title: Results From the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston's Anthropomorphic Phantoms Used for Proton Therapy Clinical Trial Credentialing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to summarize the findings of anthropomorphic proton phantom irradiations analyzed by the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston QA Center (IROC Houston).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 103 phantoms were irradiated by proton therapy centers participating in clinical trials. The anthropomorphic phantoms simulated heterogeneous anatomy of a head, liver, lung, prostate, and spine. Treatment plans included those for scattered, uniform scanning, and pencil beam scanning beam delivery modalities using 5 different treatment planning systems. For every phantom irradiation, point doses and planar doses were measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and film, respectively. Differences between measured and planned doses were studied as a function of phantom, beam delivery modality, motion, repeat attempt, treatment planning system, and date of irradiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The phantom pass rate (overall, 79%) was high for simple phantoms and lower for phantoms that introduced higher levels of difficulty, such as motion, multiple targets, or increased heterogeneity. All treatment planning systems overestimated dose to the target, compared to TLD measurements. Errors in range calculation resulted in several failed phantoms. There was no correlation between treatment planning system and pass rate. The pass rates for each individual phantom are not improving over time, but when individual institutions received feedback about failed phantom irradiations, pass rates did improve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proton phantom pass rates are not as high as desired and emphasize potential deficiencies in proton therapy planning and/or delivery. There are many areas for improvement with the proton phantom irradiations, such as treatment planning system dose agreement, range calculations, accounting for motion, and irradiation of multiple targets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Electronic address: pataylor@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Paige A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Kry
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lujano
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Followill
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003406:Credentialing / Q000592:standards*; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D009068:Movement; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.) / Q000592:standards*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011467:Prostate; D061766:Proton Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000592:standards; D011874:Radiometry / Q000592:standards; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D013131:Spine; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States