F. Lerma

Image-based dose planning of intracavitary brachytherapy: registration of serial-imaging studies using deformable anatomic templates.

PURPOSE To demonstrate that high-dimensional voxel-to-voxel transformations, derived from continuum mechanics models of the underlying pelvic tissues, can be used to register computed tomography (CT) serial examinations into a single anatomic frame of reference for cumulative dose calculations. METHODS AND MATERIALS Three patients with locally advanced cervix cancer were treated with CT-compatible intracavitary (ICT) applicators. Each patient underwent five volumetric CT examinations: before initiating treatment, and immediately before and after the first and second ICT insertions, respectively. Each serial examination was rigidly registered to the patients first ICT examination by aligning the bony anatomy. Detailed nonrigid alignment for organs (or targets) of interest was subsequently achieved by deforming the CT exams as a viscous-fluid, described by the Navier-Stokes equation, until the coincidence with the corresponding targets on CT image was maximized. In cases where ICT insertion induced very large and topologically complex rearrangements of pelvic organs, e.g., extreme uterine canal reorientation following tandem insertion, a viscous-fluid-landmark transformation was used to produce an initial registration. RESULTS For all three patients, reasonable registrations for organs (or targets) of interest were achieved. Fluid-landmark initialization was required in 4 of the 11 registrations. Relative to the best rigid bony landmark alignment, the viscous-fluid registration resulted in average soft-tissue displacements from 2.8 to 28.1 mm, and improved organ coincidence from the range of 5.2% to 72.2% to the range of 90.6% to 100%. Compared to the viscous-fluid transformation, global registration of bony anatomy mismatched 5% or more of the contoured organ volumes by 15-25 mm. CONCLUSION Pelvic soft-tissue structures undergo large deformations and displacements during the external-beam and multiple-ICT course of radiation therapy for locally advanced cervix cancer. These changes cannot be modeled by the conventional rigid landmark transformation method. In the current study, we found that the deformable anatomic template registration method, based on continuum-mechanics models of deformation, successfully described these large anatomic shape changes before and after ICT. These promising modeling results indicate that realistic registration of the cumulative dose distribution to the organs (or targets) of interest for radiation therapy of cervical cancers is achievable.

Forking and Unusual Decay Out of Superdeformed Bands in 83Zr

Two superdeformed (SD) bands extending over eight to eleven transitions have been identified in Zr-83, The quadrupole moment of the more intense band was determined by the Residual Doppler Shift Method and is consistent with a quadrupole deformation of beta(2) approximate to 0.5. The large quadrupole moment and population intensity of the yrast SD band (approximate to 5%) in Zr isotopes relative to their isotones in Sr and Y nuclei suggest the presence of a large SD shell gap at proton number Z = 40, At the decay-out points, the Routhians of the SD bands reapproach that of the positive parity normally-deformed states which may be the reason why both of these bands feed mainly (approximate to 85%) into the positive-parity yrast band.

Superdeformed Bands in 80Sr and the Evolution of Deformation in Sr Isotopes

Four superdeformed bands are reported in Sr-80, extending known superdeformation in the Sr-38 series down to N = 42. The characteristics of these bands are discussed. Residual Doppler shifts were measured and average transition quadrupole moments (Q(t)) inferred for these new bands, These Q(t) values are compared to Q(t) values obtained for previously identified superdeformed bands in Sr81-83. The low Q(t) of 2.7(-0.6)(+0.7) eb obtained for the yrast band in Sr-80 indicates a reduction in the deformation of yrast superdeformed bands in the series Sr80-83 with decreasing N, and possibly the onset of triaxiality in superdeformed shapes

Differential quadrupole moment measurements of the 1/2{sup +}[660] (i{sub 13/2}) neutron intruder band in {sup 133}Nd and {sup 135}Nd

Quadrupole moment measurements of the 1/2{sup +}[660] (i{sub 13/2}) bands in {sup 133}Nd (N=73) and {sup 135}Nd (N=75) were performed using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. These results, coupled with the previously measured Q{sub 0} for the same configuration in {sup 137}Nd (N=77), clearly demonstrate a trend of decreasing quadrupole deformation with increasing neutron number. The larger quadrupole moment in {sup 133}Nd compared with that in {sup 135}Nd and {sup 137}Nd offers evidence for the role played by the large shell gap at N=72 for {beta}{sub 2}{approximately}0.35{endash}0.40 in stabilizing the shape at enhanced deformation. The comparison of results from gating below and above the level of interest provides information on the time scale of the sidefeeding contributions to highly deformed structures in the A{approximately}130 region. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}

Band Structure in 79Y and the Question of T=O Pairing

Gamma rays in the N=Z + 1 nucleus Y-79 were identified using the reaction Si-28(Fe-54, p2n)Y-79 at a 200 MeV beam energy and an experimental setup consisting of an array of Ge detectors and the Recoil Mass Spectrometer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With the help of additional gamma-gamma coincidence data obtained with Gammasphere, these gamma rays were found to form a strongly coupled rotational band with rigid-rotor-like behavior. Results of conventional Nilsson-Strutinsky cranked shell model calculations, which predict a deformation of beta(2)similar to 0.4, are in excellent agreement with the properties of this band. Similar calculations for the neighboring N=Z and N=Z + 1 nuclei are also in good agreement with experimental data. This suggests that the presence of the putative T=0 neutron-proton pairing does not significantly affect such simple observables as the moments of inertia of these bands at low spins. [S0556-2813(98)50612-7].

Search for Hyperdeformation in 146,147Gd

A search was undertaken to look for evidence of hyperdeformation in {sup 146,147}Gd. Three experiments employing Gammasphere for gamma-ray detection coupled with the Microball for channel selection via charged particle detection were carried out with increasing detection sensitivity and statistics. No definitive evidence for band structures that could be assigned to hyperdeformation could be found. Candidates previously reported are shown not to have properties consistent with a band structure. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

Superdeformation in 91Tc

A high-spin rotational band with 11 gamma -ray transitions has barn observed in Tc-91. The dynamical moment of inertia as well as the transition quadrupole moment of 8.1(-1.4)(+1.9) eb measured for this band show the characteristics of a superdeformed band. However, the shape is more elongated than in the neighbouring A = 80-90 superdeformed nuclei. Theoretical interpretations of the band within the cranked Strutinsky approach based on two different Woods-Saxon potential parameterisations are presented. Even though an unambiguous configuration assignment proved difficult, both calculations indicate a larger deformation and at least three additional high-N intruder orbitals occupied compared to the lighter SD nuclei

Collective excitations and band termination in Nb-85

High-spin states in Nb-85 were studied using the GAMMASPHERE Ge detector array and the MICROBALL charged-particle detector system. Three gamma-ray cascades with collective rotational characteristics were observed. One of the bands exhibits a forking at the top, most likely reflecting the termination of one branch into a favoured non-collective, near spherical state. The data are interpreted in terms of cranked Strutinsky-type calculations

Relative quadrupole deformations for structures in odd proton Pr nuclei near mass

The quadrupole moments for collective structures in the odd proton (Z = 59) , and nuclei have been measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation method. New information is presented on the shape-driving behaviour of the [404] proton and [541] (, ) neutron Nilsson configurations. While the involvement of the former orbital leads to quadrupole deformations that are comparable to those observed for the so-called superdeformed bands in this mass region, the values for structures that include the 1/[541] neutron are found to lie intermediate between those observed for normally deformed and superdeformed bands.

Highly deformed structures in the mass∼130 region and their relative quadrupole moments

The quadrupole moments for variety of configurations, involving the 9/2+[404](g9/2) proton, 1/2+[660](i13/2) and 1/2−[541](f7/2,h9/2) neutron orbitals, were measured using the Doppler-shift attenuation method in a wide range of nuclei in the mass∼130 region. While the involvement of the first two orbitals leads to quadrupole deformations that are comparable to those observed for the so-called superdeformed bands in this mass region, the β2 values for structures that include the 1/2−[541] neutron are found to lie intermediate between those observed for normally deformed and highly deformed bands.