Evaluation of Delivered Dose in Brain Radiosurgery using an Anthropomorphic Phantom: An End-to-End Dosimetric Assessment

Abstract

This study evaluates the accuracy of delivered dose in brain radiosurgery using stereotactic techniques with a 6 Flattening Filter-Free (FFF) beam energy. An end-to-end quality assurance (QA) process was performed using an anthropomorphic phantom and nanoDots dosimeters. The workflow included Computed Tomography (Computed Tomography (CT)) simulation, treatment planning, and dose delivery using advanced medical imaging and radiation therapy systems. Dosimetric measurements were conducted to assess dose distribution, target coverage, and healthy tissue sparing.

Results demonstrated close agreement between the planned and delivered doses for three simulated lesions, with average delivered doses of 8.25 ±0.14 Gy, 8.33±0.16 Gy, and 8.30 ±0.15  Gy, and a maximum hotspot dose of 8.60 ±0.19  Gy. The accuracy of dose distribution was verified with a gamma index conformity of 99.5%. This study emphasizes the importance of end-to-end QA in stereotactic radiosurgery, especially in regions with tumor sizes under 1 cm, where careful dose planning is critical to minimizing the risks of complications such as necrosis and damage to surrounding healthy tissues.