Dosimetric performance of the Elekta Unity MR-linac system: 2D and 3D dosimetry in anthropomorphic inhomogeneous geometry

Abstract

Following the clinical introduction of the Elekta Unity MR-linac, there is an urgent need for development of dosimetry protocols and tools, not affected by the presence of a magnetic field. This work presents a benchmarking methodology comprising 2D/3D passive dosimetry and involving on-couch adaptive treatment planning, a unique step in MR-linac workflows. Two identical commercially available 3D-printed head phantoms (featuring realistic bone anatomy and MR/CT contrast) were employed. One phantom incorporated a film dosimetry insert, while the second was filled with polymer gel. Gel dose-response characteristics were evaluated under the Unity irradiation and read-out conditions, using vials and a cubic container filled with gel from the same batch. Treatment plan for the head phantoms involved a hypothetical large C-shape brain lesion, partly surrounding the brainstem. An IMRT step-and-shoot 7-beam plan was employed. Pre-treatment on-couch MR-images were acquired in order for the treatment planning system to calculate the virtual couch shifts and perform adaptive planning. Absolute 2D and relative 3D measurements were compared against calculations related to both adapted and original plans. Real-time dose accumulation monitoring in the gel-filled phantom was also performed. Results from the vials and cubic container suggest that gel dose-response is linear in the dose range investigated and signal integrity is mature at the read-out timings considered. Head phantom 2D and 3D measurements agreed well with calculations with 3D gamma index passing rates above 90% in all cases, even with the most stringent criteria used (2 mm/2%). By exploiting the 3D information provided by the gel, comparison also involved DVHs, dose-volume and plan quality metrics, which also reflected the agreement between adapted and delivered plans within ±4%. No considerable discrepancies were detected between adapted and original plans. A novel methodology was developed and implemented, suitable for QA procedures in Unity. TPS calculations were validated within the experimental uncertainties involved.