UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Imaging Cerenkov emission as a quality assurance tool in electron radiotherapy

Helo, Y; Rosenberg, I; D'Souza, D; Macdonald, L; Speller, R; Royle, G; Gibson, A; (2014) Imaging Cerenkov emission as a quality assurance tool in electron radiotherapy. Physics in Medicine and Biology , 59 (8) 1963 - 1978. 10.1088/0031-9155/59/8/1963. Green open access

[thumbnail of Imaging_Cerenkov_emission_as_a_quality_assurance_tool_in_electron_radiotherapy.pdf]
Preview
PDF
Imaging_Cerenkov_emission_as_a_quality_assurance_tool_in_electron_radiotherapy.pdf

Download (1MB)

Abstract

A new potential quality assurance (QA) method is explored (including assessment of depth dose, dose linearity, dose rate linearity and beam profile) for clinical electron beams based on imaging Cerenkov light. The potential of using a standard commercial camera to image Cerenkov light generated from electrons in water for fast QA measurement of a clinical electron beam was explored and compared to ionization chamber measurements. The new method was found to be linear with dose and independent of dose rate (to within 3%). The uncorrected practical range measured in Cerenkov images was found to overestimate the actual value by 3 mm in the worst case. The field size measurements underestimated the dose at the edges by 5% without applying any correction factor. Still, the measured field size could be used to monitor relative changes in the beam profile. Finally, the beam-direction profile measurements were independent of the field size within 2%. A simulation was also performed of the deposited energy and of Cerenkov production in water using GEANT4. Monte Carlo simulation was used to predict the measured light distribution around the water phantom, to reproduce Cerenkov images and to find the relation between deposited energy and Cerenkov production. The camera was modelled as a pinhole camera in GEANT4, to attempt to reproduce Cerenkov images. Simulations of the deposited energy and the Cerenkov light production agreed with each other for a pencil beam of electrons, while for a realistic field size, Cerenkov production in the build-up region overestimated the dose by +8%.

Type: Article
Title: Imaging Cerenkov emission as a quality assurance tool in electron radiotherapy
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/59/8/1963
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/59/8/1963
Language: English
Additional information: © 2014 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Med Phys and Biomedical Eng
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1399800
Downloads since deposit
326Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item