Deformable gel dosimetry I: application to external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy

Inter- and intra-fractional variation in anatomic structures is a significant challenge in contemporary radiotherapy (RT). In this study, we describe the implementation of a novel deformable gel dosimetry system (dubbed 'DEFGEL') for application to external beam RT and brachytherapy experimental measurements. Complex / redistributed dose distributions due to applied deformations were readily observed and the discrepancies relative to a control case with an absence of deformation could be quantified. This work has obvious extensions to validation of deformable image registration algorithms, deformable dose calculation algorithms, and quality assurance of motion compensation strategies in RT.