lineal energy y, and dose-mean lineal energies yD.

A Monte Carlo track structure simulation code for the full-slowing-down carbon projectiles of energies 1 keV u(-1)-10 MeV u(-1) in water.

The paper presents a new Monte Carlo track structure code (KURBUC_carbon) for simulations of full-slowing-down carbon projectiles C(0)-C(6+) of energies 1 keV u(-1)-10 MeV u(-1) in water vapour. The code facilitates investigation of the spatial resolution effect for scoring track parameters under the Bragg peak of a carbon ion beam. Interactions of carbon projectiles and secondary electrons were followed interaction-by-interaction down to a 1 keV u(-1) cutoff for primary ions and down to 10 eV for electrons.

Cross sections for bare and dressed carbon ions in water and neon.

The paper presents calculated cross sections for bare and dressed carbon projectiles of charge states q (0 to 6) with energies 1-10(4) keV u(-1) impacting on molecular water and atomic neon targets. The cross sections of water are of interest for radiobiological studies, but there are very few experimental data for water in any phase, while those for liquid water are non-existent. The more extensive experimental database for the neon target made it possible to test the reliability of the model calculations for the many-electron collision system.

Microdosimetry of low-energy electrons.

Purpose: To investigate differences in energy depositions and microdosimetric parameters of low-energy electrons in liquid and gaseous water using Monte Carlo track structure simulations.

Materials And Methods: KURBUC-liq (Kyushu University and Radiobiology Unit Code for liquid water) was used for simulating electron tracks in liquid water. The inelastic scattering cross sections of liquid water were obtained from the dielectric response model of Emfietzoglou et al.

An energy-loss model for low- and intermediate-energy carbon projectiles in water.

Purpose: To model interaction cross sections and energy loss for carbon projectiles C(0)-C(6+) of 1-10(4) keV/u (u: atomic mass unit) in water.

Materials And Methods: The classical trajectory Monte Carlo method was used to calculate the ionisation and charge-transfer cross sections. The excitation cross sections were scaled from proton data using equilibrium charges determined from the charge-transfer cross sections.

Elastic scattering cross section models used for Monte Carlo simulation of electron tracks in media of biological and medical interest.

Purpose: Elastic scattering is important for the spatial distribution of electrons penetrating matter, and thus for the distribution of deposited energy and DNA damage. Scattering media of interest are in particular liquid and gaseous water and gaseous nitrogen. The former are used as surrogates for tissue and cell environments (since more than 70% of the cell consists of water), while cross section data for nitrogen have been scaled and used as input in Monte Carlo (MC) codes simulating scattering in biologically relevant media.

Physical and biophysical properties of proton tracks of energies 1 keV to 300 MeV in water.

Purpose: To investigate physical and biophysical properties of proton tracks 1 keV-300 MeV using Monte Carlo track structure methods.

Materials And Methods: We present model calculations for cross sections and methods for simulations of full-slowing-down proton tracks. Protons and electrons were followed interaction-by-interaction to cut-off energies, considering elastic scattering, ionisation, excitation, and charge-transfer.

EDDIX--a database of ionisation double differential cross sections.

The use of Monte Carlo track structure is a choice method in biophysical modelling and calculations. To precisely model 3D and 4D tracks, the cross section for the ionisation by an incoming ion, double differential in the outgoing electron energy and angle, is required. However, the double differential cross section cannot be theoretically modelled over the full range of parameters.

A model of carbon ion interactions in water using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method.

In this paper, model calculations for interactions of C(6+) of energies from 1 keV u(-1) to 1 MeV u(-1) in water are presented. The calculations were carried out using the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method, taking into account the dynamic screening of the target core. The total cross sections (TCS) for electron capture and ionisation, and the singly and doubly differential cross sections (SDCS and DDCS) for ionisation were calculated for the five potential energy levels of the water molecule.