Differences

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--- electronrt:userguide:tutorials:electron_beams [2021/05/12 15:33] – [Electron Beam Normalization] Adds normalization sphere picture anegron
+++ electronrt:userguide:tutorials:electron_beams [2025/11/28 16:11] (current) – kerhart
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
   * **Delete**: Remove this beam from the plan.
-<imgcaption beams_2|Existing Beam Example>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_editing_beam.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
+<imgcaption beams_2|Existing Beam Example>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_block.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
 The editing dialog allows the user to edit any property of the beams that is defined in the "Structure of a Beam" section below. All changes made in this section will be saved to the beam once the user selects "Done".
@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
         - The gantry angle is less than 5.0 or greater than 355.0 degrees
         - The couch angle is less than 10.0 or greater than 350.0 degrees
-      - **Beam Energy:** The minimum commissioned energy with an R90 large enough to reach the deepest portion of the distal surface of the target
+      - **Beam Energy:** The minimum commissioned energy with an R90 large enough to reach the deepest portion of the distal surface of the target.
-      - **Block Size:** The smallest fitting block size enabled for the selected treatment machine
+      - **Beam Normalization:** If a matching [[electronrt:userguide:tutorials:all_tutorials#site_settings|normalization template]] is found this will automatically be applied.
+      - **Block Size:** The smallest fitting block size enabled for the selected treatment machine.
 <imgcaption beams_6|Geometric Target Options>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_new_beam_target.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
@@ Line 87: / Line 88: @@
   * **Beam Energy:** The user is able to select an energy for this beam. This list of energies is derived from the machine data in the site configuration.
-<imgcaption beams_9|Energy selection block>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_new_beam_energies_selection.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
+<imgcaption beams_9|Energy Selection Block>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_new_beam_energies_selection.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
@@ Line 97: / Line 98: @@
-<imgcaption beams_10|Beams Block>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_new_beam_energies.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
+<imgcaption beams_10|Energy Selection Values>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_new_beam_energies.png?direct&400 }}</imgcaption>
 ==== Electron Beam Normalization ====
-In this block the user can specify how the electron beam will be normalized to scale the computed relative dose (%) to absolute (Gy) dose. The eRT application provides the following normalization options:
+In this block the user can specify how the electron beam will be normalized. Absolute dose based normalization can be selected to scale the computed relative dose (%) to absolute (Gy) dose.
-<WRAP center round tip 60%>
+If the Course is assigned a treatment site with a [[[electronrt:userguide:tutorials:all_tutorials#plan_defaults_templates|beam normalization template]] and the the selected geometric target is one of the prescription structures, the normalization will be set according to the template in the treatment site. If the the geometric target is not a prescription structure, the absolute dose value must be set by the user. Refer to [[electronrt:userguide:tutorials:all_tutorials#plan_defaults_templates|Editing the Site Settings]] to set a beam normalization template.
-**Note:**\\
-When creating a new Electron Beam you will be unable to see your beam approach or dose until a beam normalization is fully specified.
-</WRAP>
-<imgcaption beam_normalization|Beam Normalization>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_normalization.png?direct&400 |}}</imgcaption>
+<imgcaption beam_normalization|Absolute Dose Beam Normalization>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:absolute_dose_based_normalization.png?direct&400 |}}</imgcaption>
-  * **Location**: Normalize the dose to a spherical radius around a specific point.
+If MU dose conversion tables exist in the machine selected for the plan, MU based normalization can be selected to scale the relative dose based on a user specified MU value per fraction. In this case, the absolute beam dose value is calculated based on the given MU value per fraction. MU dose conversion data tables can be imported in the [[:electronrt:userguide:tutorials:all_tutorials#machine_settings|Site Configuration Machine Settings]].
-    * Users are able to specify the point, sphere's radius, and the absolute dose value to set.
-    * The dose voxels values within the specified sphere are averaged together and applied to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value set when normalizing the beam.
+<imgcaption beam_normalization|MU Based Beam Normalization>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:mu_based_normalization.png?direct&400 |}}</imgcaption>
-    * A normalization sphere will appear in the sliced views when location-based normalization is applied to the dose.
+The eRT application provides the following options for absolute dose based normalization:
+  * **Location**: Normalize the dose to a small spherical volume surrounding a specific point.
+    * Users are able to specify the sphere's center point and radius.
+    * The average //Given Dose// within the specified sphere is computed and set to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value when normalizing the beam.
+    * The normalization sphere will be shown in the sliced views when this location-based normalization option is used.
   * **Structure**: Normalize the dose to a structure from the imported DICOM Structure Set. The following structure options are available to normalize dose to a structure:
-    * **Min**: Compute the min relative dose value of all dose voxels within the specified structure. This computed min is then used to scale the beam dose along with the provided //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
+    * **Min**: The minimum //Given Dose// within the specified structure is found and this value is set to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
-    * **Mean**: Compute the mean relative dose value of all dose voxels within the specified structure. This computed mean is then used to scale the beam dose along with the provided //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
+    * **Mean**: The average //Given Dose// within the specified structure is computed and this value is set to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
-    * **Vol**: Compute the relative dose covering the specified fraction of the structure. This computed value is then used to scale the beam dose along with the provided //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
+    * **Vol**: The //Given Dose// covering the specified fraction of the structure is computed and this value is set to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
-  * **Isodose**: Set the relative Isodose dose value to the specified //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
+  * **Isodose**: Set a specific //Given Dose// value to the //Absolute Beam Dose// value.
 <imgcaption beam_normalization_sphere|Location Normalization Sphere>{{ :electronrt:userguide:tutorials:decimal_electronrt_beams_normalization_sphere.png?direct&400 |}}</imgcaption>
@@ Line 132: / Line 137: @@
 Here the user can add or edit a bolus for this beam, more details on bolus creation can be found in the [[electronrt:userguide:tutorials:electron_bolus|Electron Bolus Creation]] section below (Intensity Modulators can also be added here).
+==== Dose Calculation ====
+The eRT application automatically runs the dose calculation anytime the beam configuration is altered by the user, there is no need to explicitly compute dose. Whenever a dose is displayed on the screen, you can be sure it is the dose corresponding to the currently specified beam information (there may be a slight 2-4 second delay after modifying a beam parameter in which time the prior dose result is still visible, this is to ensure the user has finished their current edits and avoids starting extra, unwanted dose calculations).
+Please read the [[electronrt:userguide:instructions_for_use:dose_algorithms|Dose Calculation Algorithms page]] for a complete description of the dose calculation algorithms used within the eRT application.