Determination of maximum leaf velocity and acceleration of a dynamic multileaf collimator: implications for 4D radiotherapy.

The dynamic multileaf collimator (MLC) can be used for four-dimensional (4D), or tumor tracking radiotherapy. However, the leaf velocity and acceleration limitations become a crucial factor as the MLC leaves need to respond in near real time to the incoming respiration signal. The aims of this paper are to measure maximum leaf velocity, acceleration, and deceleration to obtain the mechanical response times for the MLC, and determine whether the MLC is suitable for 4D radiotherapy. MLC leaf sequence files, requiring the leaves to reach maximum acceleration and velocity during motion, were written. The leaf positions were recorded every 50 ms, from which the maximum leaf velocity, acceleration, and deceleration were derived. The dependence on the velocity and acceleration of the following variables were studied: leaf banks, inner and outer leaves, MLC-MLC variations, gravity, friction, and the stability of measurements over time. Measurement results show that the two leaf banks of a MLC behave similarly, while the inner and outer leaves have significantly different maximum leaf velocities. The MLC-MLC variations and the dependence of gravity on maximum leaf velocity are statistically significant. The average maximum leaf velocity at the isocenter plane of the MLC ranged from 3.3 to 3.9 cm/s. The acceleration and deceleration at the isocenter plane of the MLC ranged from 50 to 69 cm/s2 and 46 to 52 cm/s2, respectively. Interleaf friction had a negligible effect on the results, and the MLC parameters remained stable with time. Equations of motion were derived to determine the ability of the MLC response to fluoroscopymeasured diaphragm motion. Given the present MLC mechanical characteristics, 4D radiotherapy is feasible for up to 97% of respiratory motion. For the largest respiratory motion velocities observed, beam delivery should be temporarily stopped (beam hold).