Highlights
- •We developed a new component module (SMLC) for the BEAMnrc Monte Carlo package.
- •We validated SMLC via geometric checks and comparing it with the VARMLC module.
- •We tuned the SMLC parameters so that it fits the Optifocus MLC of our hospital.
- •Measurements of tongue-and-groove fields agreed well with simulations.
- •We proved that SMLC is clinically relevant by simulating a real patient IMRT field.
Abstract
We have developed a new component module for the BEAMnrc software package, called
SMLC, which models the tongue-and-groove structure of the Siemens Optifocus multileaf
collimator. The ultimate goal is to perform accurate Monte Carlo simulations of the
IMRT treatments carried out with Optifocus. SMLC has been validated by direct geometry
checks and by comparing quantitatively the results of simulations performed with it
and with the component module VARMLC. Measurements and Monte Carlo simulations of
absorbed dose distributions of radiation fields sensitive to the tongue-and-groove
effect have been performed to tune the free parameters of SMLC. The measurements cannot
be accurately reproduced with VARMLC. Finally, simulations of a typical IMRT field
showed that SMLC improves the agreement with experimental measurements with respect
to VARMLC in clinically relevant cases.
PACS number
87.55. K-
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 13, 2015
Accepted:
January 25,
2015
Received in revised form:
January 21,
2015
Received:
August 25,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
