Monte Carlo Techniques in Radiation Therapy

Description

Modern cancer treatment relies on Monte Carlo simulations to help radiotherapists and clinical physicists better understand and compute radiation dose from imaging devices as well as exploit four-dimensional imaging data. With Monte Carlo-based treatment planning tools now available from commercial vendors, a complete transition to Monte Carlo-based dose calculation methods in radiotherapy could likely take place in the next decade. Monte Carlo Techniques in Radiation Therapyexplores the use of Monte Carlo methods for modeling various features of internal and external radiation sources, including light ion beams.

The book—the first of its kind—world examples, it illustrates the use of Monte Carlo modeling and simulations in dose calculation, beam delivery, kilovoltage and megavoltage imaging, proton radiography, device design, and much more.

Contents

Monte Carlo Fundamentals 
History of Monte Carlo
Alex F. Bielajew

Basics of Monte Carlo Simulations
Matthias Fippel

Variance Reduction Techniques
Matthias Fippel

Application of Monte Carlo Techniques in Radiation Therapy 
Applications of Monte Carlo to Radiation Dosimetry
Hugo Bouchard and Jan Seuntjens

Monte Carlo Modeling of External Photon Beams in Radiotherapy
Frank Verhaegen

Monte Carlo Modeling of External Electron Beams in Radiotherapy
Frank Verhaegen

Dynamic Beam Delivery and 4D Monte Carlo
Emily Heath and Joao Seco

Patient Dose Calculation
Joao Seco and Maggy Fragoso

Monte Carlo Methods and Applications for Brachytherapy Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
Guillaume Landry, Mark R. Rivard, Jeffrey F. Williamson, and Frank Verhaegen

Monte Carlo as a QA Tool for Advanced Radiation Therapy
JinSheng Li and C.-M. Charlie Ma

Electrons: Clinical Considerations and Applications
Joanna E. Cygler and George X. Ding

Photons: Clinical Considerations and Applications
Michael K. Fix

Monte Carlo Calculations for Proton and Ion Beam Dosimetry
Hugo Palmans

Protons: Clinical Considerations and Applications
Harald Paganetti

Application of Monte Carlo Methods to Radionuclide Therapy
Michael Ljungberg

Monte Carlo for Kilovoltage and Megavoltage Imaging
George X. Ding and Andrew Fielding

Monte Carlo Calculations for PET-Based Treatment Verification of Ion Beam Therapy
Katia Parodi

Monte Carlo Studies of Prompt Gamma Emission and of Proton Radiography/Proton-CT
Joao Seco, Jerimy C. Polf, and Katia Parodi

Monte Carlo for Treatment Device Design
Bruce A. Faddegon

GPU-Based Fast Monte Carlo Simulation for Radiotherapy Dose Calculation
Xun Jia, Sami Hissoiny, and Steve B. Jiang

Monte Carlo for Shielding of Radiotherapy Facilities
Peter J. Biggs and Stephen F. Kry

Index

Editor(s) Bio

Joao Seco is an assistant professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. He earned his PhD from the Institute of Cancer Research, University of London. His research interests range from proton imaging and therapy to photon beam modeling Monte Carlo, electronic portal imaging, and 4D Monte Carlo proton and photon dosimetry.

Frank Verhaegen is head of clinical physics research at the Maastro Clinic. He also holds a professorship at the University of Maastricht. Dr. Verhaegen is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and the Institute of Physics. He earned his PhD from the University of Ghent. His research interests include imaging and dosimetry for photon and electron therapy, brachytherapy, particle therapy, and small animal radiotherapy.