MOCUP is a system of external processors that allow for a limited treatment of the temporal composition of the user-selected MCNP cells in a time-dependent flux environment. The ORIGEN2 code computes the time-dependent compositions of these individually selected MCNP cells. All data communication between the two codes is accomplished through the MCNP and ORIGEN2 input/output files, the MOCUP Processor Output files, and two user supplied tables. MOCUP is either command line or interactively driven. The interactive interface is based on the portable X11 window environment and the Motif tool kit. MOCUP was constructed so that no modifications to either MCNP or ORIGENZ were necessary. Section 4 of the writeup contains the input instructions needed to set up the MOCUP run. MOCUP is extremely useful for analysts who perform isotope production, material transformation, and depletion and isotope analyses on complex, non-lattice geometries, and uniform and non-uniform lattices.
Recent clinical results have demonstrated the promise of targeted radionuclide therapy for advanced cancer. As the success of this emerging form of radiation therapy grows, accurate treatment planning and radiation dose simulations are likely to become increasingly important. To address this need, we have initiated the development of a new, Monte Carlo transport-based treatment planning system for molecular targeted radiation therapy as part of the MINERVA system. The goal of the MINERVA dose calculation system is to provide 3-D Monte Carlo simulation-based dosimetry for radiation therapy, focusing on experimental and emerging applications. For molecular targeted radionuclide therapy applications, MINERVA calculates patient-specific radiation dose estimates using computed tomography to describe the patient anatomy, combined with a user-defined 3-D radiation source. This paper describes the validation of the 3-D Monte Carlo transport methods to be used in MINERVA for molecular targeted radionuclide dosimetry. It reports comparisons of MINERVA dose simulations with published absorbed fraction data for distributed, monoenergetic photon and electron sources, and for radioisotope photon emission. MINERVA simulations are generally within 2% of EGS4 results and 10% of MCNP results, but differ by up to 40% from the recommendations given in MIRD Pamphlets 3 and 8 for identical medium composition and density. For several representative source and target organs in the abdomen and thorax, specific absorbed fractions calculated with the MINERVA system are generally within 5% of those published in the revised MIRD Pamphlet 5 for 100 keV photons. However, results differ by up to 23% for the adrenal glands, the smallest of our target organs. Finally, we show examples of Monte Carlo simulations in a patient-like geometry for a source of uniform activity located in the kidney.
This document is the user manual for the Simulation Environment for Radiotherapy Applications (SERA) software program developed for boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) patient treatment planning by researchers at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and students and faculty at Montana State University (MSU) Computer Science Department. This manual corresponds to the final release of the program, Version 1C0, developed to run under the RedHat Linux Operating System (version 7.2 or newer) or the Solaris™ Operating System (version 2.6 or newer). SERA is a suite of command line or interactively launched software modules, including graphical, geometric reconstruction, and execution interface modules for developing BNCT treatment plans. The program allows the user to develop geometric models of the patient as derived from Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images, perform dose computation for these geometric models, and display the computed doses on overlays of the original images as three dimensional representations. This manual provides a guide to the practical use of SERA, but is not an exhaustive treatment of each feature of the code. iv IN MEMORIAMFloyd J. Wheeler passed away before the final version of the software and manual were completed. Floyd was a leader and innovator in the development of computational methods for neutron transport in tissue, a widely respected member of the international Neutron Capture Therapy community, a great teacher and mentor, a dedicated and loving father, and one of the most decent, forthright, and helpful people anyone could hope to meet. His absence impoverishes us all. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAs with many large endeavors such as this, there is a supporting cast of thousands lurking behind the scenes who are not only unrewarded but, worse, unrecognized. In many of these cases, these same people may and do make contributions more significant than do the authors appearing on that work. This effort is no exception. With regard to this effort, there is one such person that stands above all others, authors included, and that person is Merle Griebenow. Merle instituted the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) program at Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), and perhaps revived it in many other quarters. Merle, like Professor Hatanaka before him, was regarded as a heretic by many of his peers, except by those who really know him. We might say that being regarded as a heretic is perhaps really an honor, since, from the historic perspective, it's probably heresy, not necessity, that is the mother of invention.Merle has an incredible capacity to observe and learn and then trust and support the people he recruits. For that, we are most grateful.
The aim of this project is to extend accurate and patient-specific treatment planning to new treatment modalities, such as molecular targeted radiation therapy, incorporating previously crafted and proven Monte Carlo and deterministic computation methods. A flexible software environment is being created that allows planning radiation treatment for these new modalities and combining different forms of radiation treatment with consideration of biological effects. The system uses common input interfaces, medical image sets for definition of patient geometry and dose reporting protocols. Previously, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Montana State University (MSU) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) had accrued experience in the development and application of Monte Carlo based, three-dimensional, computational dosimetry and treatment planning tools for radiotherapy in several specialized areas. In particular, INEEL and MSU have developed computational dosimetry systems for neutron radiotherapy and neutron capture therapy, while LLNL has developed the PEREGRINE computational system for external beam photon-electron therapy. Building on that experience, the INEEL and MSU are developing the MINERVA (modality inclusive environment for radiotherapeutic variable analysis) software system as a general framework for computational dosimetry and treatment planning for a variety of emerging forms of radiotherapy. In collaboration with this development, LLNL has extended its PEREGRINE code to accommodate internal sources for molecular targeted radiotherapy (MTR), and has interfaced it with the plugin architecture of MINERVA. Results from the extended PEREGRINE code have been compared to published data from other codes, and found to be in general agreement (EGS4-2%, MCNP-10%) (Descalle et al 2003 Cancer Biother. Radiopharm. 18 71-9). The code is currently being benchmarked against experimental data. The interpatient variability of the drug pharmacokinetics in MTR can only be properly accounted for by image-based, patient-specific treatment planning, as has been common in external beam radiation therapy for many years. MINERVA offers 3D Monte Carlo-based MTR treatment planning as its first integrated operational capability. The new MINERVA system will ultimately incorporate capabilities for a comprehensive list of radiation therapies. In progress are modules for external beam photon-electron therapy and boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Brachytherapy and proton therapy are planned. Through the open application programming interface (API), other groups can add their own modules and share them with the community.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.