In Vivo 3-D Dose Verification Using PET/CT Images After Carbon-Ion Radiation Therapy
Lining Sun1,2, Weigang Hu1,2, Songtao Lai1,2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Objective:
To investigate the usefulness of positron emission tomography (PET) images obtained after carbon-ion irradiation for dose verification in carbon-ion radiotherapy.
Methods And Materials:
An anthropomorphic head phantom was used in this study. Three cubes with volumes of 1, 4, and 10 ml were contoured as targets in the phantom CT through a treatment planning system. Treatment plans with six prescriptions from 2.5 to 10 Gy (2.5, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 Gy effective dose) were designed and delivered by 90° fixed carbon-ion beams, respectively. After irradiation of the phantom, a PET/CT scan was performed to fuse the treatment-planning CT image with the PET/CT image. The relationship between target volume and the standard uptake value (SUV) in PET/CT was evaluated for corresponding plan prescription. The MIM Maestro software was used for the image fusion and data analysis.
Results:
SUV in the target had an approximate linear relationship with the effective dose. The same effective dose could generate a roughly equal SUV for different target volumes (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
It is feasible to verify the actual 3-D dose distribution of carbon-ion radiotherapy by the approach in this study.
Related Concept Videos
Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...
Positron Emission Tomography
One of the main requirements of a PET scan is a positron-emitting radioisotope, which is produced in a cyclotron and then attached to a substance used by the part of the body...


