Total body irradiation for standard treatment rooms: a robust sweeping beam technique with respect to the body shape |
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Authors: | Iva Bratova Petr Paluska Jakub Grepl Igor Sirak Jiri Petera Milan Vosmik |
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Affiliation: | 1.Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; 2.Department of Radiobiology, University of Defence in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | BackgroundThe purpose of this work is to improve a sweeping beam technique for total body irradiation (TBI) on a low flat couch using a varying patient thickness model. We designed a flat couch for total body irradiation in supine and prone position. Three generic arcs with rectangular segments for a patient torso thickness of 16, 22 and 28 cm were generated with respect to varying patient thickness of four particular parts of the body: head, torso, thighs and calves.Materials and methodsLongitudinal and transversal dose profiles were measured using an ionization chamber and the EBT3 gafchromic film in a solid water slab phantom. The robustness of the method was examined in phantoms of different thicknesses.ResultsMeasured dose homogeneity stays within ±10% of prescribed dose for all of the three patient thickness models. The robustness of the method was evaluated as the increase in dose in the phantom center of 0.7% per 1 cm reduction in phantom thickness.ConclusionThe method is applicable for the broad range of patient sizes, comfortable for patients, robust and suitable for standard treatment rooms with a standard linear accelerator. It requires minimal investments into equipment. |
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Keywords: | total body irradiation TBI arc therapy sweeping beam technique patient comfort |
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