Comparison between Two Dose Calculation Methods, Acuros and TG43: Implications for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Heffernan, J.; Gilbert, Lynn; Arthur, Douglas W.; Todor, Dorin

doi:10.1016/j.brachy.2010.02.035

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…By more heavily weighting source dwell positions on one side of the device, it is possible to steer the dose away from critical structures. The effect of the lack of tissue for full backscatter for devices capable of asymmetric dose distributions, such as the Contura, has not been studied in detail (10,11,12) …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dose modification factor analysis of multilumen balloon brachytherapy applicator with Monte Carlo simulation

Pearson

Williams

2013

J Applied Clin Med Phys

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The Contura brachytherapy applicator is a silicone balloon with five lumens in which a high‐dose‐rate brachytherapy source can traverse. Multilumen applicators, like the Contura, are used in accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) brachytherapy in instances where asymmetric dose distributions are desired; for example, when the applicator surface‐to‐skin thickness is small (< 7 mm). In these instances, the air outside the patient and the lung act as a poor scattering medium, scattering less dose back into the breast and affecting the dose distribution. The recent report by Task Group 186 of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has outlined the importance of moving towards brachytherapy dose calculations using heterogeneity corrections. However, at this time, many commercial treatment planning systems do not correct for tissue heterogeneity, which can result in inaccuracies in the planned dose distribution. To quantify the deviation in the skin dose we utilize the dose modification factor (DMF), defined as the ratio of the dose rate at 1 cm beyond the applicator surface with homogenous medium, to the dose rate at 1 cm with heterogeneous medium. This investigation models the Contura applicator with the Monte Carlo N‐Particle code version 5, and determines a DMF through simulation. Taking all geometrical considerations into account, an accurate model of the Contura balloon applicator was created in MCNP and used to run simulations. The dose modification factor was found to be only slightly dependent on whether the dose distribution was symmetric or asymmetric. These results indicate that the dose delivered to part of the PTV may be lower than the planned dose by up to 12%, and that these brachytherapy plans should be viewed with caution. In addition to studying the effects of backscatter, an evaluation was made regarding the capabilities of the Contura device to shape an asymmetric dose distribution. We compared these results to a previous study of a MammoSite ML and a SAVI device and found that the dose shaping capabilities of the Contura were quite similar to that of the MammoSite ML, but markedly inferior to the SAVI.PACS number: 87.53.Jw

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%