SU-E-J-145: Implementing 4D XCAT Phantom for 4D Radiotherapy Research

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiotherapy Technology
• Computational Imaging

Background:

• Four-dimensional (4D) radiotherapy requires accurate digital phantoms to simulate organ motion.
• The Extended Cardiac Torso (XCAT) phantom is a valuable tool for this purpose.
• Characterizing and implementing the 4D XCAT phantom is crucial for its effective application in radiotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and implement the 4D Integrated Extended Cardiac Torso (XCAT) digital phantom for 4D radiotherapy (RT) applications.
• To develop a comprehensive software tool for managing 4D XCAT phantom data.
• To validate the phantom's capabilities in simulating realistic respiratory motion and its impact on treatment planning.

Main Methods:

• Developed a computer program for generating, reviewing, and processing 4D XCAT images.
• Implemented motion tracking algorithms for regions of interest and validated against manual methods.
• Analyzed lesion motion dependence on location, size, and diaphragm movement, and performed end-to-end testing with treatment planning.

Main Results:

• Motion tracking showed minimal differences compared to manual measurements (1.2 mm amplitude difference).
• Lesion motion was found to decrease with increasing distance from the diaphragm and increase with diaphragm motion.
• The 4D XCAT phantom accurately reproduced irregular breathing patterns, enabling the generation of clinically comparable treatment plans.

Conclusions:

• An integrated software solution has been successfully developed for comprehensive management of 4D XCAT images.
• A robust workflow for implementing the 4D XCAT phantom in 4D radiotherapy has been established.
• The developed system supports advanced radiotherapy applications through accurate digital phantom simulation.