Dual-Resolution Monte Carlo Simulationin around Tiny and Heterogeneous Structures for Assessing Dose Distribution against Radiation Therapy

Dose distribution around tiny and heterogeneous tissues is critical in clinical radiation therapy. Dose over- or under-estimation is a common problem for bone marrow, vestibulocochlear nerve, pituitary glands, skin, and mucosa/epidermis near artificial teeth, which leading to unexpected normal tissue complications or tumour recurrence. Owing to the limitation of computer efficiency and RAM capacity, it is impossible at the present to construct a very high resolution phantom for calculating tumour/organ dose together with realistic and accurate dose estimation for tiny and heterogeneous tissues at one simulation. Currently, there is neither treatment plan system nor Monte Carlo simulation that can accurately assess dose distribution around tiny and heterogeneous tissues. This project proposes to develop a dull resolution Monte Carlo simulation around tiny and heterogeneous structures for assessing dose distribution against radiation therapy. This system will use regular spatial resolution for tumour/organ dose assessment, but enhance resolution around region of interest to get patient treatment evaluation and dose distribution around tiny and heterogeneous tissues at one simulation. Three approaches including (1) dual resolution phantom; (2) correlation sampling, and (3) real-time switching dual-resolution Monte Carlo will be implemented into one BigMouse phantom and one high definition human phantom to achieve dual-resolution dose assessment. These approaches will be benchmarked using edge detector and PRESAGE® 3D dosimeter in simplified geometry. The results of this study can provide solution for better dose estimation for bone marrow, vestibulocochlear nerve, pituitary glands, skin, and mucosa/epidermis near artificial teeth.

Project ID:PC9907-2513
External Project ID:NSC99-2314-B182-040-MY2