A study on the correlation between radiation field size and gamma index passing rate for MatriXX

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the influence of the radiation field size on the passing rate of the treatment planning system using MatriXX if the field irradiated the circuit. Two sets of static fields which were 10 cm and 30 cm in the left-right direction (X), and was 31 cm to 40 cm in gun-target direction (Y) were designed. In these fields, the gantry was 0 and the monitor units were 200 MU. Two plans from an esophagus carcinoma patient with a planning target volume of 86.4 cm 3 and a cervical carcinoma patient with a planning target volume (PTV) of 2094.1 cm 3 were chosen. The passing rates of these plans were gained without and with protecting the circuit area from lead alloys. The gamma analysis was used and the standard was set to 3%/3 mm. The verification passing rate decreased from 95.0% to 69.2% when X was 10 cm while Y increased from 31 cm to 40 cm. With the protection from low melting point lead alloys, the passing rate was from 96.2% to 89.6%. The results of the second set of plans without lead alloys were similar but the passing rate decreased more sharply. The passing rates of the 2 patients were 99.5% and 57.1%. With the protection of the lead alloys, their passing rates were 99.8% and 72.1%, respectively. The results showed that with the increase of the radiation field size in the Y direction, more areas were irradiated in the circuit, and the passing rate gradually decreases and dropped sharply at a certain threshold. After putting lead alloys above the circuit, the passing rate was much better in the static field but was still less than 90% in the second patient volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) because the circuit was irradiate in other directions. In daily QA, we should pay attention to these patients with long size tumor.