Purpose: The Varian TrueBeam STx linac can be equipped with BrainLAB stereotactic cones and ExacTrac imaging system for SRS treatments. However, these two third-party systems lack integration in a self-performance diagnosis tool dedicated to the SRS platform. The aim of this work was to design and automate essential geometric tests considering the complete set of cones with diameter range from 4 to 15 mm.
Methods: EPID-based tests were focused on the cone alignment, the radiation isocentricity and the isocenters congruence. Images acquired with or without the BrainLAB pointer were analysed using the Hough transform and morphological filtering operations, after assessment of the algorithm accuracy using simulated images. The new Machine QA program was experimented over one year.
Results: A subpixel resolution of 0.02 mm was found for the circular-field center detection algorithm. The tests results did not depend on the pointer location. The maximum deviations reported were in accordance with the AAPM SRS guidelines. The accurate localization of the linac radiation isocenter allowed for guidance of the ExacTrac calibration. A misalignment reaching 0.2 mm was measured for all cones but one, highlighting the benefit of systematizing this control before each patient SRS treatment.
Conclusion: An effective in-house QA program dedicated to SRS cones was developed to supplement the standard machine performance check on our mixed SRS platform. Specific geometric tests even include the smallest 4-mm cone, which could be of great interest for future clinical indications such as the radiosurgery of functional disorders.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmp.2022.02.011 | DOI Listing |
JMIR Form Res
January 2025
Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States.
Background: Perception-related errors comprise most diagnostic mistakes in radiology. To mitigate this problem, radiologists use personalized and high-dimensional visual search strategies, otherwise known as search patterns. Qualitative descriptions of these search patterns, which involve the physician verbalizing or annotating the order he or she analyzes the image, can be unreliable due to discrepancies in what is reported versus the actual visual patterns.
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January 2025
Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Background: Statins, as an important class of lipid-lowering drugs, play a key role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, with their widespread use in clinical practice, some adverse events have gradually emerged. In particular, the hepatotoxicity associated with statins use has become one of the clinical concerns that require sufficient attention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Total Environ
January 2025
Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 1665, Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address:
Background: Cd has no known biological function and poses significant health risks in humans. Children are particularly susceptible to Cd toxicity due to their higher absorption rates and weaker biological defenses. However, national blood Cd levels (BCLs) in Chinese children aged 0-6 years remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Chem A
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
The quantum transition state framework was developed to calculate the reaction path-resolved scattering matrix for atom-diatom reactions in hyperspherical (APH) coordinates. This approach allows for simply and directly calculating the reaction path-resolved scattering matrix, especially when the encircling reaction path is negligible. It could be used to determine the reactivities of specific pathways in a chemical reaction, providing insights into phenomena such as geometric phase effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoft Robot
January 2025
Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Soft robots and bioinspired systems have revolutionized robot design by incorporating flexibility and deformable materials inspired by nature's ingenious designs. Similar to many robotic applications, sensing and perception are paramount to enable soft robots to adeptly navigate the unpredictable real world, ensuring safe interactions with both humans and the environment. Despite recent progress, soft robot sensorization still faces significant challenges due to the virtual infinite degrees of freedom of the system and the need for efficient computational models capable of estimating valuable information from sensor data.
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