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Total body irradiation with an arc and a gravity-oriented compensator
C S Chui1, D P Fontenla, E Mullokandov
1Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
|December 10, 1997
Summary
A novel gravity-oriented compensator creates uniform dose distributions for total-body irradiation (TBI) using arc fields. This simple, versatile technique allows patient treatment in small rooms, improving radiation therapy delivery.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Total-body irradiation (TBI) requires precise dose delivery.
- Traditional TBI techniques face challenges in achieving uniform dose distributions, especially in confined spaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a gravity-oriented compensator for delivering uniform dose distributions in TBI using arc fields.
- To enable TBI treatments in small treatment rooms by allowing patients to be positioned on the floor.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a continuous arc field generated by gantry motion.
- Designed a gravity-oriented compensator made of cerrobend alloy with an inverted isosceles triangle cross-section.
- Optimized compensator thickness, base width, and pivot distance to counteract inverse square law and slanted depth effects.
Main Results:
- Achieved dose uniformity within +/-5% at a 10 cm depth for 6-18 MV photon beams.
- The arc field accommodated patients up to 180 cm in height.
- Optimal compensator dimensions and setup parameters were determined for various beam energies.
Conclusions:
- The gravity-oriented compensator technique effectively delivers highly uniform dose profiles for TBI.
- This method is simple, versatile, and adaptable for different beam energies by adjusting compensator distance and field size.
- The technique facilitates TBI delivery in space-constrained treatment environments.