Arnulfo Martínez-Dávalos

Radiation transmission, leakage and beam penumbra measurements of a micro-multileaf collimator using GafChromic EBT film

Micro‐multileaf collimator systems coupled to linear accelerators for radioneurosurgery treatments require a rigorous dosimetric characterization in order to be used in 3D conformal and intensity modulated stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy applications. This characterization involves high precision measurements of leaf transmission, leakage and beam penumbra through the collimation system and requires the use of detectors with high spatial resolution, high sensitivity and practically no energy dependence. In this work the use of GafChromic EBT radiochromic film to measure the basic dosimetric properties of the m3‐mMLC (BrainLAB, Germany) micro‐multileaf collimator system integrated to a 6 MV linear accelerator, is reported. Results show that average values of transmission and leakage radiation are 0.93±0.05% and 1.08±0.08%, respectively. The 80–20% beam penumbra were found to be 2.26±0.11 mm along the leaf side (perpendicular to leaf motion) and 2.31±0.11 mm along the leaf end (parallel to leaf motion) using square field sizes ranging from 9.1 to 1.8 cm. These measurements are in agreement with values reported in the literature for the same type of mMLC using different radiation detectors. PACS number: 87.56.N‐

Small photon beam measurements using radiochromic film and Monte Carlo simulations in a water phantom

This work reports the use of both GafChromic EBT film immersed in a water phantom and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for small photon beam stereotactic radiosurgery dosimetry. Circularly collimated photon beams with diameters in the 4-20 mm range of a dedicated 6 MV linear accelerator (Novalis, BrainLAB, Germany) were used to perform off-axis ratios, tissue maximum ratios and total scatter factors measurements, and MC simulations. GafChromic EBT film data show an excellent agreement with MC results (<2.7%) for all measured quantities.

Numerical simulation of x-ray luminescence optical tomography for small-animal imaging

Abstract. X-ray luminescence optical tomography (XLOT) is an emerging hybrid imaging modality in which x-ray excitable particles (phosphor particles) emit optical photons when stimulated with a collimated x-ray beam. XLOT can potentially combine the high sensitivity of optical imaging with the high spatial resolution of x-ray imaging. For reconstruction of XLOT data, we compared two reconstruction algorithms, conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) and a new algorithm, x-ray luminescence optical tomography with excitation priors (XLOT-EP), in which photon propagation is modeled with the diffusion equation and the x-ray beam positions are used as reconstruction priors. Numerical simulations based on dose calculations were used to validate the proposed XLOT imaging system and the reconstruction algorithms. Simulation results showed nanoparticle concentrations reconstructed with XLOT-EP are much less dependent on scan depth than those obtained with FBP. Measurements at just two orthogonal projections are sufficient for XLOT-EP to reconstruct an XLOT image for simple source distributions. The heterogeneity of x-ray energy deposition is included in the XLOT-EP reconstruction and improves the reconstruction accuracy, suggesting that there is a need to calculate the x-ray energy distribution for experimental XLOT imaging.

Two Flat-Backed Polydesmidan Millipedes from the Miocene Chiapas-Amber Lagerstätte, Mexico

Two species of fossil polydesmidan millipedes (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) embedded in amber are described from Miocene strata near Simojovel, in the Chiapas Highlands, Mexico. Maatidesmus paachtun gen. et sp. nov., placed into Chelodesmidae Cook, 1895, and Anbarrhacus adamantis gen. et sp. nov., assigned in the family Platyrhacidae Pocock, 1895. Morphological data from fossil specimens have been recovered using 3D X-ray micro-computed tomography and regular to infrared-reflected microscopy. Both fossil species are recognizable as new primarily but not exclusively, by collum margin modification and remarkable paranotal and metatergite dorsal sculpture.

Effect of correction methods of radiochromic EBT2 films on the accuracy of IMRT QA

Radiochromic films are dosimeters with more favorable characteristics than other two-dimensional (2D) radiation detectors. Transmission film scanners using a linear charge-coupled device (CCD) array have a drawback of variation in response along the detector array, which may result in a nonuniform transmission of signal over the scanned image. This study uses 2D gamma index analysis to compare two methods for correcting the nonuniform response of EBT2: the first method was based on the new red:blue method proposed by the manufacturer (to compensate for small nonuniformities in the film coating) and the second method, proposed by Menegotti et al. (2008), was based on dose-dependent matrix correction factors. The gamma index analysis shows that both the methods are comparably accurate for all the criteria values used for evaluation (1 mm/1%, 2 mm/2%, 3 mm/3%). Centers around the world use both the methods to correct EBT2 local heterogeneities, but it is important to note that the former method has several advantages such as less time consumption and easy implementation.

Positron range in tissue-equivalent materials: experimental microPET studies.

In this work an experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect that positron range has over positron emission tomography (PET) scans through measurements of the line spread function (LSF) in tissue-equivalent materials. Line-sources consisted of thin capillary tubes filled with (18)F, (13)N or (68)Ga water-solution inserted along the axis of symmetry of cylindrical phantoms constructed with the tissue-equivalent materials: lung (inhale and exhale), adipose tissue, solid water, trabecular and cortical bone. PET scans were performed with a commercial small-animal PET scanner and image reconstruction was carried out with filtered-backprojection. Line-source distributions were analyzed using radial profiles taken on axial slices from which the spatial resolution was determined through the full-width at half-maximum, tenth-maximum, twentieth-maximum and fiftieth-maximum. A double-Gaussian model of the LSFs was used to fit experimental data which can be incorporated into iterative reconstruction methods. In addition, the maximum activity concentration in the line-sources was determined from reconstructed images and compared to the known values for each case. The experimental data indicates that positron range in different materials has a strong effect on both spatial resolution and activity concentration quantification in PET scans. Consequently, extra care should be taken when computing standard-uptake values in PET scans, in particular when the radiopharmaceutical is taken up by different tissues in the body, and more even so with high-energy positron emitters.

Optimization of a large-area detector-block based on SiPM and pixelated LYSO crystal arrays

We present the performance evaluation of a large-area detector module based on the ArrayC-60035-64P, an 8×8 array of tileable, 7.2mm pitch, silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) by SensL, covering a total area of 57.4mm×57.4mm. We characterized the ArrayC-60035-64P, operating at room temperature, using LYSO pixelated crystal arrays of different pitch sizes (1.075, 1.430, 1.683, 2.080 and 2.280mm) to determine the resolvable crystal size. After an optimization process, a 7mm thick coupling light guide was used for all crystal pitches. To identify the interaction position a 16-channel (8 columns, 8 rows) symmetric charge division (SCD) readout board together with a center-of-gravity algorithm was used. Based on this, we assembled the detector modules using a 40×40 LYSO, 1.43mm pitch array, covering the total detector area. Calibration was performed using a 137Cs source resulting in excellent crystal maps with minor geometric distortion, a mean 4.1 peak-to-valley ratio and 9.6% mean energy resolution for 662keV photons in the central region. The resolvability index was calculated in the x and y directions with values under 0.42 in all cases. We show that these large area SiPM arrays, combined with a 16-channel SCD readout board, can offer high spatial resolution, without processing a big number of signals, attaining excellent energy resolution and detector uniformity.

Effective atomic number and electron density calibration with a dual-energy CT technique

Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations in radiotherapy typically use Computed Tomography (CT) images of the patient since they can provide electron density (ρe) and effective atomic number (Zeff) information of tissues. An accurate calculation of absorbed dose and appropriate correction for inhomogeneities is partially determined by the Hounsfield Units (HU) dependence on these parameters. In this work HU calibration results are presented in terms of Zeff and ρe by using tissue-equivalent materials and a dual-energy CT method. We compared calculated values of Zeff and ρe with the ones provided by the manufacturer. Mean percentage differences (MPD) of 3.2% were observed for Zeff, while for ρe the average difference was 4.1%. When beam hardening correction was applied, the MPD on Zeff and ρe extraction were 2.4% and 3.2%, respectively.Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations in radiotherapy typically use Computed Tomography (CT) images of the patient since they can provide electron density (ρe) and effective atomic number (Zeff) information of tissues. An accurate calculation of absorbed dose and appropriate correction for inhomogeneities is partially determined by the Hounsfield Units (HU) dependence on these parameters. In this work HU calibration results are presented in terms of Zeff and ρe by using tissue-equivalent materials and a dual-energy CT method. We compared calculated values of Zeff and ρe with the ones provided by the manufacturer. Mean percentage differences (MPD) of 3.2% were observed for Zeff, while for ρe the average difference was 4.1%. When beam hardening correction was applied, the MPD on Zeff and ρe extraction were 2.4% and 3.2%, respectively.

Numerical evaluation of a positron emission mammography scanner using GATE

In this work, a Monte Carlo simulation of a positron emission mammography (PEM) prototype under development at the Institute of Physics, UNAM, is presented. The simulated geometry included two parallel detector modules with a 73 mm separation. Each module consisted of 3 detector blocks, each one formed by an array of 38×38 lutetium yttrium orthosilicate crystal elements of 1.96×1.96×10 mm3 at 2 mm pitch. An energy resolution of 26% for 511 keV photons, a 350-650 keV energy window and a 6 ns coincidence window were assumed. Image reconstruction was performed using focal plane tomography. Spatial resolution was assessed through the point spread function at different positions within the field of view (FOV). In addition, image quality was evaluated following the NEMA NU 4-2008 protocol. Different depth-of-interaction (DOI) assumptions were considered. The best spatial resolution (0.75 mm FWHM) was obtained when depth-of-interaction information was used, deteriorating drastically to 2.21 mm when DOI is unknow...

Studies of positron range in tissue-equivalent materials

In this work microPET scans and Monte Carlo simulations of line sources containing 18F, 13N and 68Ga were performed to study the effect that positron range has over the spatial resolution of PET images. The experimental studies were carried out using a microPET Focus 120 scanner with a reported axial spatial resolution of 1.44 mm. Line sources consisted of thin capillary tubes filled with a water solution containing a known activity concentration of the radionuclides and placed inside six different tissue equivalent cylindrical phantoms. Image reconstruction was performed using filtered backprojection and from the axial images, radial profiles were extracted to compute the spatial resolution for all radionuclide-material combinations. One dimensional line sources inside cylinders were simulated using PENELOPE to obtain the line spread functions (LSFs) of all the radionuclide-material combinations. Our results indicate that spatial resolution depends strongly on the radionuclide (positron energy) and the d...