Treatment techniques

During hypofractionation higher doses are delivered to the target within a treatment, than during normal radiation therapy. Accuracy of these treatments are therefore essential. RadCalc’s 3D Monte Carlo module employs the most established Monte Carlo dose engine available (BEAMnrc) and also utilizes proprietary machine modelling acquired from McGill University. Dose volumes verified with RadCalc thus increase patient safety and plan quality by enhancing your ability to more accurately verify complicated treatment plans. Studies have shown the verification dose to be within ± 3 % of the treatment plan dose providing very high accuracy.

Radiation therapy continues to grow in complexity, consequently the task of Quality Assurance has become more time consuming. RadCalc was developed by a ABR board certified physicist to make the task of performing independent dosimetric validation calculations much faster, easier and more accurate. RadCalc’s dosimetric calculations provide a fully automated process for your QA routine which can be seamlessly integrated into adaptive radiation therapy workflows.

RadCalc provides Monte Carlo and Collapsed Cone Convolution Superposition based algorithm modules that deliver fast, easy, and accurate 3D Dose Volume verification. Utilizing a patient’s planning CT for calculations, RadCalc’s 3D functionality offers verification for 3D, IMRT, VMAT, and SRS/SBRT plans. Dose throughout the treatment volume is verified with RadCalc thus increasing patient safety and plan quality by enhancing your ability to more accurately verify complicated SRT/SBRT treatment plans.

RadCalc’s 3D functionality includes RadCalcAIR (Automated Import & Reporting) providing a fully automated process with Percent difference, DVH, Gamma, Distance to Agreement analysis tools. RadCalc’s automated process alerts you to plans that fail to pass your pre-set Gamma Analysis acceptance criteria. Additionally, RadCalc automatically checks whether DVH objectives are met for critical structures using both the TPS and RadCalc’s 3D dose.

RadCalc performs independent MU or point dose calculation for step-and -shoot and sliding window IMRT treatment plans. The IMRT computation is performed utilizing a modified Clarkson scatter integration along with a head scatter algorithm to improve accuracy.

The algorithm utilized by RadCalc was published in an article in the October 2000 issue of the Medical Physics Journal. Since publication of this article, the algorithm utilized has been updated to further improve accuracy. The MLC leaf sequence patterns can be imported into RadCalc through various mechanisms. The MLC patterns can be changed and exported to a R&V system.

A regions of interest module is part of RadCalc's photon calculations for performing second check calculations for VMAT. ROI structures are exported with the plan file from the VMAT calculation to the RadCalc software. Average densities for the various structures can be either imported or manually entered. RadCalc computes an independent depth and effective depth value for each individual control point as well as the dose comparison for all imported calculation points. Additionally, an average depth and effective depth are determined. Users can also utilize the Volume Average Dose Tool to analyze the variation in dose (at a given distance) around the primary calculation point. This tool is very effective for analysing the dose distribution when the calculation point is in a high dose gradient or the planning system is using a large dose grid.

RadCalc follows the TG-43 protocol to perform 3D dose volume and point dose verification for HDR (incl. Xoft), LDR and for Permanent Implant treatments. The TPS and RadCalc dose can be compared side by side in either 2D or 3D views. Isodose levels can be displayed, Dose Volume analysis can be performed using Percent Difference DTA or Gamma analysis and DVH protocols can be used. RadCalc can compute the dose and DVH based on translated and/or rotated sources for an individual treatment. Comparing the isodoses, DVH with the optimal source position the clinical impact of a source mislocation can be evaluated.