Benchmarking and validation of two dosimetry software packages for radiotherapy applications.

Brachytherapy dosimetry is traditionally based on the American Association for Physicists in Medicine Task Group No. 43 report, referred to as TG-43. The TG-43 dose calculation formalism describes dose delivery around a single source centrally positioned in a spherical water phantom. Patient geometry, tissue compositions, and density heterogeneities are ignored, as are foreign objects such as radiation sources and applicators that may be present at the time of treatment. These simplifications lead to inaccuracies and inconsistencies between prescribed dose and delivered dose. The TG-43 formalism is the prevailing dosimetry standard. The American Association for Physicists in Medicine TG-186 report, released in 2012, recommends the use of model-based dose
calculation algorithms in brachytherapy. Model-based dose calculation algorithms such as the Monte Carlo method calculate dose to medium and account for heterogeneities. MC is the gold standard and the most accurate method for calculation of absorbed dose in the human body.
The research group at McGill University has developed an opensource MC-based treatment planning system for brachytherapy applications. The research group at University of Bordeaux has developed another type of model based dosimetry package built on a new deterministic method for calculating the dose distribution in external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

Faculty Supervisor:

Shirin Abbasinejad Enger

Student:

Partner:

Université de Bordeaux

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Biotechnology; Technology

University:

McGill University

Program: