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SU‐E‐T‐708: Validation of the New GATE 6.0 Monte Carlo Platform for Radiation Therapy. Investigations on Simulation Parameters
Author(s) -
Perrot Y,
Donnarieix D,
Breton V,
Maigne L
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.3612670
Subject(s) - monte carlo method , statistical physics , computer science , physics , mathematics , statistics
Purpose: In this study, we validate the accuracy of the new GATE 6.0 Monte Carlo platform (using GEANT4 9.2 Standard Electromagnetic Physics Package) to model accurate treatment plans in radiation therapy using 18 MV photon beams. Furthermore, we investigate how the specifications of the particle transport management, physic processes and geometry influence the dosimetric accuracy of the results to propose recommendations on the usage of GATE 6.0. Methods: 3D conformational plans were simulated for a lung irradiation using 18MV photon beams from a Varian Clinac 2100C accelerator. The patient volume was derived from CT images and converted into specific format in order to use different voxel sizes. Treatment plans were computed using GATE 6.0 and EGSnrc. Treatment plans obtained with both of the codes were compared using a gamma index evaluation (acceptance criteria 3%/3mm). Investigations on the influence of simulation parameters related to physics or algorithm were examined by qualitative comparisons of DVHs in several regions of interest: PTV and OARs. Results: At first, GATE 6.0 is able to reproduce complex dosimetry in agreement with the well validated Monte Carlo code EGSnrc. Nevertheless, the choice of specific simulation parameters such as cuts, particle production threshold or stepping algorithm showed differences on treatment plans. Users have to fix parameters according to the geometry simulated to ensure a good tracking of particles by taking into account the computation time efficiency. Conclusions: GATE 6.0 provides convivial tools for realistic treatment planning and give comparable results with EGSnrc while the parameters of the simulation are well fixed. These investigations highlight several issues of general interest to users of GATE 6.0 who wish to calculate accurate treatment plans. We wish to thank the GEANT4 collaboration and the OpenGATE collaboration to their scientific and technical suuport. This work was partly supported by grants from the European Commission (through the EGI inititative project), by the French National Grid Inititative (France Grilles), and regional authorites (Conseil Général de lˈAllier and Conseil Régional dˈAuvergne).