Treatment verification in high dose rate brachytherapy using a realistic 3D printed head phantom and an imaging panel

Teun van Wagenberg, Gabriel Paiva Fonseca, Robert Voncken, Celine van Beveren, Evert van Limbergen, Ludy Lutgens, Ben G L Vanneste, Maaike Berbee, Brigitte Reniers, Frank Verhaegen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE: Even though High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy has good treatment outcomes in different treatment sites, treatment verification is far from widely implemented because of a lack of easily available solutions. Previously it has been shown that an imaging panel (IP) near the patient can be used to determine treatment parameters such as the dwell time and source positions in a single material pelvic phantom. In this study we will use a heterogeneous head phantom to test this IP approach, and simulate common treatment errors to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the error-detecting capabilities of the IP.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: A heterogeneous head-phantom consisting of soft tissue and bone equivalent materials was 3D-printed to simulate a base of tongue treatment. An High Dose Rate treatment plan with 3 different catheters was used to simulate a treatment delivery, using dwell times ranging from 0.3 s to 4 s and inter-dwell distances of 2 mm. The IP was used to measure dwell times, positions and detect simulated errors. Measured dwell times and positions were used to calculate the delivered dose.

RESULTS: Dwell times could be determined within 0.1 s. Source positions were measured with submillimeter accuracy in the plane of the IP, and average distance accuracy of 1.7 mm in three dimensions. All simulated treatment errors (catheter swap, catheter shift, afterloader errors) were detected. Dose calculations show slightly different distributions with the measured dwell positions and dwell times (gamma pass rate for 1 mm/1% of 96.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: Using an IP, it was possible to verify the treatment in a realistic heterogeneous phantom and detect certain treatment errors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)269-278
Number of pages10
JournalBrachytherapy
Volume22
Issue number2
Early online date9 Jan 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

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