The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of dual-energy CT (DECT) for quantifying iodine using a soft tissue-mimicking phantom across various DECT acquisition parameters and dual-source CT (DSCT) scanners. A phantom was constructed with plastic tubes containing soft tissue-mimicking materials with known iodine concentrations (0-20 mg/mL). Experiments were performed on two DSCT s...

AIM In this study, the dosimetric properties of the electronic portal imaging device were examined and the quality assurance testing of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy was performed. BACKGROUND RapidArc involves the variable dose rate, leaf speed and the gantry rotation. The imager was studied for the effects like dose, dose rate, field size, leaf speed and sag during gantry rotation. MATE...

Cone-beam computed tomography systems have been developed to provide in situ imaging for the purpose of guiding radiation therapy. Clinical systems have been constructed using this approach, a clinical linear accelerator (Elekta Synergy RP) and an iso-centric C-arm. Geometric calibration involves the estimation of a set of parameters that describes the geometry of such systems, and is essential...

The use of non-coplanar radiation fields can potentially lead to collisions between the gantry and the couch or patient. The collisions are often not realized until the plan is finished and the fields are checked on the machine, or even later when the patient is already on the table. This paper presents an easy method of gauging if a collision is likely between the gantry and couch or patient d...

Background: As the volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) becoming a main role of treatment ways, the effect of couch top becomes more significant. It is imperative to re-evaluate the couches that previously may have been considered of no importance during early treatment techniques. The impact of couch top on radiation delivery was explored and the couch model was tested with the aim of reduc...

PURPOSE Positioning verification is usually performed with treatment beam (MV) portal images (PI) using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). A new alternative is the use of a low energy photon source (kV) and an additional EPID mounted to the accelerator gantry. This system may be used for PI or--with rotating gantry--as cone-beam CT (CBCT). The dose delivered to the patient by different...

The feasibility of estimating patient-specific dose verification results directly from linear accelerator (linac) log files has been investigated for prostate cancer patients who undergo volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Twenty-six patients who underwent VMAT in our facility were consecutively selected. VMAT plans were created using Monaco treatment planning system and were transferred t...

PURPOSE To investigate the role of beam orientation optimization in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and to examine the potential benefits of noncoplanar intensity-modulated beams. METHODS AND MATERIALS A beam orientation optimization algorithm was implemented. For this purpose, system variables were divided into two groups: beam position (gantry and table angles) and beam profile...