A new paper published in EPJ Plus and authored by Eduardo De Paiva of the Department of Medical Physics at the Institute for Radiation Protection and Dosimetry, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, represents the gold standard simulation method used to calculate the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter and estimate the radiation dose delivered a target organ – Monte Carlo (MC) simulation – against an alternative analysis method, the Loevinger formula.
New research results contrast the simulation of beta radiation doses in tumor treatment with an analytical method.
Treating superficial skin tumors, especially when they are over cartilage or bone, with beta radiation can help protect delicate structures during treatment.
However, the use of short-range beta radiation in cancer treatment is not without disadvantages, especially when it comes to measuring radiation exposure – dosimetry. When experimental dosimetry is not possible, researchers use simulation and calculations to study the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter and estimate the radiation dose delivered to a target organ.
A new paper published in EPJ Plus and authored by Eduardo De Paiva of the Department of Medical Physics at the Institute for Radiation Protection and Dosimetry, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and his colleagues, contrasts the gold standard of simulation techniques – Monte Carlo simulation (MC) – with an alternative analytical method , the Loevinger formula.
We measured the dose of a treatment applicator using mathematical techniques – a simple technique, no experiment required and no practical challenges. The novelty of our study was the comparison of MC simulation and Loevinger formula to set up our research.”
Eduardo De Paiva, Department of Medical Physics, Institute for Radiation Protection and Dosimetry, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Non-experimental dosimetry techniques such as MC simulation are advantageous for their ability to handle different geometries and materials, but MC simulations require extensive calculations and this can hinder their implementation.
Analytical methods are another set of beta radiation dosimetry techniques that can provide faster results than MC methods. So far, these methods have been less preferred because they are associated with lower accuracy.
The team used MC simulation and analytical calculation – the Loevinger formula – for dosimetry of radiation dose from a multi-well skin brachytherapy applicator with two beta sources. The results of the two approaches were compared to see how accurate the analysis method is.
“The Loevinger formula, which is a rapid method for dosimetry, showed good agreement with the gold-standard Monte Carlo methods,” concluded Paiva. “Thus, the Loevinger formula can be used as the basis of dosimetry software for simple dosimetry of beta sources in simple geometries.”
Source:
Magazine reference:
De Paiva, E., et al. (2022) Calculations of beta radiation doses from multiwell phosphorus-32 and yttrium-90 applicators developed for use in the treatment of superficial skin tumors: comparison of Monte Carlo and analytical methods. EPJ Plus. doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03116-5.
