Bragg peak characteristics of proton beams within therapeutic energy range and the comparison of stopping power using the GATE Monte Carlo simulation and the NIST data. Issue 2 (31st July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zarifi, Shiva; Taleshi Ahangari, Hadi; Jia, Sayyed Bijan; Tajik-Mansoury, Mohammad Ali; Najafzadeh, Milad; Firouzjaei, Milad Peer
• Is Part Of: Journal of radiotherapy in practice. Volume 19:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 173
• Page End: 181
• Publication Date: 2019-07-31
• Subjects: Bragg peak, -- depth-dose, -- GATE code, -- proton therapy, -- stopping power; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.842005
• DOI: 10.1017/S1460396919000554
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1460-3969

Abstract

Abstract: Purpose: To examine detail depth dose characteristics of ideal proton beams using the GATE Monte Carlo technique. Methods: In this study, in order to improve simulation efficiency, we used pencil beam geometry instead of parallel broad-field geometry. Depth dose distributions for beam energies from 5 to 250 MeV in a water phantom were obtained. This study used parameters named R peak, R 90, R 80, R 73, R 50, full width at half maximum (FWHM), width of 80–20% distal fall-off ( W (80–20) ) and peak-to-entrance ratio to represent Bragg peak characteristics. The obtained energy–range relationships were fitted into third-order polynomial formulae. The present study also used the GATE Monte Carlo code to calculate the stopping power of proton pencil beams in a water cubic phantom and compared results with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference database. Results: The study results revealed deeper penetration, broader FWHM and distal fall-off and decreased peak-to-entrance dose ratio with increasing beam energy. Study results for monoenergetic proton beams showed that R 73 can be a good indicator to characterise a range of incident beams. These also suggest FWHM is more sensitive than W (80–20) distal fall-off in finding initial energy spread. Furthermore, the difference between the obtained stopping power from simulation and NIST data almost in all energies was lower than 1%. Conclusion: Detail depth dose characteristics for monoenergetic proton beams within therapeutic energy ranges were reported. These results can serve as a good reference for clinical practitioners in their daily practice.