A standard Fricke dosimeter compared to an ionization chamber used for dosimetric characterization of 60Co photon beam

The main objective of this study was to investigate the Fricke dosimeter water equivalent system for measurement of dosimetric parameters for photon beam. The parameters measured with the Fricke dosimeter were compared to those obtained with an ionization chamber. In this work characteristics for 60Co γ-rays of field sizes ranging from 5 × 5 cm2 to 20 × 20 cm2 are reported. The measurements were carried out in the secondary standard dosimetry laboratory using a collimated 60Co gamma source therapy unit. The 60Co beam output in terms of absorbed dose to water was obtained as per IAEA TRS 398 recommendations using cylindrical ionization chamber, whose ND,w has been supplied by the IAEA's reference laboratory. Specific quantities measured include: output factors, peak scatter factor, lateral beam profiles and percentage depth dose. The Fricke dosimeters were irradiated in a water phantom using the suitable poly (methyl methacrylate), PMMA stand. Our results demonstrate that Fricke dosimeter and ionization chamber agree with each other.

Energy spectra considerations for synchrotron radiotherapy trials on the ID17 bio-medical beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

The aim of this study was to validate the kilovoltage X-ray energy spectrum on the ID17 beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). The purpose of such validation was to provide an accurate energy spectrum as the input to a computerized treatment planning system, which will be used in synchrotron microbeam radiotherapy trials at the ESRF. Calculated and measured energy spectra on ID17 have been reported previously but recent additions and safety modifications to the beamline for veterinary trials warranted a fresh investigation. The authors used an established methodology to compare X-ray attenuation measurements in copper sheets (referred to as half value layer measurements in the radiotherapy field) with the predictions of a theoretical model. A cylindrical ionization chamber in air was used to record the relative attenuation of the X-ray beam intensity by increasing thicknesses of high-purity copper sheets. The authors measured the half value layers in copper for two beamline configurations, which corresponded to differing spectral conditions. The authors obtained good agreement between the measured and predicted half value layers for the two beamline configurations. The measured first half value layer was 1.754 ± 0.035 mm Cu and 1.962 ± 0.039 mm Cu for the two spectral conditions, compared with theoretical predictions of 1.763 ± 0.039 mm Cu and 1.984 ± 0.044 mm Cu, respectively. The calculated mean energies for the two conditions were 105 keV and 110 keV and there was not a substantial difference in the calculated percentage depth dose curves in water between the different spectral conditions. The authors observed a difference between their calculated energy spectra and the spectra previously reported by other authors, particularly at energies greater than 100 keV. The validation of the beam spectrum by the copper half value layer measurements means the authors can provide an accurate spectrum as an input to a treatment planning system for the forthcoming veterinary trials of microbeam radiotherapy to spontaneous tumours in cats and dogs.

FLUKA Monte Carlo for Basic Dosimetric Studies of Dual Energy Medical Linear Accelerator

General purpose Monte Carlo code for simulation of particle transport is used to study the basic dosimetric parameters like percentage depth dose and dose profiles and compared with the experimental measurements from commercial dual energy medical linear accelerator. Varian Clinac iX medical linear accelerator with dual energy photon beams (6 and 15 MV) is simulated using FLUKA. FLAIR is used to visualize and edit the geometry. Experimental measurements are taken for 100 cm source-to-surface (SSD) in 50 × 50 × 50 cm3 PTW water phantom using 0.12 cc cylindrical ionization chamber. Percentage depth dose for standard square field sizes and dose profiles for various depths are studied in detail. The analysis was carried out using ROOT (a DATA analysis frame work developed at CERN) system. Simulation result shows good agreement in percentage depth dose and beam profiles with the experimental measurements for Varian Clinac iX dual energy medical linear accelerator.