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Quantification of Artifacts and Image Distortions in 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Images of a Commercial Multi-Channel Vaginal Cylinder Brachytherapy Applicator Set

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Research Center (INIRPRC), School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Department of Physics, Jackson State University (JSU), Jackson, Mississippi, USA

3 SpinTecx, Jackson, Mississippi, USA

4 Department of Radiation Oncology, Community Health Systems (CHS) Cancer Network, Jackson, Mississippi, USA

5 Department of Radiation Oncology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2280 Inwood Rd, EC2.242, Dallas, TX 75235, USA

6 Signal and Image Processing Lab (SIPL), School of Electrical and Computer Eng, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

7 Department of Radiology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

8 Physics Unit, Department of Radio-Oncology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.2309-1665

Abstract

Background: The BEBIG Portio multi-channel applicator provides better target dose coverage and sparing organs-at-risk compared to a single-channel cylinder. However, artifacts and distortions of Portio in magnetic resonance images (MRI) have not yet been reported.
Objective: We aimed to quantify the artifacts and distortions in its 1.5-Tesla MR images before clinical use.
Material and Methods: In this experimental study, we employed a gelatin-filled phantom to conduct our measurements. T2-weighted (T2W) images were examined for artifacts and distortions. Computed tomography (CT) images were used as a reference to assess image distortions. Artifact severity was measured by recording the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) image pixel values at various positions along the length of the applicator/channels. CT and MRI-based applicator reconstruction accuracy were then compared, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast were also determined for the applicator images.
Results: The applicator distortion level for the Portio applicator was less than the image spatial resolution (0.5±0.5 pixels). The average FWHM for the tandem applicator images was 5.23±0.39 mm, while it was 3.21±0.37 mm for all channels (compared to their actual diameters of 5.0 mm and 3.0 mm, respectively). The average applicator reconstruction difference between CT and MR images was 0.75±0.30 mm overall source dwell positions. The image SNR and contrast were both acceptable. 
Conclusion: These findings indicate that the Portio applicator has a satisfactory low level of artifacts and image distortions in 1.5-Tesla, T2W images. It may, therefore, be a promising option for MRI-guided multi-channel vaginal brachytherapy.

Highlights

Abolfazl Kanani (Google Scholar)

Mohammad Amin Mosleh-Shirazi (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References
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Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering
Volume 13, Issue 6
62
November and December 2023
Pages 523-534
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