• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 1988

Some modern accerelators provide a dual energy for photon beam treatment. The main advantages of dual energy in the treatment of rectosigmoid or rectal cancer are as fellows. 1. Dose in the critical organ such as small intestine, bladder and genital organ are reduced. 2. Presacral and perineal area is fully covered. Dose distribution analysis such as calculation of dose in a target volume, isocenter, $D_{nax}$ and dose spectrum in any region of interest are possible. Examples of plan are given and results are discussed.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.271-280
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• 1984

The peripheral dose, defined as the dose outside therapeutic photon fields, which is responsible for the functional damage of the critical organs, fetus, and radiation. induced carcinogenesis, has been investigated for $^{60}Co\;\gamma$ ray and 10 MV Xray. It was measured by silicon diode controlled by semiautomated water phantom without any shielding or with lead plate of HVL thickness put horizontally or vertically to shield stray radiations. Authors could obtain following results. 1. The peripheral dose was larger than $0.7\%$ of central axis maximum dose even at 20cm distance from field margin. That is clinically significant, so it should be reduced. 2. Even for square fields of 10 MV Xray, radial peripheral dose distribution did not coincide with transverse distribution, because of the position of collimator jaws. 3. Between surface and $d_m$, the peripheral dose distributions show a pattern of the dose distribution of electron beams and the maximum doss was approximately proportional to the length of a side of square field. 4. The peripheral doses depended on radiation quality, field size, distance from field margin and depth in water. Distance from field margin was the most important factor. 5. Except for near surface, the peripheral dose from phantom was approximately equal to that from therapy unit. 6. To reduce the surface dose outside fields, therapist should shield stray radiations from therapy unit by lead plate of at least one HVL for 10 MV X-ray and by bolus equivalent to tissue of 0.5cm thickness for $^{60}Co$. 7. To reduce the dose at depth deeper than $d_m$, it is desirable to shield stray radiations from therapy unit by lead.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.29-34
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• 1995

The wedge factor is defined as a ratio of the absorbed dose in a phantom at a depth of reference point on the central axis with the wedge in the place to the absorbed dose at the same point with the wedge removed. We attempted to show the wedge factors dependence on the field sizes. The wedge factors were measured at various field sizes on 6MV and 15MV x-ray of Varian Clinac 1800 and 5MV x-ray of Philips SL75/5. The single wedge factor measured for a reference field size(10cmx10cm) may not be valid for all field sizes. For the thick wedge, especially an autowedge on Philips SL75/5 for maximum field size width 30cm. the error can be significant(6.6％). Therefore, in the presence of a wedge filter in the beam, a field size dependent wedge factor may be necessary in the treatment dose calculations.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.225-232
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• 1994

Purpose : This study was to obtain the basic dosimetric data using the 10 MV X-ray for the total body irradiation. Materials and Methods : A linear accelerator photon beam is planned to be used as a radiation source for total body irradiation (TBI) in Chonnam University Hospital. The planned distance from the target to the midplane of a patient is 360cm and the maximum geometric field size is 144cm x 144cm. Polystyrene phantom sized $30{\times}30{\times}30.2cm^3$ and consisted of several sheets with various thickness, and a parallel plate ionization chamber were used to measure surface dose and percent depth dose (PDD) at 345cm SSD, and dose profiles. To evaluate whether a beam modifier is necessary for TBI, dosimetry in build up region was made first with no modifier and next with an 1cm thick acryl plate 20cm far from the polystyrene phantom surface. For a fixed sourec-chamber distance, output factors were measured for various depth. Results : As any beam modifier was not on the way of radiation of 10MV X-ray, the $d_{max}$ and surface dose was 1.8cm and $61\%$, respectively, for 345cm SSD. When an 1cm thick acryl plate was put 20cm far from polystyrene phantom for the SSD, the $d_{max}$ and surface dose were 0.8cm and $94\%$, respectively. With acryl as a beam spoiler, the PDD at 10cm depth was $78.4\%$ and exit dose was a little higher than expected dose at interface of exit surface. For two-opposing fields for a 30cm phantom thick phantom, the surface dose and maximum dose relative to mid-depth dose in our experiments were $102.5\%$ and $106.3\%$, respectively. The off-axis distance of that point of $95\%$ of beam axis dose were 70cm on principal axis and 80cm on diagonal axis. Conclusion: 1. To increase surface dose for TBI by 10MV X-ray at 360cm SAD, 1cm thick acrylic spoiler was sufficient when distance from phantom surface to spoiler was 20cm. 2. At 345cm SSD, 10MV X-ray beam of full field produced a satisfiable dose uniformity for TBI within $7\%$ in the phantom of 30cm thickness by two-opposing irradiation technique. 3. The uniform dose distribution region was 67cm on principal axis of the beam and 80cm on diagonal axis from beam axis. 4. The output factors at mid-point of various thickness revealed linear relation with depth, and it could be applicable to practical TBI.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 1997

Purpose : When an x-ray beam of small field size is irradiated to target area containing an air cavity, such as larynx, the underdosing effect is observed in the region near the interfaces of air and soft tissue. With a larynx model, air cavity embedded in tissue-equivalent material, this study is intonded for examining Parameters, such as beam quality, field size, and cavity size, to affect the dose distribution near the air cavity. Materials and Methods : Three x-rar beams, 4-, 6- and 10-MV, were employed to Perform a measurement using a 2cm $(width){\times}L$ (length in cm, one side of x-ray field used 2cm (height) air cavity in the simulated larynx. A thin window parallel-plate chamber connected to an electrometer was used for a dosimetry system. A ratio of the dose at various distances from the cavity-tissue interface to the dose at the same points in a homogeneous Phantom (ebservedlexpected ratio, O/E) normalized buildup curves, and ratio of distal surface dose to dose at the maximum buildup depth were examined for various field sizes. Measurement for cavity size effect was performed by varying the height (Z) of the air cavity with the width kept constant for several field sizes. Results : No underdosing effect for 4-MV beam for fields larger than $5cm\times5cm$ was found For both 6- and 10-MV beams, the underdosing portion of the larynx at the distal surface was seen to occur for small fields, $4cm\times4cm\;and\;5cm\times5cm$. The underdosed tissue was increased in its volume with beam energy even for similar surface doses. The relative distal surface dose to maximum dose was changed to 0.99 from 0.95, 0.92, and 0.91 for 4-, 6-, and 10-MV, respectively, with increasing field size, $4cm\times4cm\;to\;8cm\times8cm$, For 6- and 10-MV beams, the dose at the surface of the cavity is measured less than the predicted by about two and three percent. respectively. but decrease was found for 4-MV beam for $5cm\times5cm$ field. For the $4cm\timesL\timesZ$ (height in cm). varying depth from 0.0 to 4.8cm, cavity, O/E> 1.0 was observed regardless of the cavity size for any field larger than about $8cm\times8cm$. Conclusion : The magnitude of underdosing depends on beam energy, field size. and cavity size for the larynx model. Based on the result of the study. caution must be used when a small field of a high quality x-ray beam is irradiated to regions including air cavities. and especially the region where the tumor extends to the surface. Low quality beam. such as. 4-MV x-ray, and larger fields can be used preferably to reduce the risk of underdosing, local failure. In the case of high quality beams such as 6- and 10-MV x-rays, however. an additional boost field is recommended to add for the compensation of the underdosing region when a typically used treatment field. $8cm\times8cm$, is employed.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 1999

In an effort to study the characteristics of x-rays utilized in radiation therapy, we calculated the energy distribution and the mean energy of x-rays generated from a tungsten target bombarded by 6, 10, and 15 MeV electron beams, using a Monte Carlo technique. The average photon energies calculated as a function of the beam radius lied in 1.4 ∼ 1.6, 2.1 ∼ 2.5 and 2.8 ∼ 3.3 MeV ranges for 4, 10, and 15 MV electron beams, respectively, which turned out to have no strong dependence on the radius. Using the energy distributions of 6,10, and 15 MV x-rays obtained for the target distance of 100 cm, percentage depth doses were determined using Monte Carlo calculations. For the case 10 MV, a comparison was made between our calculation and measurement performed by others. The calculated percentage depth dose appeared somewhat smaller than the measured one except in the surface region. We conclude that this is due to the fact that the beam hardening effect resulting from the flattening filter was not properly allowed for in our Monte Carlo calculations.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.333-336
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• 1991

High energy Photon beam has a sharp beam margin due to a less side scatter and the other things. But there still remains a penumbra where the dose changes rapidly in the region near the edge of a radiation beam, although it is short in width. It is suggested that the width of the penumbra depends on the source size, distance from source to diaphragm, source to skin distance, and depth in tissue. However, it is also supposed that the other factors influence the penumbra width. In this paper, we investigate changes of the physical penumbra widths according to various field sizes and depths, by using the three dimensional dosimetry system. As a result, we found that as field size and depth increase, the physical penumbra width also increases.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.55-71
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• 1993

Measured and calculated the TMR and SMR factors from percent depth dose underpartial attenuators which cover the whole part of the radiation beam with variousfilter thickness from 0 to 50 mm. This study was performed for x-ray beams generated with a 6 MV linear acceleratorat source to surface distance of 100cm in a water phantom for Lipowitz metal. TMR(0,d,t) was derived from non-linear polynomial regression with field sizedifferencies and a given filter thickness. In this experiments, the TMR(0,10,50) of 50mm of filter thickness was showed13.6 % higher than that of open field and SMR(5,10,50) was 38.5% smaller than thatof open field in same depth.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.421-430
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• 1993

The calculation of dose distribution in multiple arc stereotactic radiotherapy is a three-dimensional problem and, therefore, the three-dimensional dose calculation algorithm is important and the algorithm's accuracy and reliability should be confirmed experimentally. The aim of this study is to verify the dose distribution of stereotactic radiosurgery experimentally and to investigate the effect of the beam quality, the number of arcs of radiation, and the tertiary collimation on the resulting dose distribution. Film dosimetry with phantom measurements was done to get the three-dimensional orthogonal isodose distribution. All experiments were carried out with a 6 MV X-ray, except for the study of the effects of beam energy on dose distribution, which was done for X-ray energies of 6 and 15 MV. The irradiation technique was from 4 to 11 arcs at intervals of from 15 to 45 degrees between each arc with various field sizes with additional circular collimator. The dose distributions of square field with linear accelerator collimator compared with the dose distributions obtained using circular field with tertiary collimator. The parameters used for comparing the results were the shape of the isodose curve, dose fall-offs fom $90\%$ to $50\%$ and from $90\%\;to\;20\%$ isodose line for the steepest and shallowest profile, and $A=\frac{90\%\;isodose\;area}{50\%\;isodose\;area-90\%\;isodose\;area}$(modified from Chierego). This ratio may be considered as being proportional to the sparing of normal tissue around the target volume. The effect of beam energy in 6 and 15 MV X-ray indicated that the shapes of isodose curves were the same. The value of ratio A and the steepest and shallowest dose fall-offs for 6 MV X-ray was minimally better than that for 15 MV X-ray. These data illustrated that an increase in the dimensions of the field from 10 to 28 mm in diameter did not significantly change the isodose distribution. There was no significant difference in dose gradient and the shape of isodose curve regardless of the number of arcs for field sizes of 10, 21, and 32 mm in diameter. The shape of isodose curves was more circular in circular field and square in square field. And the dose gradient for the circular field was slightly better than that for the square field.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.305-308
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• 1999