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Chen, G

Publications and source records attributed to Chen, G.

At least 19 records

Amplitude analysis of ψ3686→γKS0KS0

Using (2712 ± 14) × 106ψ(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector, we perform the first amplitude analysis of the radiative decay ψ3686→γKS0KS0$$ \psi (3686)\to \gamma {K}_S^0{K}_S^0 $$ within the mass region MKS0KS0<2.8$$ {M}_{K_S^0{K}_S^0}<2.8 $$ GeV/c2. Employing a one-channel K-matrix approach for the description of the dynamics of the KS0KS0$$ {K}_S^0{K}_S^0 $$ system, the data sample is well described with four poles for the f0-wave and three poles for the f2-wave. The determined pole positions are consistent with those of well-established resonance states. The observed f0 and f2 states are found to be in agreement with those produced in radiative J/ψ decays. The production behaviors of f0 and f2 poles in ψ3686→γKS0KS0$$ \psi (3686)\to \gamma {K}_S^0{K}_S^0 $$ are qualified with their residues and the converted branching fractions. By comparing with J/ψ→γKS0KS0$$ J/\psi \to \gamma {K}_S^0{K}_S^0 $$ decay, the ratios Bψ3686→γf0,2BJ/ψ→γf0,2$$ \frac{\mathcal{B}\left(\psi (3686)\to \gamma {f}_{0,2}\right)}{\mathcal{B}\left(J/\psi \to \gamma {f}_{0,2}\right)} $$ are determined, which provides crucial experimental inputs on the internal structure of the f0,2 states, especially their potential mixing with glueball components.

Ablikim, M↗

MO-AB-BRA-08: A Modular Multi-Source X-Ray Tube for Novel Computed Tomography Applications

Purpose: To develop and build a practical implementation of an x-ray line source for the rapidly increasing number of multi-source imaging applications in CT. Methods: An innovative x-ray tube was designed using CST Particle Studio, ANSYS, and SolidWorks. A slowly varying magnetic field is synchronized with microsecond gating of multiple thermionic electron sources. Electrostatic simulations were run to optimize the geometry of the optics and prevent electrode arcing. Magnetostatic simulations were used for beam deflection studies and solenoid design. Particle beam trajectories were explored with an emphasis on focusing, acceleration, deflection, and space charge effects. Thermal constraints were analyzed for both transient and steady-state regimes. Electromagnetic simulations informed the design of a prototype unit under construction. Results: Particle tracking simulations for a benchtop system demonstrate that three 80 keV electron beams are able to be finely controlled and laterally swept a combined distance of 15 cm over a stationary target with an oscillating magnetic field in the hundreds of gauss. The beams are pulsed according to scanning sequences developed for implementation in a mock stationary CT scanner capable of a 30 ms temporal resolution. Beam spot diameters are approximately 1 mm for 30 mA beams and the stationary target stays well within thermal limits. The relevant hardware and control circuits were developed for incorporation into a physical prototype. Conclusion: A new multi-source x-ray tube was designed in a modular form factor to push the barriers of high-speed CT and spur growth in emerging imaging applications. This technology can be used as the basis for a stationary high-speed CT scanner, a system for generating a virtual fan-beam for dose reduction, or for reducing scatter radiation in cone-beam CT utilizing a tetrahedron beam CT geometry. A 2.4 kW benchtop system is currently being built to show proof of concept for the tube. Support for this research was provided by the University of Wisconsin Madison, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education with funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TU-H-CAMPUS-JeP3-02: Automated Dose Accumulation and Dose Accuracy Assessment for Online Or Offline Adaptive Replanning

Purpose: With introduction of high-quality treatment imaging during radiation therapy (RT) delivery, e.g., MR-Linac, adaptive replanning of either online or offline becomes appealing. Dose accumulation of delivered fractions, a prerequisite for the adaptive replanning, can be cumbersome and inaccurate. The purpose of this work is to develop an automated process to accumulate daily doses and to assess the dose accumulation accuracy voxel-by-voxel for adaptive replanning. Methods: The process includes the following main steps: 1) reconstructing daily dose for each delivered fraction with a treatment planning system (Monaco, Elekta) based on the daily images using machine delivery log file and considering patient repositioning if applicable, 2) overlaying the daily dose to the planning image based on deformable image registering (DIR) (ADMIRE, Elekta), 3) assessing voxel dose deformation accuracy based on deformation field using predetermined criteria, and 4) outputting accumulated dose and dose-accuracy volume histograms and parameters. Daily CTs acquired using a CT-on-rails during routine CT-guided RT for sample patients with head and neck and prostate cancers were used to test the process. Results: Daily and accumulated doses (dose-volume histograms, etc) along with their accuracies (dose-accuracy volume histogram) can be robustly generated using the proposed process. The test data for a head and neck cancer case shows that the gross tumor volume decreased by 20% towards the end of treatment course, and the parotid gland mean dose increased by 10%. Such information would trigger adaptive replanning for the subsequent fractions. The voxel-based accuracy in the accumulated dose showed that errors in accumulated dose near rigid structures were small. Conclusion: A procedure as well as necessary tools to automatically accumulate daily dose and assess dose accumulation accuracy is developed and is useful for adaptive replanning. Partially supported by Elekta, Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TH-CD-207B-03: How to Quantify Temporal Resolution in X-Ray MDCT Imaging?

Purpose: In modern CT scanners, a quantitative metric to assess temporal response, namely, to quantify the temporal resolution (TR), remains elusive. Rough surrogate metrics, such as half of the gantry rotation time for single source CT, a quarter of the gantry rotation time for dual source CT, or measurements of motion artifact’s size, shape, or intensity have previously been used. In this work, a rigorous framework which quantifies TR and a practical measurement method are developed. Methods: A motion phantom was simulated which consisted of a single rod that is in motion except during a static period at the temporal center of the scan, termed the TR window. If the image of the motion scan has negligible motion artifacts compared to an image from a totally static scan, then the system has a TR no worse than the TR window used. By repeating this comparison with varying TR windows, the TR of the system can be accurately determined. Motion artifacts were also visually assessed and the TR was measured across varying rod motion speeds, directions, and locations. Noiseless fan beam acquisitions were simulated and images were reconstructed with a short-scan image reconstruction algorithm. Results: The size, shape, and intensity of motion artifacts varied when the rod speed, direction, or location changed. TR measured using the proposed method, however, was consistent across rod speeds, directions, and locations. Conclusion: Since motion artifacts vary depending upon the motion speed, direction, and location, they are not suitable for measuring TR. In this work, a CT system with a specified TR is defined as having the ability to produce a static image with negligible motion artifacts, no matter what motion occurs outside of a static window of width TR. This framework allows for practical measurement of temporal resolution in clinical CT imaging systems. Funding support: GE Healthcare; Conflict of Interest: Employee, GE Healthcare.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-P-14: Dosimetric Effects of Magnetic Field in MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy Delivery for Breast Cancer

Purpose: MRI-guided radiation therapy (RT) delivery would be beneficial for breast irradiation. The electron return effect due to the presence of a transverse magnetic field (TMF) may cause dosimetric issues on dose on skin and at the lung-tissue interface. The purpose of this study is to investigate these issues. Methods: IMRT plans with tangential beams and VMAT plans with 200 degree arcs to cover ipsilateral breast were generated for 10 randomly selected breast cancer cases using a research planning system (Monaco, Elekta) utilizing Monte Carlo dose calculation with or without a TMF of 1.5 T. Plans were optimized to deliver uniform dose to the whole breast with an exclusion of 5 mm tissue under the skin (PTV-EVAL). All four plans for each patient were re-scaled to have the same PTV-EVAL volume to receive the same prescription dose. The skin is defined as the first 5 mm of ipsilateral-breast tissue, plus extensions in the surrounding region. Results: The presence of 1.5 T TMF resulted in (1)increased skin dose, with the mean and maximum skin dose increase of 5% and 9%, respectively; (2) similar dose homogeneity within the PTV-EVAL; (3) the slightly improved (3%) dose homogeneity in the whole breast; (4) Averages of 9 and 16% increases in V5 and V20, respectively, for ipsilateral lung; and (5) increased the mean heart dose by 34%. VMAT plans don’t improve whole breast dose uniformity as compared that to the tangential plans. Conclusion: The presence of transverse magnetic field in MRI-guided RT delivery for whole breast irradiation can Result in slightly improved dose homogeneity in the whole breast, increased dose to the ipsilateral lung, heart, and skin. Plan optimization with additional specific dose volume constraints may eliminate/reduce these dose increases. This work is partially supported by Elekta Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-J-199: A Software Tool for Quality Assurance of Online Replanning with MR-Linac

Purpose: To develop a quality assurance software tool, ArtQA, capable of automatically checking radiation treatment plan parameters, verifying plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary MU calculation considering the effect of magnetic field from MR-Linac, and verifying the delivery and plan consistency, for online replanning. Methods: ArtQA was developed by creating interfaces to TPS (e.g., Monaco, Elekta), R&V system (Mosaiq, Elekta), and secondary MU calculation system. The tool obtains plan parameters from the TPS via direct file reading, and retrieves plan data both transferred from TPS and recorded during the actual delivery in the R&V system database via open database connectivity and structured query language. By comparing beam/plan datasets in different systems, ArtQA detects and outputs discrepancies between TPS, R&V system and secondary MU calculation system, and delivery. To consider the effect of 1.5T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA is capable of automatically checking plan integrity and logic consistency, detecting plan data transfer errors, performing secondary MU calculations with or without a transverse magnetic field, and verifying treatment delivery. The tool is efficient and effective for pre- and post-treatment QA checks of all available treatment parameters that may be impractical with the commonly-used visual inspection. Conclusion: The software tool ArtQA can be used for quick and automatic pre- and post-treatment QA check, eliminating human error associated with visual inspection. While this tool is developed for online replanning to be used on MR-Linac, where the QA needs to be performed rapidly as the patient is lying on the table waiting for the treatment, ArtQA can be used as a general QA tool in radiation oncology practice. This work is partially supported by Elekta Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-T-270: Diffusion Synthetic Acceleration for Linear Boltzmann Transport Equation

Purpose: Linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE) is as accurate as the Monte Carlo method (MC) for dose calculation in photon/particle therapy (LBTE is a deterministic and Eulerian formulation and MC is a statistical and Lagrangian description). An advantage of LBTE is that numerous acceleration techniques can be utilized for acceleration. This work is to explore the acceleration of LBTE via diffusion synthetic acceleration (DSA). Methods: For simplicity, two-dimensional, steady-state, and within-group LBTE is considered with two angular dimensions and two spatial dimensions. The discrete ordinate method is developed for solving this integro-differential equation. The angular variables are discretized using a level-symmetric quadrature set on the unit sphere. The spatial variables are discretized on the structured grid based on the diamond scheme. The source-iteration method (SI) is used to solve the discretized system.Since SI is slow in optically thick and highly scattering regime. DSA is developed to accelerate SI. The motivation for DSA is that diffusion equation (DE) is a good approximation of LBTE in the above regime. However, DE is much cheaper than LBTE computationally since DE only involves spatial variables. Thus, in each DSA iteration, DSA adds to the SI step a computationally-negligible DE step, i.e., to first solve DE with the SI residual as source term, and then compensate the SI solution with DE solution. Results: DSA was benchmarked and compared with SI. The difference between two methods was within 0.12% which verifies the accuracy of DSA, while DSA demonstrated the great advantage in speed, e.g., the reduction of iteration number to 6% and 4% respectively for cases with 100 and 1,000 scattering-absorption ratio that commonly occur in clinical dose calculation. Conclusion: DSA has been developed as one of many possible means for accelerating the numerical solver of LBTE for dose calculation. The authors were partially supported by the NSFC (#11405105), the 973 Program (#2015CB856000) and the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program (#14PJ1404500)

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

MO-FG-204-09: High Spatial Resolution and Artifact-Free CT Bone Imaging at Off-Centered Positions: An Application of Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction

Purpose: Although the anatomy of interest should be positioned as close as possible to the isocenter of CT scanners, off-centering may be inevitable during certain exams in clinical practice such as lumbar spine and elbow imaging. Off-centering degrades image sharpness, generates streak artifacts, and sometimes creates blooming artifacts due to truncation. The purpose of this work was to investigate whether the use of model-based image reconstruction (MBIR) can alleviate the negative impacts of off-centering to achieve high quality CT bone imaging. Methods: Both an anthropomorphic phantom and an ex vivo swine elbow sample were scanned at centered and off-centered positions using clinical CT bone scan protocols. The magnitude of off-centering was determined from localizer radiographs. Both FBP and MBIR reconstructions were performed. For FBP, both standard and Bone Plus kernels commonly used in bone imaging were used. Objective assessment of image sharpness, noise standard deviation, and noise nonuniformity were performed. Additionally, we retrospectively analyzed human subject data acquired under off-centered conditions as a validation study. Results: In FBP images of the phantom, off-centering by 10 cm led to a 14% increase in noise (p<1e-3) and a 68% increase in noise nonuniformity (p<0.02). A visible drop in bone sharpness was observed. In contrast, no significant difference in the noise magnitude or the noise nonuniformity between the centered and off-centered MBIR images was found. The image sharpness of off-centered MBIR images outperformed that of FBP images reconstructed with the Bone Plus kernel. In images of the swine elbow off-centered by 20 cm, not only was the noise and spatial resolution performance improved by MBIR, truncation artifacts were also elliminated. The human subject study generated similar results, in which the visibility of the off-centered lumbar spine was significantly improved. Conclusion: High quality CT bone imaging at off-centered positions can be achieved using MBIR. This work was partially supported by an NIH grant R01CA169331 and GE Healthcare. K. Li, D. Gomez-Cardona: Nothing to disclose. G.-H. Chen: Research funded, GE Healthcare; Research funded, Siemens AX. A. Budde, J. Hsieh: Employee, GE Healthcare.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TU-CD-207-12: Impact of Anatomical Noise On Detection Performance of Microcalcifications in Multi-Contrast Breast Imaging

Purpose: The anatomical noise power spectra (NPS) for differential phase contrast (DPC) and dark field (DF) imaging have recently been characterized using a power-law model with two parameters, alpha and beta, an innovative extension to the methodology used in x-ray attenuation based breast imaging such as mammography, DBT, or cone-beam CT. Beta values of 3.6, 2.6, and 1.3 have been measured for absorption, DPC, and DF respectively for cadaver breasts imaged in the coronal plane; these dramatic differences should be reflected in their detection performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of anatomical noise on breast calcification detection and compare the detection performance of the three contrast mechanisms of a multi-contrast x-ray imaging system. Methods: In our studies, a calcification image object was segmented out of the multi-contrast images of a cadaver breast specimen. 50 measured total NPS were measured from breast cadavers directly. The ideal model observer detectability was calculated for a range of doses (5–100%) and a range of calcification sizes (diameter = 0.25–2.5 mm). Results: Overall we found the highest average detectability corresponded to DPC imaging (7.4 for 1 mm calc.), with DF the next highest (3.8 for 1 mm calc.), and absorption the lowest (3.2 for 1 mm calc.). However, absorption imaging also showed the slowest dependence on dose of the three modalities due to the significant anatomical noise. DPC showed a peak detectability for calcifications ∼1.25 mm in diameter, DF showed a peak for calcifications around 0.75 mm in diameter, and absorption imaging had no such peak in the range explored. Conclusion: Understanding imaging performance for DPC and DF is critical to transition these modalities to the clinic. The results presented here offer new insight into how these modalities complement absorption imaging to maximize the likelihood of detecting early breast cancers. J. Garrett, Y. Ge, K. Li: Nothing to disclose. G.-H. Chen: Research funded, GE Healthcare; Research funded, Siemens AX.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-F-BRD-04: Development of a Secondary MU Calculation Tool for An Integrated MR-LINAC

Purpose: To develop a fast secondary MU calculation tool for an integrated MR-Linac, an emerging technology for delivering image-guided on-line adaptive therapy. Methods: A software tool was developed to implement a modified Clarkson integration algorithm for point-dose calculation, considering the dosimtric effect of a magnetic field. A research planning system, considering the presence of a perpendicular 1.5 T magnetic field, was used to extract the beam data (e.g., depth doses and beam profiles) required for the MU calculation in homogeneous phantom of 60×60×40 cm3 for a prototype of MR-Linac integrating a 1.5 T MR scanner with 6MV photon beams. These dosimetric data may be replaced with those to be collected during the commissioning measurement of the MR-Linac. Results: The presence of the magnetic field resulted in noticeable changes including (1) shifts in beam profiles for small fields (< 2×2 cm2), and (2) changes in central-axis doses when one of field edges is < 2 cm away from the central axis. For example, the maximum change in central-axis dose was up to 8% for one of the field borders with a distance away from the central axis of <1 cm. These changes are relevant for the MU calculation particularly for IMRT and VMAT, where most of segments are small. These magnetic field affected beam profiles and depth doses were included in the software tool. The MU calculations from the software tool for selective representative plans were found to agree with those from the research planning system within 10%. Conclusion: The presence of a perpendicular magnetic field results in noticeable changes in beam profiles and depth doses for small fields. These changes are included in the secondary MU calc{sup 33}u{sup 3}lation to be used as a redundancy check for an integrated MR-Linac.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

MO-C-18A-01: Advances in Model-Based 3D Image Reconstruction

Recent years have seen the emergence of CT image reconstruction techniques that exploit physical models of the imaging system, photon statistics, and even the patient to achieve improved 3D image quality and/or reduction of radiation dose. With numerous advantages in comparison to conventional 3D filtered backprojection, such techniques bring a variety of challenges as well, including: a demanding computational load associated with sophisticated forward models and iterative optimization methods; nonlinearity and nonstationarity in image quality characteristics; a complex dependency on multiple free parameters; and the need to understand how best to incorporate prior information (including patient-specific prior images) within the reconstruction process. The advantages, however, are even greater – for example: improved image quality; reduced dose; robustness to noise and artifacts; task-specific reconstruction protocols; suitability to novel CT imaging platforms and noncircular orbits; and incorporation of known characteristics of the imager and patient that are conventionally discarded. This symposium features experts in 3D image reconstruction, image quality assessment, and the translation of such methods to emerging clinical applications. Dr. Chen will address novel methods for the incorporation of prior information in 3D and 4D CT reconstruction techniques. Dr. Pan will show recent advances in optimization-based reconstruction that enable potential reduction of dose and sampling requirements. Dr. Stayman will describe a “task-based imaging” approach that leverages models of the imaging system and patient in combination with a specification of the imaging task to optimize both the acquisition and reconstruction process. Dr. Samei will describe the development of methods for image quality assessment in such nonlinear reconstruction techniques and the use of these methods to characterize and optimize image quality and dose in a spectrum of clinical applications. Learning Objectives: Learn the general methodologies associated with model-based 3D image reconstruction. Learn the potential advantages in image quality and dose associated with model-based image reconstruction. Learn the challenges associated with computational load and image quality assessment for such reconstruction methods. Learn how imaging task can be incorporated as a means to drive optimal image acquisition and reconstruction techniques. Learn how model-based reconstruction methods can incorporate prior information to improve image quality, ease sampling requirements, and reduce dose.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TH-C-18A-01: Is Automatic Tube Current Modulation Still Necessary with Statistical Iterative Reconstruction?

Purpose: Automatic tube current modulation (TCM) has been widely used in modern multi-detector CT to reduce noise spatial nonuniformity and streaks to improve dose efficiency. With the advent of statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR), it is expected that the importance of TCM may diminish, since SIR incorporates statistical weighting factors to reduce the negative influence of photon-starved rays. The purpose of this work is to address the following questions: Does SIR offer the same benefits as TCM? If yes, are there still any clinical benefits to using TCM? Methods: An anthropomorphic CIRS chest phantom was scanned using a state-of-the-art clinical CT system equipped with an SIR engine (Veo™, GE Healthcare). The phantom was first scanned with TCM using a routine protocol and a low-dose (LD) protocol. It was then scanned without TCM using the same protocols. For each acquisition, both FBP and Veo reconstructions were performed. All scans were repeated 50 times to generate an image ensemble from which noise spatial nonuniformity (NSN) and streak artifact levels were quantified. Monte-Carlo experiments were performed to estimate skin dose. Results: For FBP, noise streaks were reduced by 4% using TCM for both routine and LD scans. NSN values were actually slightly higher with TCM (0.25) than without TCM (0.24) for both routine and LD scans. In contrast, for Veo, noise streaks became negligible (<1%) with or without TCM for both routine and LD scans, and the NSN was reduced to 0.10 (low dose) or 0.08 (routine). The overall skin dose was 2% lower at the shoulders and more uniformly distributed across the skin without TCM. Conclusion: SIR without TCM offers superior reduction in noise nonuniformity and streaks relative to FBP with TCM. For some clinical applications in which skin dose may be a concern, SIR without TCM may be a better option. K. Li, W. Zhao, D. Gomez-Cardona: Nothing to disclose; G.-H. Chen: Research funded, General Electric Company Research funded, Siemens AG Research funded, Varian Medical Systems, Research funded, Hologic, Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TH-E-17A-09: High Quality and Artifact-Free 4D Cone Beam CT and Its Application in Adaptive Treatment Planning

Purpose: To develop a high quality 4D cone beam CT (4DCBCT) method that is immune to patient/couch truncations and to investigate its application in adaptive replanning of lung XRT. Methods: In this study, IRB-approved human subject CBCT data was acquired using a Varian on-board imager with 1 minute rotation time. The acquired projection data was retrospectively sorted into 20 respiratory phase bins, from which 4DCBCT images with high SNR and high temporal resolution were generated using Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS). Couch and patient truncations generate strong data inconsistency in the projection data and artifacts in the 4DCBCT image. They were addressed using an adaptive PICCS method. The artifact-free PICCS-4DCBCT images were used to generate adaptive treatment plans for the same patient at the 10th (day 21) and 30th (day 47) fractions. Dosimetric impacts with and without PICCS- 4DCBCT were evaluated by isodose distributions, DVHs, and other dosimetric factors. Results: The adaptive PICCS-4DCBCT method improves image quality by removing residue truncation artifacts; measured universal image quality increased 37%. The isodose lines and DVHs with PICCS-4DCBCT-based adaptive replanning were significantly more conformal to PTV than without replanning due to changes in patient anatomy caused by progress of the treatment. The mean dose to PTV at the 10th fraction was 63.1Gy with replanning and 64.2Gy without replanning, where the prescribed dose was 60Gy, in 2Gy × 30 fractions. The mean dose to PTV at the 30th fraction was 61.6Gy with replanning and 64.9Gy without replanning. Lung V20 was 37.1%, 41.9% and 43.3% for original plan, 10th fraction plan and 30th fraction plan; with re-planning, Lung V20 was 37.1%, 32%, 27.8%. Conclusion: 4DCBCT imaging using adaptive PICCS is able to generate high quality, artifact-free images that potentially can be used to create replanning for improving radiotherapy of the lung. K Niu, K Li, J Smilowitz: Nothing to Disclose. G Chen: General Electric Company Research funded, Siemens AG Research funded, Varian Medical Systems Research funded, Hologic Research funded.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-I-82: Improving CT Image Quality for Radiation Therapy Using Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms and Slightly Increasing Imaging Doses

Purpose: Iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms are developed to improve CT image quality (IQ) by reducing noise without diminishing spatial resolution or contrast. For CT in radiation therapy (RT), slightly increasing imaging dose to improve IQ may be justified if it can substantially enhance structure delineation. The purpose of this study is to investigate and to quantify the IQ enhancement as a result of increasing imaging doses and using IR algorithms. Methods: CT images were acquired for phantoms, built to evaluate IQ metrics including spatial resolution, contrast and noise, with a variety of imaging protocols using a CT scanner (Definition AS Open, Siemens) installed inside a Linac room. Representative patients were scanned once the protocols were optimized. Both phantom and patient scans were reconstructed using the Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) and the Filtered Back Projection (FBP) methods. IQ metrics of the obtained CTs were compared. Results: IR techniques are demonstrated to preserve spatial resolution as measured by the point spread function and reduce noise in comparison to traditional FBP. Driven by the reduction in noise, the contrast to noise ratio is doubled by adopting the highest SAFIRE strength. As expected, increasing imaging dose reduces noise for both SAFIRE and FBP reconstructions. The contrast to noise increases from 3 to 5 by increasing the dose by a factor of 4. Similar IQ improvement was observed on the CTs for selected patients with pancreas and prostrate cancers. Conclusion: The IR techniques produce a measurable enhancement to CT IQ by reducing the noise. Increasing imaging dose further reduces noise independent of the IR techniques. The improved CT enables more accurate delineation of tumors and/or organs at risk during RT planning and delivery guidance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Combined Search for the Standard Model Higgs Boson Decaying to bb̄ Using the D0 Run II Data Set

We present the results of the combination of searches for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying into bb̄ using the data sample collected with the D0 detector in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We derive 95% C.L. upper limits on the Higgs boson cross section relative to the standard model prediction in the mass range 100 GeV≤M H ≤150 GeV, and we exclude Higgs bosons with masses smaller than 102 GeV at the 95% C.L. In the mass range 120 GeV≤M H ≤145 GeV, the data exhibit an excess above the background prediction with a global significance of 1.5 standard deviations, consistent with the expectation in the presence of a standard model Higgs boson.

Abazov, V. M.↗

Search for the standard model Higgs Boson in associated W H production in 9.7 fb – 1 of p p ¯ collisions with the D0 detector

Here, we present a search for the standard model Higgs boson in final states with a charged lepton (electron or muon), missing transverse energy, and two or three jets, at least one of which is identified as a $b$-quark jet. The search is primarily sensitive to $WH\to\ell\nu b\bar{b}$ production and uses data corresponding to 9.7 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV. We observe agreement between data and the expected background. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, we set a 95% C.L. upper limit on the production of a standard model Higgs boson of 5.2$\times\sigma_{\rm SM}$, where $\sigma_{\rm SM}$ is the standard model Higgs boson production cross section, while the expected limit is 4.7$\times\sigma_{\rm SM}$.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗