Validating The Potential-Usefulness Ofthe Arccheck (R) Detector To Verify Planned Brachytherapy Treatment

Planned treatment verification procedures were created to ensure safety and effectiveness of radiotherapy. In brachytherapy, however, the verification procedure is methodologically complicated due to difficulties in measuring dose distribution around a radiation source placed inside the irradiated object. To address this problem, particularly as more complicate brachytherapy procedures are contemplated, we attempted to validate the potential usefulness of ArcCHECK (R) detector for direct verification of a brachytherapy treatment plan. A simple treatment plan was created for a specially-designed phantom which produced 2D dose distribution map on the phantom's surface. As a result, 2D map of dose distribution on phantom's surface. Subsequently, a Monte Carlo simulation of the experimental treatment plan was performed for comparison with measured data. This simulation used the EGS_brachy module, which is a part of the EGS_nrc Monte Carlo code. Measuring dose distribution using ArcCHECK (R) was a first step in a validation procedure. Next steps will include comparisons of measurement results with data exported from the treatment planning system (TPS), a further Monte Carlo Simulation and radiochromic film. The measurement described here provided qualitative indication of potential effectiveness of presented approach. Combined comparisons of ArcCHECK (R) measurement with other methods of validation of dose distribution should provide sufficient grounds to assess the device's value in verification procedure.