gMocren: Visualization software for Monte Carlo simulators for radiotherapy

Abstract

Radiotherapy is one method of treatment for cancer. To achieve safe, accurate and efficient irradiation to the diseased portion of a patient during radiotherapy, simulation software, treatment-planning software and various treatment devices for radiotherapy have been developed. Our visualization software for radiotherapy simulations, gMocren, is described in this paper. It was developed in combination with a unique Monte Carlo simulator for radiotherapy that calculates fully physical behaviors in both the complex beam-delivery devices and the patient’s body. The visualization software creates images of the geometrical data of the beam-delivery devices, calculated physical quantities, particle trajectories, and the patient volume data set from the radiotherapy simulation. gMocren has been used to assist in the development of beam-delivery devices and simulation software. It assists users in visually and intuitively understanding the results of such simulations. The manual, an online tutorial and downloadable files for gMocren are also available to users on the gMocren website.