Radiotherapy Monte Carlo simulation using cloud computing technology

Cloud computing allows for vast computational resources to be leveraged quickly and easily in bursts as and when required. Here we describe a technique that allows for Monte Carlo radiotherapy dose calculations to be performed using GEANT4 and executed in the cloud, with relative simulation cost and completion time evaluated as a function of machine count. As expected, simulation completion time decreases as 1=n for n parallel machines, and relative simulation cost is found to be optimal where n is a factor of the total simulation time in hours. Using the technique, we demonstrate the potential usefulness of cloud computing as a solution for rapid Monte Carlo simulation for radiotherapy dose calculation without the need for dedicated local computer hardware as a proof of principal. Funding source Cancer Australia (Department of Health and Ageing) Research Grant 614217

Faster Monte Carlo simulation of radiotherapy geometries

Using Monte Carlo simulation for radiotherapy dose calculation can provide more accurate results when compared to the analytical methods usually found in modern treatment planning systems, especially in regions with a high degree of inhomogeneity. These more accurate results acquired using Monte Carlo simulation however, often require orders of magnitude more calculation time so as to attain high precision, thereby reducing its utility within the clinical environment. This work aims to improve the utility of Monte Carlo simulation within the clinical environment by developing techniques which enable faster Monte Carlo simulation of radiotherapy geometries. This is achieved principally through the use new high performance computing environments and simpler alternative, yet equivalent representations of complex geometries. Firstly the use of cloud computing technology and it application to radiotherapy dose calculation is demonstrated. As with other super-computer like environments, the time to complete a simulation decreases as 1=n with increasing n cloud based computers performing the calculation in parallel. Unlike traditional super computer infrastructure however, there is no initial outlay of cost, only modest ongoing usage fees; the simulations described in the following are performed using this cloud computing technology. The definition of geometry within the chosen Monte Carlo simulation environment - Geometry & Tracking 4 (GEANT4) in this case - is also addressed in this work. At the simulation implementation level, a new computer aided design interface is presented for use with GEANT4 enabling direct coupling between manufactured parts and their equivalent in the simulation environment, which is of particular importance when defining linear accelerator treatment head geometry. Further, a new technique for navigating tessellated or meshed geometries is described, allowing for up to 3 orders of magnitude performance improvement with the use of tetrahedral meshes in place of complex triangular surface meshes. The technique has application in the definition of both mechanical parts in a geometry as well as patient geometry. Static patient CT datasets like those found in typical radiotherapy treatment plans are often very large and present a significant performance penalty on a Monte Carlo simulation. By extracting the regions of interest in a radiotherapy treatment plan, and representing them in a mesh based form similar to those used in computer aided design, the above mentioned optimisation techniques can be used so as to reduce the time required to navigation the patient geometry in the simulation environment. Results presented in this work show that these equivalent yet much simplified patient geometry representations enable significant performance improvements over simulations that consider raw CT datasets alone. Furthermore, this mesh based representation allows for direct manipulation of the geometry enabling motion augmentation for time dependant dose calculation for example. Finally, an experimental dosimetry technique is described which allows the validation of time dependant Monte Carlo simulation, like the ones made possible by the afore mentioned patient geometry definition. A bespoke organic plastic scintillator dose rate meter is embedded in a gel dosimeter thereby enabling simultaneous 3D dose distribution and dose rate measurement. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of applying alternative and equivalent geometry definitions to complex geometries for the purposes of Monte Carlo simulation performance improvement. Additionally, these alternative geometry definitions allow for manipulations to be performed on otherwise static and rigid geometry.

Calculation of dose kernels for radiotherapy applications using the GEANT 4 Monte Carlo toolkit

Dose kernels may be used to calculate dose distributions in radiotherapy (as described by Ahnesjo et al., 1999). Their calculation requires use of Monte Carlo methods, usually by forcing interactions to occur at a point. The Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit provides a capability to force interactions to occur in a particular volume. We have modified this capability and created a Geant4 application to calculate dose kernels in cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical scoring systems. The simulation considers monoenergetic photons incident at the origin of a 3 m x 3 x 9 3 m water volume. Photons interact via compton, photo-electric, pair production, and rayleigh scattering. By default, Geant4 models photon interactions by sampling a physical interaction length (PIL) for each process. The process returning the smallest PIL is then considered to occur. In order to force the interaction to occur within a given length, L_FIL, we scale each PIL according to the formula: PIL_forced = L_FIL 9 (1 - exp(-PIL/PILo)) where PILo is a constant. This ensures that the process occurs within L_FIL, whilst correctly modelling the relative probability of each process. Dose kernels were produced for an incident photon energy of 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 MeV. In order to benchmark the code, dose kernels were also calculated using the EGSnrc Edknrc user code. Identical scoring systems were used; namely, the collapsed cone approach of the Edknrc code. Relative dose difference images were then produced. Preliminary results demonstrate the ability of the Geant4 application to reproduce the shape of the dose kernels; median relative dose differences of 12.6, 5.75, and 12.6 % were found for an incident photon energy of 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 MeV respectively.

Angular dependence of the response of the nanoDot OSLD system for measurements at depth in clinical megavoltage beams

Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to assess the angular dependence of a commercial optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD) dosimetry system in MV x-ray beams at depths beyondd max and to find ways to mitigate this dependence for measurements in phantoms. Methods Two special holders were designed which allow a dosimeter to be rotated around the center of its sensitive volume. The dosimeter's sensitive volume is a disk, 5 mm in diameter and 0.2 mm thick. The first holder rotates the disk in the traditional way. It positions the disk perpendicular to the beam (gantry pointing to the floor) in the initial position (0°). When the holder is rotated the angle of the disk towards the beam increases until the disk is parallel with the beam (“edge on,” 90°). This is referred to as Setup 1. The second holder offers a new, alternative measurement position. It positions the disk parallel to the beam for all angles while rotating around its center (Setup 2). Measurements with five to ten dosimeters per point were carried out for 6 MV at 3 and 10 cm depth. Monte Carlo simulations using GEANT4 were performed to simulate the response of the active detector material for several angles. Detector and housing were simulated in detail based on microCT data and communications with the manufacturer. Various material compositions and an all-water geometry were considered. Results For the traditional Setup 1 the response of the OSLD dropped on average by 1.4% ± 0.7% (measurement) and 2.1% ± 0.3% (Monte Carlo simulation) for the 90° orientation compared to 0°. Monte Carlo simulations also showed a strong dependence of the effect on the composition of the sensitive layer. Assuming the layer to completely consist of the active material (Al2O3) results in a 7% drop in response for 90° compared to 0°. Assuming the layer to be completely water, results in a flat response within the simulation uncertainty of about 1%. For the new Setup 2, measurements and Monte Carlo simulations found the angular dependence of the dosimeter to be below 1% and within the measurement uncertainty. Conclusions The dosimeter system exhibits a small angular dependence of approximately 2% which needs to be considered for measurements involving other than normal incident beams angles. This applies in particular to clinicalin vivo measurements where the orientation of the dosimeter is dictated by clinical circumstances and cannot be optimized as otherwise suggested here. When measuring in a phantom, the proposed new setup should be considered. It changes the orientation of the dosimeter so that a coplanar beam arrangement always hits the disk shaped detector material from the thin side and thereby reduces the angular dependence of the response to within the measurement uncertainty of about 1%. This improvement makes the dosimeter more attractive for clinical measurements with multiple coplanar beams in phantoms, as the overall measurement uncertainty is reduced. Similarly, phantom based postal audits can transition from the traditional TLD to the more accurate and convenient OSLD.

医用质子和~(12)C离子束的物理性质研究

质子和重离子在现代放射治疗手段中已起着不可替代的作用,这主要取决于其独特的物理性质。利用一步过程和两步过程的物理模型解释了离子能量损失的机制,同时结合Geant4软件包模拟质子和12C在水中的运输过程,研究了离子束的物理性质,并讨论了计算的结果,说明了质子和12C在医学中应用的优缺点。

HIRFL-CSR系统中RIBLLⅡ上中子墙设计的模拟计算

HIRFL-CSR系统中RIBLLⅡ外靶实验终端上的中子探测装置是用来开展放射性束物理以及利 用放射性束开展非对称核物质性质等研究的一个重要的探测装置．介绍了在RIBLIⅡ上计划建造的中 子墙的探测原理以及基于Geant4对其所进行的蒙特卡罗模拟,给出了中子墙的设计方案、优化的设计 参数以及中子探测的性能指标．

RIBLL终端大面积中子探测器阵列研制方案的理论计算

介绍了一种用于丰中子核研究的RIBLL终端大面积中子探测器阵列的研制 .利用Geant4软件包对该探测系统的中子探测效率、时间分辨和位置分布等进行了蒙特卡罗模拟 ,同时对探测器的cross talk进行了研究 .给出了探测器的设计方案 .

HIRFL-CSRm内靶实验终端CsI(Tl)电磁量能器性能模拟

基于GEANT4模拟了HIRFL CSRm内靶实验终端的CsI(Tl)电磁量能器系统,给出了CsI电磁量能器的最佳设计参数及可能达到的性能.结果表明,设计的CsI(Tl)电磁量能器系统能够满足所研究的物理要求.

Monte Carlo studies of micromegas as a neutron detector and its track reconstruction

In this paper a two dimensional readout micromegas detector with a polyethylene foil as converter was simulated on GEANT4 toolkit and GARFIELD for fast neutron detection. A new track reconstruction method based on time coincidence technology was developed in the simulation to obtain the incident neutron position. The results showed that with this reconstruction method higher spatial resolution was achieved.

Monte Carlo simulation of the neutron detection wall at RIBLL II in HIRFL-CSR

With the construction of the new Radioactive Ion Beam Line in Lanzhou (RIBLL II) which connects the CSRm and the CSRe, an experimental setup for physics research is highly required. A large area neutron detection wall is the main part of the setup. This paper introduced the detection principle of the neutron detection wall and the Monte-Carlo simulation of its design under the environment of the Geant4 toolkit. We presented the final design with the optimized parameters and the performance of the wall.

横向场气体电离室信号模拟；Signal Simulation of Transverse Field Gas Ionization Chamber

本文利用Geant4、Garfield和Magboltz程序模拟了横向场气体电离室的输出信号。通过比较模拟与实验结果,检验了模拟的可靠性。同时,通过模拟得出了不同工作气体对信号输出幅度的影响,其中,产生的信号幅度最大的气体为C4H10,这为以后改进此类电离室提供了理论依据。

PbWO_4晶体的光输出与能量分辨研究；Study on Light Output and Energy Resolution of PbWO_4 Crystal

研究了多种包装材料和包装工艺对钨酸铅(PbWO4)晶体光输出和能量分辨的影响,测量结果与基于GEANT4的模拟结果符合很好,并由此确定了晶体的最佳包装方法。