Megavoltage X-ray sources are commonly used for therapy planning, and knowledge of their spectral distribution is important for accurate dose calculations. There are many methods that could provide reasonable estimations of Megavoltage X-ray spectra, when very accurate attenuation data or at least very good set of initial guesses of the spectra are available. We present here a novel method, whi...

INTRODUCTION To evaluate in-field megavoltage (MV) imaging of simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) breast fields to determine its feasibility in treatment verification for the SIB breast radiotherapy technique, and to assess whether the current-imaging protocol and treatment margins are sufficient. METHODS For nine patients undergoing SIB breast radiotherapy, in-field MV images of the SIB fi...

One of the newest developments within radiotherapy is integration Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanners and Megavoltage X-rays from linear accelerators into new MR-Linacs. Some MR-Linacs are able to perform gated treatments based on continuously acquired 2D MR images taken during dose delivery, which has potential reduce margins required for tumor coverage. We have developed a dosimetry system that ...

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of intermediate megavoltage (3-MV) photon beams on SBRT lung cancer treatments. To start with, a 3-MV virtual beam was commissioned on a commercial treatment planning system based on Monte Carlo simulations. Three optimized plans (6-MV, 3-MV and dual energy of 3- and 6-MV) were generated for 31 lung cancer patients with identical beam configurat...

The use of solid carbon fiber table materials in radiotherapy has become more common with the implementation of image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), since the solid materials give less imaging artifacts than the so-called tennis racket couchtops. The downside of the solid carbon fiber couch inserts is that they increase the beam attenuation, resulting in increased surface doses and inaccuracies in...

Imaging procedures utilised for patient position verification during breast radiotherapy can add a considerable dose to organs surrounding the target volume on top of therapeutic scatter dose. This study investigated the dose from a breast kilovoltage cone-beam CT (kV-CBCT), a breast megavoltage fan-beam CT (MV-FBCT), and a TomoDirect breast treatment. Thermoluminescent dosimeters placed within...

Ewing’s sarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumour of the pelvis in children and adolescents. When compared with Ewing’s sarcoma in the extremities, a primary in the pelvis has a particularly poor prognosis. Twenty such cases have been treated at this hospital during the last 25 years with only one long-term survivor; a five-year survival rate has been reported by other authors as ranging...

Many new X-Ray treatment machines using small and/or non-standard radiation fields, e.g., Tomotherapy, Cyber-knife, and linear accelerators equipped with high-resolution multi-leaf collimators on-board imaging system, have been introduced in the radiotherapy clinical routine within last few years. The introduction of these modalities has led to development high conformal techniques like Intensi...

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. With only limited high-level evidence for management of nasal and paranasal sinus cancers owing to low incidence and diverse histology, this paper provides recommendations on the work up and management based on the existing evidence base. Recommendations • Sinon...