WE-G-BRA-04: The Development of a Virtual Reality Dosimetry Training Platform for Physics Training

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiotherapy Training
• Simulation Technology

Background:

• Growing interest in simulation methodologies for professional training.
• Development of the Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) simulating a functional linear accelerator (Linac).
• Need for realistic quality control (QC) processes in radiotherapy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce novel physics equipment for realistic QC processes in radiotherapy training.
• Enhance the VERT simulation with hands-on QC capabilities.
• Provide tools for simulating Linac calibration and physics principles.

Main Methods:

• Developed five physics devices: scanning water phantom, 'solid water' QC block, light/radiation field coincidence phantom, laser alignment phantom, and calibration phantom.
• Devices feature realistic operation with control screens and feedback.
• Incorporated ability to introduce random errors in geometrical characteristics (isocentre, lasers, jaws) for fault condition training.
• Dosimetric devices respond to Linac beam qualities; calibration module requires setting temperature and pressure factors.

Main Results:

• Dosimetric devices successfully characterized Linac beams.
• Measured depth doses (Dmax 15mm/29mm, d10 67%/77%) for 6/15MV beams.
• Determined Quality Indices (TPR20/10 ratios) as 0.668 and 0.761.

Conclusions:

• The developed tools effectively demonstrate physics principles like beam divergence and the inverse square law.
• The equipment facilitates simulation of ion chamber calibration.
• A novel set of tools for physics education through simulation training in a virtual environment has been created.