Evaluation of the first commercial Monte Carlo dose calculation engine for electron beam treatment planning

Cygler, Joanna; Daskalov, Georgi M.; Chan, Grace; Ding, G

doi:10.1118/1.1633105

Cited by 86 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Many MC packages such as EGSnrc, (1) PENELOPE, (2) MCNP, (3) and GEANT4 (4) have been used and benchmarked with experimental data very accurately in a variety of clinical radiotherapy scenarios. There are a variety of MC‐based dose calculation algorithms used in radiotherapy treatment planning systems (TPS) 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 . Generally, these algorithms make some sacrifices to gain computational efficiency required to achieve appropriate statistical uncertainty levels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evaluation of a GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the Monaco treatment planning system

Paudel

Kim

Sarfehnia

et al. 2016

J Applied Clin Med Phys

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A new GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm (GPUMCD), developed by the vendor Elekta for the Monaco treatment planning system (TPS), is capable of modeling dose for both a standard linear accelerator and an Elekta MRI linear accelerator. We have experimentally evaluated this algorithm for a standard Elekta Agility linear accelerator. A beam model was developed in the Monaco TPS (research version 5.09.06) using the commissioned beam data for a 6 MV Agility linac. A heterogeneous phantom representing several scenarios — tumor‐in‐lung, lung, and bone‐in‐tissue — was designed and built. Dose calculations in Monaco were done using both the current clinical Monte Carlo algorithm, XVMC, and the new GPUMCD algorithm. Dose calculations in a Pinnacle TPS were also produced using the collapsed cone convolution (CCC) algorithm with heterogeneity correction. Calculations were compared with the measured doses using an ionization chamber (A1SL) and Gafchromic EBT3 films for 2×2 cm2,5×5 cm2, and 10×2 cm2 field sizes. The percentage depth doses (PDDs) calculated by XVMC and GPUMCD in a homogeneous solid water phantom were within 2%/2 mm of film measurements and within 1% of ion chamber measurements. For the tumor‐in‐lung phantom, the calculated doses were within 2.5%/2.5 mm of film measurements for GPUMCD. For the lung phantom, doses calculated by all of the algorithms were within 3%/3 mm of film measurements, except for the 2×2 cm2 field size where the CCC algorithm underestimated the depth dose by ∼5% in a larger extent of the lung region. For the bone phantom, all of the algorithms were equivalent and calculated dose to within 2%/2 mm of film measurements, except at the interfaces. Both GPUMCD and XVMC showed interface effects, which were more pronounced for GPUMCD and were comparable to film measurements, whereas the CCC algorithm showed these effects poorly.PACS number(s): 87.53.Bn, 87.55.dh, 87.55.km

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evaluation of a GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the Monaco treatment planning system

Paudel

Kim

Sarfehnia

et al. 2016

J Applied Clin Med Phys

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…( 8 , 9 ) This is due to assumptions inherent to the algorithm, such as the modeling of electron scatter with a Gaussian distribution and the lack of delta ray and Bremsstrahlung modeling. Some authors have already reported on the accuracy of macro Monte Carlo algorithms in the presence of heterogeneous media; ( 10 – 13 ) however, measurements were limited to regions located before or after the heterogeneity. Neuenschwander et al ( 3 ) performed validation simulations of MMC within bone and lung heterogeneity by comparing MMC results to EGS4 results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of an electron Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the presence of heterogeneities using EGSnrc and radiochromic film measurements

Aubry

Bouchard

Bessiéres

et al. 2011

J Applied Clin Med Phys

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this study is to validate Eclipse's electron Monte Carlo algorithm (eMC) in heterogeneous phantoms using radiochromic films and EGSnrc as a reference Monte Carlo algorithm. Four heterogeneous phantoms are used in this study. Radiochromic films are inserted in these phantoms, including in heterogeneous media, and the measured relative dose distributions are compared to eMC calculations. Phantoms A, B, and C contain 1D heterogeneities, built with layers of lung‐ (phantom A) and bone‐ (phantoms B and C) equivalent materials sandwiched in Plastic Water. Phantom D is a thorax‐anthropomorphic phantom with 2D lung heterogeneities. Electron beams of 6, 9, 12 and 18 MeV from a Varian Clinac 2100 are delivered to these phantoms with a 10×10 cm2 applicator. Monte Carlo simulations with an independent algorithm (EGSnrc) are also used as a reference tool for two purposes: (1) as a second validation of the eMC dose calculations, and (2) to calculate the stopping power ratio between radiochromic films and bone medium, when dose is measured inside the heterogeneity. Percent depth dose (PDD) film measurements and eMC calculations agree within 2% or 3 mm for phantom A, and within 3% or 3 mm for phantoms B and C for almost all beam energies. One exception is observed with phantom B and the 6 MeV, where measured PDDs and those calculated with eMC differ by up to 4 mm. Gamma analysis of the measured and calculated 2D dose distributions in phantom D agree with criteria of 3%, 3 mm for 9, 12, and 18 MeV beams, and criteria of 5%, 3 mm for the 6 MeV beam. Dose calculations in heterogeneous media with eMC agree within 3% or 3 mm with radiochromic film measurements. Six (6) MeV beams are not modeled as accurately as other beam energies. The eMC algorithm is suitable for clinical dose calculations involving lung and bone.PACS numbers: 87.10.Rt, 87.55.km

show abstract

“…1a and b) were arranged using small solid blocks of PMMA. The dimensions of these cavities were chosen as representative geometries of cavities presented in the head and neck region [7,14] and are summarized in Table 1. For all phantom configurations, a PMMA plate (15 Â 15 cm 2 area) with thickness of 0.2 cm was located at the top of the phantom block containing the cavities.…”

Section: Phantom Geometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, shallow cavities can affect the clinical result in several radiotherapy treatments [14,16]. Furthermore, Ding et al [13] reported that the accuracy of pencil beam calculations may depend not only on the geometry of the 3D inhomogeneity, but also on the location of the inhomogeneity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, there is a lack of studies accounting the dependence of the air cavity effect on its geometry, position and energy for electron beams [10e 12]. Most of the published studies for electron beams [14,15] were focused benchmarking the accuracy of a commercial treatment planning system incorporating Monte Carlo dose calculation. Although the results of these works have shown a dosimetric effect, both experimentally and with Monte Carlo simulations, in air cavity phantoms for different energy of electron beams, the magnitude of the dose perturbation depending on the geometry and location of the cavity was not reported.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Dosimetric effect by shallow air cavities in high energy electron beams

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

a b s t r a c tThis study evaluates the dosimetric impact caused by an air cavity located at 2 mm depth from the top surface in a PMMA phantom irradiated by electron beams produced by a Siemens Primus linear accelerator. A systematic evaluation of the effect related to the cavity area and thickness as well as to the electron beam energy was performed by using Monte Carlo simulations (EGSnrc code), Pencil Beam algorithm and Gafchromic EBT2 films. A home-PMMA phantom with the same geometry as the simulated one was specifically constructed for the measurements. Our results indicate that the presence of the cavity causes an increase (up to 70%) of the dose maximum value as well as a shift forward of the position of the depthedose curve, compared to the homogeneous one. Pronounced dose discontinuities in the regions close to the lateral cavity edges are observed. The shape and magnitude of these discontinuities change with the dimension of the cavity. It is also found that the cavity effect is more pronounced (6%) for the 12 MeV electron beam and the presence of cavities with large thickness and small area introduces more significant variations (up to 70%) on the depthedose curves.Overall, the Gafchromic EBT2 film measurements were found in agreement within 3% with Monte Carlo calculations and predict well the fine details of the dosimetric change near the cavity interface. The Pencil Beam calculations underestimate the dose up to 40% compared to Monte Carlo simulations; in particular for the largest cavity thickness (2.8 cm).

show abstract

Evaluation of the first commercial Monte Carlo dose calculation engine for electron beam treatment planning

Cited by 86 publications

References 19 publications

Experimental evaluation of a GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the Monaco treatment planning system

Experimental evaluation of a GPU‐based Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the Monaco treatment planning system

Validation of an electron Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm in the presence of heterogeneities using EGSnrc and radiochromic film measurements

Dosimetric effect by shallow air cavities in high energy electron beams

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About