skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: SU-E-T-78: Comparison of Dose-Averaged Linear Energy Transfer Calculation Methods Used in Monte Carlo Simulations of Clinical Proton Beams

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the differences in dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LETd) maps calculated in water by means of different strategies found in the literature in proton therapy Monte Carlo simulations and to compare their values with dose-mean lineal energy microdosimetry calculations. Methods: The Geant4 toolkit (version 9.6.2) was used. Dose and LETd maps in water were scored for primary protons with cylindrical voxels defined around the beam axis. Three LETd calculation methods were implemented. First, the LETd values were computed by calculating the unrestricted linear energy transfer (LET) associated to each single step weighted by the energy deposition (including delta-rays) along the step. Second, the LETd was obtained for each voxel by computing the LET along all the steps simulated for each proton track within the voxel, weighted by the energy deposition of those steps. Third, the LETd was scored as the quotient between the second momentum of the LET distribution, calculated per proton track, over the first momentum. These calculations were made with various voxel thicknesses (0.2 – 2.0 mm) for a 160 MeV proton beamlet and spread-out Bragg Peaks (SOBP). The dose-mean lineal energy was calculated in a uniformly-irradiated water sphere, 0.005 mm radius. Results: The value ofmore » the LETd changed systematically with the voxel thickness due to delta-ray emission and the enlargement of the LET distribution spread, especially at shallow depths. Differences of up to a factor 1.8 were found at the depth of maximum dose, leading to similar differences at the central and distal depths of the SOBPs. The third LETd calculation method gave better agreement with microdosimetry calculations around the Bragg Peak. Conclusion: Significant differences were found between LETd map Monte Carlo calculations due to both the calculation strategy and the voxel thickness used. This could have a significant impact in radiobiologically-optimized proton therapy treatments.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Universidad de Sevilla, Seville (Spain)
  2. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22339845
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Medical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 6; Other Information: (c) 2014 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-2405
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; BRAGG CURVE; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; DELTA RAYS; ENERGY ABSORPTION; ENERGY LOSSES; LET; MICRODOSIMETRY; MONTE CARLO METHOD; PROTON BEAMS; RADIATION DOSES; RADIOTHERAPY; THICKNESS; WATER

Citation Formats

Cortes-Giraldo, M A, and Carabe-Fernandez, A. SU-E-T-78: Comparison of Dose-Averaged Linear Energy Transfer Calculation Methods Used in Monte Carlo Simulations of Clinical Proton Beams. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1118/1.4888408.
Cortes-Giraldo, M A, & Carabe-Fernandez, A. SU-E-T-78: Comparison of Dose-Averaged Linear Energy Transfer Calculation Methods Used in Monte Carlo Simulations of Clinical Proton Beams. United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4888408
Cortes-Giraldo, M A, and Carabe-Fernandez, A. 2014. "SU-E-T-78: Comparison of Dose-Averaged Linear Energy Transfer Calculation Methods Used in Monte Carlo Simulations of Clinical Proton Beams". United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4888408.
@article{osti_22339845,
title = {SU-E-T-78: Comparison of Dose-Averaged Linear Energy Transfer Calculation Methods Used in Monte Carlo Simulations of Clinical Proton Beams},
author = {Cortes-Giraldo, M A and Carabe-Fernandez, A},
abstractNote = {Purpose: To evaluate the differences in dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LETd) maps calculated in water by means of different strategies found in the literature in proton therapy Monte Carlo simulations and to compare their values with dose-mean lineal energy microdosimetry calculations. Methods: The Geant4 toolkit (version 9.6.2) was used. Dose and LETd maps in water were scored for primary protons with cylindrical voxels defined around the beam axis. Three LETd calculation methods were implemented. First, the LETd values were computed by calculating the unrestricted linear energy transfer (LET) associated to each single step weighted by the energy deposition (including delta-rays) along the step. Second, the LETd was obtained for each voxel by computing the LET along all the steps simulated for each proton track within the voxel, weighted by the energy deposition of those steps. Third, the LETd was scored as the quotient between the second momentum of the LET distribution, calculated per proton track, over the first momentum. These calculations were made with various voxel thicknesses (0.2 – 2.0 mm) for a 160 MeV proton beamlet and spread-out Bragg Peaks (SOBP). The dose-mean lineal energy was calculated in a uniformly-irradiated water sphere, 0.005 mm radius. Results: The value of the LETd changed systematically with the voxel thickness due to delta-ray emission and the enlargement of the LET distribution spread, especially at shallow depths. Differences of up to a factor 1.8 were found at the depth of maximum dose, leading to similar differences at the central and distal depths of the SOBPs. The third LETd calculation method gave better agreement with microdosimetry calculations around the Bragg Peak. Conclusion: Significant differences were found between LETd map Monte Carlo calculations due to both the calculation strategy and the voxel thickness used. This could have a significant impact in radiobiologically-optimized proton therapy treatments.},
doi = {10.1118/1.4888408},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22339845}, journal = {Medical Physics},
issn = {0094-2405},
number = 6,
volume = 41,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}