@misc{KatsilieriMaerzLoescheletal., author = {Katsilieri, Zaira and Maerz, Manuel and L{\"o}schel, Rainer and K{\"o}lbl, Oliver and Dobler, Barbara}, title = {Error detection sensitivity of a commercially available system for 3D plan verifications}, series = {Physica Medica - European Journal of Medical Physics}, volume = {52}, journal = {Physica Medica - European Journal of Medical Physics}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.ejmp.2018.06.106}, pages = {14}, abstract = {Purpose The complexity of the treatment techniques IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) and VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) introduced the requirement of an individual plan verification. The latest development is 3D verification which allows evaluation in terms of 3D gamma values but also a judgment based on differences in dose distributions on individual patient CT data and in dose volume histograms. For a verification tool the error detection sensitivity is important. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the accuracy and the sensitivity of the gamma evaluation of the 3D verification software MobiusFx when a systematic error in one parameter is applied. The results are compared to an established 2D-measurement based method. Methods 11 IMRT and 11 VMAT plans were selected as reference plans. For every reference plan a systematic offset of 1 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm in the same direction was applied to the Multi-Leaf-Collimator (MLC) positions. All plans were irradiated and verified simultaneously with MobiusFx and MatriXX Evolution 2D array measurement. For both verification systems the applied dose distributions were evaluated using the gamma method based on the reference plans. In MobiusFx additionally the MLC position errors were evaluated. Results Regarding the gamma evaluation results, MobiusFx and MatriXX Evolution 2D measurements have almost the same sensitivity: The gamma evaluation of both systems detected shifts of 1 mm in VMAT plans and shifts of 2 mm and larger in IMRT plans. The information of the MLC position error provided by MobiusFx allows further to detect errors down to a shift of 1 mm in IMRT plans, giving an advantage over the MatriXX measurement. Conclusions MobiusFx shows a high error detection sensitivity, comparable to MatriXX Evolution. Through the gamma calculation and the MLC position error it is possible to detect errors down to a shift in MLC positions of 1 mm. It is recommended to inspect all the above parameters during plan verification.}, language = {en} } @article{AlvarezMoretObermeierPohletal., author = {Alvarez Moret, Judit and Obermeier, Tina and Pohl, Fabian and L{\"o}schel, Rainer and K{\"o}lbl, Oliver and Dobler, Barbara}, title = {Second cancer risk after radiation therapy of ependymoma using the flattening filter free irradiation mode of a linear accelerator}, series = {Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics}, volume = {19}, journal = {Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, organization = {American Association of Physicists in Medicine}, doi = {10.1002/acm2.12438}, pages = {632 -- 639}, abstract = {Pediatric patients suffering from ependymoma are usually treated with cranial or craniospinal three-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Intensity-modulated techniques spare dose to the surrounding tissue, but the risk for second malignancies may be increased due to the increase in low-dose volume. The aim of this study is to investigate if the flattening filter free (FFF) mode allows reducing the risk for second malignancies compared to the mode with flattening filter (FF) for intensity-modulated techniques and to 3DCRT. A reduction of the risk would be advantageous for treating pediatric ependymoma. 3DCRT was compared to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with and without flattening filter. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) were compared to evaluate the plan quality and used to calculate the excess absolute risk (EAR) to develop second cancer in the brain. Dose verification was performed with a two-dimensional (2D) ionization chamber array and the out-of-field dose was measured with an ionization chamber to determine the EAR in peripheral organs. Delivery times were measured. Both VMAT and IMRT achieved similar plan quality in terms of dose sparing in the OAR and higher PTV coverage as compared to 3DCRT. Peripheral dose in low-dose region, which is proportional to the EAR in organs located in this region, for example, gonads, bladder, or bowel, could be significantly reduced using FFF. The lowest peripheral EAR and lowest delivery times were hereby achieved with VMATFFF . The EAR calculated based on DVH in the brain could not be reduced using FFF mode. VMATFFF improved the target coverage and homogeneity and kept the dose in the OAR similar compared to 3DCRT. In addition, delivery times were significantly reduced using VMATFFF . Therefore, for radiotherapy of ependymoma patients, VMATFFF may be considered advantageous for the combination of Elekta Synergy linac and Oncentra External Beam planning system used in this study.}, language = {en} }