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      PRIMO Monte Carlo software benchmarked against a reference dosimetry dataset for 6 MV photon beams from Varian linacs

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          Abstract

          Background

          The software PRIMO for the Monte Carlo simulation of radiotherapy linacs could potentially act as a independent calculation system to verify the calculations of treatment planning systems. We investigated the suitability of the PRIMO default beam parameters to produce accurate dosimetric results for 6 MV photon beams from Varian Clinac 2100 linacs and 6 MV flattening–filter–free photon beams from Varian TrueBeam linacs.

          Methods

          Simulation results with the DPM algorithm were benchmarked against a published reference dosimetry dataset based on point measurements of 25 dosimetric parameters on a large series of linacs. Studied parameters (for several field sizes and depths) were: PDD, off–axis ratios, and output factors for open fields and IMRT/SBRT–style fields. For the latter, the output factors were also determined with radiochromic film and with a small–sized ionization chamber. Benchmark data, PRIMO simulation results and our experimental results were compared.

          Results

          PDD, off–axis ratios, and open–field output factors obtained from the simulations with the PRIMO default beam parameters agreed with the benchmark data within 2.4% for Clinac 2100, and within 1.3% for TrueBeam. Higher differences were found for IMRT/SBRT–style output factors: up to 2.8% for Clinac 2100, and up to 3.3% for TrueBeam. Experimental output factors agreed with benchmark data within 1.0% (ionization chamber) and within 1.9% (radiochromic film).

          Conclusions

          PRIMO default initial beam parameters for 6 MV photon beams from Varian Clinac 2100 linacs and 6 MV FFF photon beams from Varian TrueBeam linacs allowed agreement within 3.3% with a dosimetry database based on measurements of a high number of linacs. This finding represents a first step in the validation of PRIMO for the independent verification of radiotherapy plans.

          Electronic supplementary material

          The online version of this article (10.1186/s13014-018-1076-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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          Most cited references17

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          DPM, a fast, accurate Monte Carlo code optimized for photon and electron radiotherapy treatment planning dose calculations.

          J Sempau, S J Wilderman, A F Bielajew (2000)
          A new Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm, the 'dose planning method' (DPM), and its associated computer program for simulating the transport of electrons and photons in radiotherapy class problems employing primary electron beams, is presented. DPM is intended to be a high accuracy MC alternative to the current generation of treatment planning codes which rely on analytical algorithms based on an approximate solution of the photon/electron Boltzmann transport equation. For primary electron beams, DPM is capable of computing 3D dose distributions (in 1 mm3 voxels) which agree to within 1% in dose maximum with widely used and exhaustively benchmarked general-purpose public-domain MC codes in only a fraction of the CPU time. A representative problem, the simulation of 1 million 10 MeV electrons impinging upon a water phantom of 128(3) voxels of 1 mm on a side, can be performed by DPM in roughly 3 min on a modern desktop workstation. DPM achieves this performance by employing transport mechanics and electron multiple scattering distribution functions which have been derived to permit long transport steps (of the order of 5 mm) which can cross heterogeneity boundaries. The underlying algorithm is a 'mixed' class simulation scheme, with differential cross sections for hard inelastic collisions and bremsstrahlung events described in an approximate manner to simplify their sampling. The continuous energy loss approximation is employed for energy losses below some predefined thresholds, and photon transport (including Compton, photoelectric absorption and pair production) is simulated in an analogue manner. The delta-scattering method (Woodcock tracking) is adopted to minimize the computational costs of transporting photons across voxels.
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            RECORDS: improved Reporting of montE CarlO RaDiation transport Studies: Report of the AAPM Research Committee Task Group 268.

            Ioannis Sechopoulos, D W O Rogers, Magdalena Bazalova-Carter … (2018)
            Studies involving Monte Carlo simulations are common in both diagnostic and therapy medical physics research, as well as other fields of basic and applied science. As with all experimental studies, the conditions and parameters used for Monte Carlo simulations impact their scope, validity, limitations, and generalizability. Unfortunately, many published peer-reviewed articles involving Monte Carlo simulations do not provide the level of detail needed for the reader to be able to properly assess the quality of the simulations. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group #268 developed guidelines to improve reporting of Monte Carlo studies in medical physics research. By following these guidelines, manuscripts submitted for peer-review will include a level of relevant detail that will increase the transparency, the ability to reproduce results, and the overall scientific value of these studies. The guidelines include a checklist of the items that should be included in the Methods, Results, and Discussion sections of manuscripts submitted for peer-review. These guidelines do not attempt to replace the journal reviewer, but rather to be a tool during the writing and review process. Given the varied nature of Monte Carlo studies, it is up to the authors and the reviewers to use this checklist appropriately, being conscious of how the different items apply to each particular scenario. It is envisioned that this list will be useful both for authors and for reviewers, to help ensure the adequate description of Monte Carlo studies in the medical physics literature.
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              Reference radiochromic film dosimetry: Review of technical aspects.

              Slobodan Devic, Nada Tomic, David Lewis (2016)
              For decades, film was used as a powerful two-dimensional (2D) dosimetry tool for radiotherapy treatment verification and quality assurance. Unlike the old silver-halide based radiographic films, radiochromic films change its color upon irradiation without the need for chemical development. Radiation dose deposited within a sensitive layer of the radiochromic film initiates polymerization of the active component, the degree of which depends on the amount of energy deposited. Response of the film to radiation is commonly expressed in terms of optical density change, which can be easily measured by any photometric device. However, a number of factors may have an impact on the signal detected by the measuring device. This review summarizes technical aspects associated with the establishment of reference radiochromic film dosimetry and its subsequent use for either clinical or research applications.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Marcelino Hermida–López:
                ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1137-7375
                mhermida@vhebron.net
                David Sánchez–Artuñedo: d.sanchez.artunedo@gmail.com
                Juan Francisco Calvo–Ortega: jfcdrr@yahoo.es
                Journal
                Journal ID (nlm-ta): Radiat Oncol
                Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Radiat Oncol
                Title: Radiation Oncology (London, England)
                Publisher: BioMed Central (London )
                ISSN (Electronic): 1748-717X
                Publication date (Electronic): 7 August 2018
                Publication date PMC-release: 7 August 2018
                Publication date Collection: 2018
                Volume: 13
                Electronic Location Identifier: 144
                Affiliations
                [1 ]ISNI 0000 0001 0675 8654, GRID grid.411083.f, Servei de Física i Protecció Radiològica. Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, ; Pg. Vall d’Hebron, 119–129, Barcelona, 08035 Spain
                [2 ]Servicio de Oncología Radioterápica, Hospital Quirónsalud Barcelona, Pza. Alfonso Comín, 5, Barcelona, 08023 Spain
                [3 ]ISNI 0000 0004 4902 1881, GRID grid.477362.3, Servicio de Oncología Radioterápica, Hospital Universitario Dexeus, ; C./ Sabino Arana, 5-19, Barcelona, 08028 Spain
                Author information
                http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1137-7375
                Article
                Publisher ID: 1076
                DOI: 10.1186/s13014-018-1076-0
                PMC ID: 6081807
                PubMed ID: 30086767
                SO-VID: ac3cbde5-1d91-4093-8832-7d1bc43336a7
                Copyright © © The Author(s) 2018
                License:

                Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

                History
                Date received : 29 March 2018
                Date accepted : 11 July 2018
                Categories
                Subject: Research
                Custom metadata
                issue-copyright-statement © The Author(s) 2018

                ScienceOpen disciplines: Oncology & Radiotherapy
                Keywords: primo,monte carlo simulation,dosimetry,linac
                Data availability:
                ScienceOpen disciplines: Oncology & Radiotherapy
                Keywords: primo, monte carlo simulation, dosimetry, linac

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