Dosimetric comparison of tools for intensity modulated radiation therapy with gamma analysis: a phantom study

Abstract

Dosimetry of the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is very important because of the complex dose distributions. Diode arrays are the most common and practical measurement tools for clinical usage for IMRT. Phantom selection is critical for QA process. IMRT treatment plans are recalculated for the phantom irradiation in QA. Phantoms are made in different geometrical shapes to measure the doses of different types of irradiation techniques. Comparison of measured and calculated dose distributions for IMRT can be made by using gamma analysis. In this study, 10 head-and-neck IMRT QA plans were created with Varian Eclipse 8.9 treatment planning system. Water equivalent RW3-slab phantoms, Octavius-2 phantom and PTW Seven29 2D-array were used for QA measurements. Gantry, collimator and couch positions set to 00 and QA plans were delivered to RW3 and Octavius phantoms. Then the positions set to original angles and QA plans irradiated again. Measured and calculated fluence maps were evaluated with gamma analysis for different DD and DTA criteria. The effect of different set-up conditions for RW3 and Octavius phantoms in QA plan delivery evaluated by gamma analysis. Results of gamma analysis show that using RW3-slab phantoms with setting parameters to 00 is more appropriate for IMRT QA.