Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Radiation Oncology
Published in: Radiation Oncology 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research

First steps towards a fast-neutron therapy planning program

Authors: Sylvia Garny, Werner Rühm, Maria Zankl, Franz M Wagner, Herwig G Paretzke

Published in: Radiation Oncology | Issue 1/2011

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

The Monte Carlo code GEANT4 was used to implement first steps towards a treatment planning program for fast-neutron therapy at the FRM II research reactor in Garching, Germany. Depth dose curves were calculated inside a water phantom using measured primary neutron and simulated primary photon spectra and compared with depth dose curves measured earlier. The calculations were performed with GEANT4 in two different ways, simulating a simple box geometry and splitting this box into millions of small voxels (this was done to validate the voxelisation procedure that was also used to voxelise the human body).

Results

In both cases, the dose distributions were very similar to those measured in the water phantom, up to a depth of 30 cm. In order to model the situation of patients treated at the FRM II MEDAPP therapy beamline for salivary gland tumors, a human voxel phantom was implemented in GEANT4 and irradiated with the implemented MEDAPP neutron and photon spectra. The 3D dose distribution calculated inside the head of the phantom was similar to the depth dose curves in the water phantom, with some differences that are explained by differences in elementary composition. The lateral dose distribution was studied at various depths. The calculated cumulative dose volume histograms for the voxel phantom show the exposure of organs at risk surrounding the tumor.

Conclusions

In order to minimize the dose to healthy tissue, a conformal treatment is necessary. This can only be accomplished with the help of an advanced treatment planning system like the one developed here. Although all calculations were done for absorbed dose only, any biological dose weighting can be implemented easily, to take into account the increased radiobiological effectiveness of neutrons compared to photons.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Wagner F, Kneschaurek P, Kastenmüller A, Loeper-Kabasakal B, Kampfer S, Breitkreutz H, Waschkowski W, Molls M, Petry W: The munich fission neutron therapy facility MEDAPP at the research reactor FRM II. Strahlenther Onkol 2008,184(12):643-646.CrossRefPubMed
2.
Loeper-Kabasakal B, Posch A, Auberger T, Wagner F, Kampfer S, Kneschaurek P, Petry W, Lukas P, Molls M: Fission neutron therapy at FRM II: Indications and first results. Radiat Meas 2010, 45: 1436-1437.CrossRef
3.
Wagner F, Bücherl T, Kampfer S, Kastenmüller A, Waschkowski W: Thermal Neutron Converter for Irradiations with Fission Neutrons. Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy 2007,3(21):30-36.
4.
Risler R, Popescu A: Dosimetry measurements at the fast neutron therapy facility in Seattle. Radiat Meas 2010, 45: 1452-1454.CrossRef
5.
Kroc T: Preliminary investigations of Monte Carlo simulations of neutron energy and let spectra for fast neutron therapy facilities. Radiat Meas 2010, 45: 1334-1337.CrossRef
6.
Swanepoel M: The role of the 14N ( n , p ) 14 C reaction in neutron irradiation of soft tissues. Radiat Meas 2010, 45: 1458-1460.CrossRef
7.
Garny S, Leuthold G, Mares V, Paretzke H, Rühm W: GEANT4 transport calculations for neutrons and photons below 15 MeV. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci 2009,56(4):2392-2396.CrossRef
8.
Garny S, Mares V, Rühm W: Response functions of a Bonner sphere spectrometer calculated with GEANT4. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res, Sect A 2009, 604: 612-617.CrossRef
9.
Garny S, Mares V, Roos H, Rühm W, Wagner F: Measurement of the neutron spectrum and neutron dose at the FRM II therapy beamline with Bonner spheres. Radiat Mens 2011, 46: 92-97.CrossRef
10.
Reynaert N, van der Marck S, Schaart D, der Zee WV, Vliet-Vroegindeweij CV, Tomsej M, Jansen J, Heijmen B, Coghe M, Wagter CD: Monte Carlo treatment planning for photon and electron beams. Radiat Phys Chem 2007, 76: 643-686.CrossRef
11.
Bednarz B, Xu X: A feasibility study to calculate unshielded fetal doses to pregnant patients in 6-MV photon treatments using Monte Carlo methods and anatomically realistic phantoms. Med Phys 2008,35(7):3054-3061.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
12.
Jang SY, Liu HH: Underestimation of Low-Dose Radiation in Treatment Planning of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2008,71(5):1537-1546.CrossRefPubMed
13.
14.
Laub W, Alber M, Birkner M, Nüsslin F: Monte Carlo dose computation for IMRT optimization. Phys Med Biol 2000, 45: 1741-1754.CrossRefPubMed
15.
16.
Taschereau R, Roy R, Pouloit J: A comparison of methods to calculate biological effectiveness (RBE) from Monte Carlo simulations. Med Dosim 2003, 28: 21-26.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Fippel M, Soukup M: A Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm for proton therapy. Med Phys 2004,31(8):2263-2273.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Koch N, Newhauser WD, Titt U, D G, Coombes K, Starkschall G: Monte Carlo calculations and measurements of absorbed dose per monitor unit for the treatment of uveal melanoma with proton therapy. Phys Med Biol 2008, 53: 1581.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
19.
Newhauser W, Fontenot J, Zheng Y, Taddei P, Mirkovic D, Titt U, Zhu X, Sahoo N, Schaffner B, Langenegger A, Koch N, Zhang X, Mohan R: SUFFT25: A Monte-Carlo based dose engine for proton radiotherapy treatment planning. Med Phys 2007,34(6):2325.
20.
Jiang H, Paganetti H: Adaptation of GEANT4 to Monte Carlo dose calculations based on CT data. Med Phys 2004,31(10):2811-2818.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Paganetti H, Jiang H, Lee SY, Kooy HM: Accurate Monte Carlo simulations for nozzle design, commissioningand quality assurance for a proton radiation therapy facility. Med Phys 2004,31(7):2107-2118.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Enger SA, af Rosenschöld PM, Rezaei A, Lundqvist H: Monte Carlo calculations of thermal neutron capture in gadolinium: A comparison of GEANT4 and MCNP with measurements. Med Phys 2006,33(2):337-341.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Pignol J, Slabbert J, Binns P: Monte Carlo simulation of fast neutron spectra: Mean lineal energy estimation with an effectiveness function and correlation to RBE. Int J Radiation Oncology Biol Phys 2001, 49: 251-260.CrossRef
24.
Jiang H, Wang B, Xu XG, Suit HD, Paganetti H: Simulation of organ-specific patient effective dose due to secondary neutrons in proton radiation treatment. Phys Med Biol 2005, 50: 43374353.
25.
Taddei P, Mirkovic D, Fontenot J, Giebeler A, Zheng Y, Kornguth D, Mohan R, Newhauser W: Stray radiation dose and second cancer risk for a pediatric patient receiving craniospinal irradiation with proton beams. Phys Med Biol 2009,54(8):2259-2275.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
26.
Yonai S, Matsufuji N, Kanai T: Monte Carlo study on secondary neutrons in passive carbon-ion radiotherapy: Identification of the main source and reduction in the secondary neutron dose. Med Phys 2009,36(10):4830-4839.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Zheng Y, Fontenot J, Taddei P, Mirkovic D, Newhauser W: Monte Carlo simulations of neutron spectral uence, radiation weighting factor and ambient dose equivalent for a passively scattered proton therapy unit. Phys Med Biol 2008, 53: 187-201.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Carrier JF, Archambault L, Beaulieu L: Validation of GEANT4, an object-oriented Monte Carlo toolkit, for simulations in medical physics. Med Phys 2004,31(3):484-492.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Karger CP, Jäkel O: Current Status and New Developments in Ion Therapy. Strahlenther Onkol 2007, 183: 295-300.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Kampfer S, Wagner F, Loeper B, Kneschaurek P: Erste dosimetrische Ergebnisse an der neuen Neutronentherapieanlage am FRM IIb. In 37. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Physik. L. Bogner, B. Dobler; 2006:318-319.
31.
Schlattl H, Zankl M, Petoussi-HenßN : Organ dose conversion coefficients for voxel models of the reference male and female from idealized photon exposures. Phys Med Biol 2007, 52: 2123-2145.CrossRefPubMed
32.
33.
Garny S: Development of a biophysical treatment planning system for the FRM II neutron therapy beamline. In Phd-thesis. Technische Universitat München; 2009.
34.
35.
36.
ICRP: Basic anatomical and physiological data for use in radiological protection: reference values. Report 89, International Commission on Radiological Protection; 2002.
37.
Breitkreutz H, Wagner F, Röhrmoser A, Petry W: Characterisation of the fast reactor neutron beam MEDAPP at FRM II. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res, Sect A 2008, 593: 466-471.CrossRef
38.
Breitkreutz H: Spektrale Charakterisierung des Therapiestrahls am FRM II. In Diplomarbeit. Technische Universitat München; 2007.
39.
Schmid E, Schraube H, Bauchinger M: Chromosome aberration frequencies in human lymphocytes irradiated in a phantom by mixed beam of fission neutrons and γ -rays. Int J Radiat Biol 1998, 73/3: 263-267.
40.
Magaddino V, Wagner F, Kummermehr J: Preclinical screening of the biological effectiveness of a therapeutic neutron beam at SR10, FRM II. Experimetelle Strahlentherapie und Klinische Strahlenbiologie 2007, 16: 129-131.
41.
Garny S, Rühm W, Wagner FM, Paretzke HG: Neutron Therapy at the FRMII - Calculation of Dose inside a Voxel Phantom. 11th World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering 2009.
42.
Oya N, Zölzer F, Werner F, Streffer C: Similar Extent of Apoptosis Induction at Doses of X-Rays and Neutrons Isoeffective for Cell Inactivation. Strahlenther Onkol 2008, 184: 270-275.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Slabbert J, August L, Vral A, Symons J: The relative biological effectiveness of a high energy neutron beam for micronuclei induction in T-lymphocytes of different individuals. Radiat Meas 2010, 45: 1455-1457.CrossRef
44.
Vandersickel V, Mancini M, Slabbert J, Marras E, Thierens H, Perletti G, Vral A: The radiosensitizing effect of Ku70/80 knockdown Research in MCF10A cells irradiated with X-rays and p(66)+Be(40) neutrons. Radiat Oncol 2010, 5: 30-37.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
First steps towards a fast-neutron therapy planning program
Authors
Sylvia Garny
Werner Rühm
Maria Zankl
Franz M Wagner
Herwig G Paretzke
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Radiation Oncology / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1748-717X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-717X-6-163

Other articles of this Issue 1/2011

Radiation Oncology 1/2011 Go to the issue

Research

Delayed cell death associated with mitotic catastrophe in γ-irradiated stem-like glioma cells

Research

Preliminary comp arison of helical tomotherapy and mixed beams of unmodulated electrons and intensity modulated radiation therapy for treating superficial cancers of the parotid gland and nasal cavity

Research

Increased betulinic acid induced cytotoxicity and radiosensitivity in glioma cells under hypoxic conditions

Research

Palliative radiotherapy in patients with a symptomatic pelvic mass of metastatic colorectal cancer

Erratum

Erratum To: An ultrasonographic evaluation of skin thickness in breast cancer patients after postmastectomy radiation therapy

Research

Carbon ion therapy for advanced sinonasal malignancies: feasibility and acute toxicity