Program Information
Evaluation of Image Parameters Impact On the CT Calibration Curve for Proton Therapy
Z Xiao*, M Reyhan , Q Huang , M Zhang , N Yue , T Chen , Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Presentations
SU-E-T-391 (Sunday, July 12, 2015) 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Room: Exhibit Hall
Purpose:The calibration of the Hounsfield units (HU) to relative proton stopping powers (RSP) is a crucial component in assuring the accurate delivery of proton therapy dose distributions to patients. The purpose of this work is to assess the uncertainty of CT calibration considering the impact of CT slice thickness, position of the plug within the phantom and phantom sizes.
Methods:Stoichiometric calibration method was employed to develop the CT calibration curve. Gammex 467 tissue characterization phantom was scanned in Tomotherapy Cheese phantom and Gammex 451 phantom by using a GE CT scanner. Each plug was individually inserted into the same position of inner and outer ring of phantoms at each time, respectively. 1.25 mm and 2.5 mm slice thickness were used. Other parameters were same.
Results:HU of selected human tissues were calculated based on fitted coefficient (Kph , Kcoh and KKN), and RSP were calculated according to the Bethe-Bloch equation. The calibration curve was obtained by fitting cheese phantom data with 1.25 mm thickness. There is no significant difference if the slice thickness, phantom size, position of plug changed in soft tissue. For boney structure, RSP increases up to 1% if the phantom size and the position of plug changed but keep the slice thickness the same. However, if the slice thickness varied from the one in the calibration curve, 0.5% - 3% deviation would be expected depending on the plug position. The Inner position shows the obvious deviation (averagely about 2.5%).
Conclusion:RSP shows a clinical insignificant deviation in soft tissue region. Special attention may be required when using a different slice thickness from the calibration curve for boney structure. It is clinically practical to address 3% deviation due to different thickness in the definition of clinical margins.
Contact Email: