Design and implementation of a head-and-neck phantom for system audit and verification of intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics
Gareth J WebsterRanald I Mackay

Abstract

The head and neck is a challenging anatomic site for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), requiring thorough testing of planning and treatment delivery systems. Ideally, the phantoms used should be anatomically realistic, have radiologic properties identical to those of the tissues concerned, and allow for the use of a variety of devices to verify dose and dose distribution in any target or normaltissue structure. A phantom that approaches the foregoing characteristics has been designed and built; its specific purpose is verification for IMRT treatments in the head-andneck region. This semi-anatomic phantom, HANK, is constructed of Perspex (Imperial Chemical Industries, London, U.K.) and provides for the insertion of heterogeneities simulating air cavities in a range of fixed positions. Chamber inserts are manufactured to incorporate either a standard thimble ionization chamber (0.125 cm3: PTW, Freiburg, Germany) or a smaller PinPoint chamber (0.015 cm3: PTW), and measurements can be made with either chamber in a range of positions throughout the phantom. Coronal films can also be acquired within the phantom, and additional solid blocks of Perspex allow for transverse films to be acquired within the head region. Initia...Continue Reading

References

Mar 31, 2004·International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics·James M GalvinUNKNOWN American Association of Physicists in Medicine
Sep 20, 2005·International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics·Andrea MolineuGeoffrey S Ibbott

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Citations

Sep 14, 2013·Physics in Medicine and Biology·A H AitkenheadR I Mackay
Jul 17, 2021·Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing·Mohammad AhmadiZohreh Azma

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