{
    "abstract": "Preclinical research in radiation oncology encompasses a range of methodologies, including in vitro cell studies and in vivo small animal experiments, as well as in silico studies to evaluate radiation-induced side effects and tumor\u00a0responses.\nThis study addresses the need for high-precision x-ray\u00a0irradiation solutions as reference for preclinical research. Modifications of an industrial kilovoltage\u00a0x-ray\u00a0unit, along with the commissioning of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS), aimed to enable reliable irradiation of small animals in a horizontal beam geometry. All advancements enhancing the irradiation framework are made available, offering cost-effective upgrades for existing\u00a0systems.\nAn industrial kilovoltage\u00a0x-ray\u00a0unit was equipped with a dual collimation system, featuring a fixed primary and variable secondary collimators with aperture diameters of 5 to 30\u00a0mm. Additional modular adaptations were designed and manufactured, including a multimodal mouse bedding unit, a dedicated dosimetry phantom and a quality assurance (QA) phantom. Output factors, percentage depth dose curves and lateral dose profiles were acquired to generate a beam model in the \nThe resulting beam model was validated within a maximum dose deviation of 1.7%. Aperture diameters close to potential target diameters were found to be effective for achieving sufficient target coverage in silico, as demonstrated for a 5\u00a0mm target with a homogeneity index of (9.9\u00a0 \nCost-effective adaptations for an kilovoltage\u00a0x-ray\u00a0irradiation framework were designed, manufactured and commissioned, and contribute to the accessibility of preclinical irradiation research. These components are integrated into a comprehensive preclinical particle beam platform.",
    "authors": [
        {
            "affiliation": "Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.\nMedAustron Ion Beam Therapy Centre, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.",
            "firstname": "Lorenz",
            "initials": "L",
            "lastname": "Wolf"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.\nMedAustron Ion Beam Therapy Centre, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.",
            "firstname": "Peter",
            "initials": "P",
            "lastname": "Kuess"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Competence Centre for Preclinical Imaging and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health, University of Applied Sciences, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.",
            "firstname": "Sabine",
            "initials": "S",
            "lastname": "Leitner"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.\nMedAustron Ion Beam Therapy Centre, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.\nChristian Doppler Laboratory for image and knowledge driven precision radiation oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.",
            "firstname": "Dietmar",
            "initials": "D",
            "lastname": "Georg"
        },
        {
            "affiliation": "Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.\nMedAustron Ion Beam Therapy Centre, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.\nChristian Doppler Laboratory for image and knowledge driven precision radiation oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.",
            "firstname": "Barbara",
            "initials": "B",
            "lastname": "Kn\u00e4usl"
        }
    ],
    "conclusions": null,
    "copyrights": "\u00a9 2025 The Author(s). Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.",
    "doi": "10.1002/mp.17758",
    "journal": "Medical physics",
    "keywords": [
        "preclinical research",
        "small animal irradiation",
        "x\u2010ray"
    ],
    "methods": null,
    "publication_date": "2025-03-27",
    "pubmed_id": "40143514",
    "results": "The resulting beam model was validated within a maximum dose deviation of 1.7%. Aperture diameters close to potential target diameters were found to be effective for achieving sufficient target coverage in silico, as demonstrated for a 5\u00a0mm target with a homogeneity index of (9.9\u00a0 ",
    "title": "Commissioning of a precision preclinical 200\u00a0kV x-ray irradiator based on modular adaptations.",
    "xml": "<Element 'PubmedArticle' at 0x7885044a7290>"
}