Verification of SuperMC for simulation of a high-dose-rate brachytherapy source

In this study, SuperMC (Super Monte Carlo simulation program for nuclear and radiation simulation) was tested and verified for simulation of a high-dose-rate brachytherapy source. The Monte Carlo simulation includes calculations of the air kerma strength, dose rate constant, radial dose function and anisotropy function as recommended by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) in Task Group reports 43 and 43U1 (TG-43, TG-43U1). The air kerma strength, dose rate constant, radial dose function and anisotropy function were compared with previously published Monte Carlo simulation results and experimental data. The calculated parameters were found to be in good agreement with published Monte Carlo and measured data. The value obtained from the SuperMC simulation for the air kerma strength was 9.779 × 10 −8 U·Bq −1 and the dose rate constant was 1.1092 ± 0.02% cGy·h −1 ·U −1 . The time to transport 5 × 10 7 photons showed SuperMC to be relatively faster than MCNP. The results show that SuperMC can be used for fast and accurate simulations and dosimetric calculations of HDR brachytherapy sources.