title: A medical image-based graphical platform -- features, applications and relevance for brachytherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brachytherapy dose calculation is commonly performed using the Task Group-No 43 Report-Updated protocol (TG-43U1) formalism. Recently, a more accurate approach has been proposed that can handle tissue composition, tissue density, body shape, applicator geometry, and dose reporting either in media or water. Some model-based dose calculation algorithms are based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. This work presents a software platform capable of processing medical images and treatment plans, and preparing the required input data for MC simulations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The A Medical Image-based Graphical platfOrm-Brachytherapy module (AMIGOBrachy) is a user interface, coupled to the MCNP6 MC code, for absorbed dose calculations. The AMIGOBrachy was first validated in water for a high-dose-rate (192)Ir source. Next, dose distributions were validated in uniform phantoms consisting of different materials. Finally, dose distributions were obtained in patient geometries. Results were compared against a treatment planning system including a linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) solver capable of handling nonwater heterogeneities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TG-43U1 source parameters are in good agreement with literature with more than 90% of anisotropy values within 1%. No significant dependence on the tissue composition was observed comparing MC results against an LBTE solver. Clinical cases showed differences up to 25%, when comparing MC results against TG-43U1. About 92% of the voxels exhibited dose differences lower than 2% when comparing MC results against an LBTE solver.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AMIGOBrachy can improve the accuracy of the TG-43U1 dose calculation by using a more accurate MC dose calculation algorithm. The AMIGOBrachy can be incorporated in clinical practice via a user-friendly graphical interface.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Engenharia Nuclear, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP, São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gabriel P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Research group NuTeC, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reniers
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Centro de Engenharia Nuclear, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Murillo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellezzo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Engenharia Nuclear, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula C G
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Radiologia, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo-HC/FMUSP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: de Sales
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo-HC/FMUSP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Welteman
authors.affiliation: Centro de Engenharia Nuclear, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares-IPEN-CNEN/SP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hélio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoriyaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Oncology, Medical Physics Unit, McGill University, Montréal, Québec Canada. Electronic address: frank.verhaegen@maastro.nl.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verhaegen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016880:Anisotropy; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Brachytherapy; Model-based dose calculation algorithms; Monte Carlo; User interface