Extension of TOPAS for the simulation of proton radiation effects considering molecular and cellular endpoints.

TitleExtension of TOPAS for the simulation of proton radiation effects considering molecular and cellular endpoints.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsPolster, L, Schuemann, J, Rinaldi, I, Burigo, L, McNamara, AL, Stewart, RD, Attili, A, Carlson, DJ, Sato, T, Méndez, JRamos, Faddegon, B, Perl, J, Paganetti, H
JournalPhys Med Biol
Volume60
Issue13
Pagination5053-70
Date Published2015 Jul 7
ISSN1361-6560
Abstract

The aim of this work is to extend a widely used proton Monte Carlo tool, TOPAS, towards the modeling of relative biological effect (RBE) distributions in experimental arrangements as well as patients. TOPAS provides a software core which users configure by writing parameter files to, for instance, define application specific geometries and scoring conditions. Expert users may further extend TOPAS scoring capabilities by plugging in their own additional C++ code. This structure was utilized for the implementation of eight biophysical models suited to calculate proton RBE. As far as physics parameters are concerned, four of these models are based on the proton linear energy transfer, while the others are based on DNA double strand break induction and the frequency-mean specific energy, lineal energy, or delta electron generated track structure. The biological input parameters for all models are typically inferred from fits of the models to radiobiological experiments. The model structures have been implemented in a coherent way within the TOPAS architecture. Their performance was validated against measured experimental data on proton RBE in a spread-out Bragg peak using V79 Chinese Hamster cells. This work is an important step in bringing biologically optimized treatment planning for proton therapy closer to the clinical practice as it will allow researchers to refine and compare pre-defined as well as user-defined models.

DOI10.1088/0031-9155/60/13/5053
Alternate JournalPhys Med Biol
Citation Key365
PubMed ID26061666
PubMed Central IDPMC4511084
Grant ListC06 CA059267 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA 140735 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA140735 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
U19CA021239 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States