Experimental and computational verifications of the dose calculation accuracy of PHITS for high-energy photon beam therapy

高エネルギー光子線治療に対する粒子重イオン輸送計算コードPHITSの実験的かつ計算的精度検証

久峩 尚也*; 椎葉 拓郎*; 佐藤 達彦   ; 橋本 慎太郎  ; 黒岩 靖淳*

Kuga, Naoya*; Shiiba, Takuro*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Kuroiwa, Yasuyoshi*

本論文では、放射線挙動解析コードPHITSの高エネルギー光子線治療に対する精度検証結果を報告する。具体的には、Clinac 21EX電子ライナックにより発生させた光子線治療場における線量深さ分布,ビームプロファイル,アウトプットファクターを測定し、PHITS及び同様のモンテカルロ計算コードであるEGSnrcの結果と比較した。その結果、PHITS計算と測定は医学物理分野における許容レベル以内で、PHITS計算とEGSnrc計算は約1%の範囲内で一致することが分かった。これらの結果から、PHITSが高エネルギー光子線治療の医学物理計算に応用可能であることが確認できた。

This study aims to verify the accuracy of PHITS in terms of photon and electron transport and provide essential data for its application in clinical dosimetry in high-energy photon beam therapy. Percentage depth dose (PDD), beam profiles, and output factor (OPF) in a water phantom with various field sizes created by a Clinac 21EX linear accelerator were measured using an ionization chamber. Experimental setups were precisely reproduced by PHITS version 3.24, and the percentage differences (%Diff) between the measured and calculated data were evaluated. The average %Diff of PDDs obtained from PHITS and measurement were within 10% and 2% in the build-up and fall-off regions, respectively. For beam profiles, the average %Diff in the plateau region was within 3%; the differences between the calculated and measured distances from the central axis to 50% dose level were within 2 mm. These differences were lower than their tolerance levels. The consistency between the PHITS and EGSnrc was better; their %Diff was within 1% in most cases. The concurrence between the PHITS and measurement shown in this study demonstrates the potential clinical application of PHITS in high-energy photon beam therapy, given its similar dose calculation accuracy compared with EGSnrc.