• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.225-232
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• 2014

We evaluated the effect of scatter on a build-up region based on the measured percent depth dose (PDD) of high-energy photon beams that penetrated a handmade build-up modifier (BM) as a substitute of bolus. BM scatter factors ($S_{BM}$) were calculated based on the PDDs of photon beams that penetrated through the BM. The calculated $S_{BM}$ values were normalized to 1 at the square field side (SFS) of 30 mm without a BM. For the largest SFS (200 mm), the SBM values for a 6-MV beam were 1.331, 1.519, 1.598, 1.641, and 1.657 for the corresponding BM thickness values. For a 10-MV beam, the $S_{BM}$ values were 1.384, 1.662, 1.825, 1.913, and 2.001 for the corresponding BM thickness values. The BM yielded 76% of the bolus efficiency. We expect BM to become useful devices for deep-set patient body parts to which it is difficult to apply a bolus.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.115-124
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• 1990

The characteristics of 23 MV photon beam have been presented with respect to clinical parameters of central axis depth dose, tissue-maxi mum ratios, scatter-maximum ratios, surface dose and scatter correction factors. The nominal accelerating potential was found to be $18.5\pm0.5$ MV on the central axis. The half-value layer (HVL) of this photon beam was measured with narrow beam geometry from central axis, and it has been showed the thickness of $24.5\;g/cm^2$. The tissue-maximum ratio values have been determined from measured percentage depth dose data. In our experimental dosimetry, the surface dose of maximum showed only $9.6\%$ of maximum dose at $10\times10\;cm^2$, 100 cm SSD, without blocking tray in. The TMR'S of $0\times0$ field size have been determined to get average $2.3\%$ uncertainties from three different methodis; are zero effective attenuation coefficient, non-ilnear least square fit of TMR's data and effective linear attenuation coefficient from the HVL of 23 MV photon beams of dual energy linear accelerator.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.591-596
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to determine the equivalent energy of a 6MV X-ray beam in the experiment. The half-value layer (HVL) of lead for the 6 MV X-ray beam was measured using an ionization chamber. The linear attenuation coefficients were calculated with HVL. And, the mass attenuation coefficient was obtained by dividing the linear attenuation coefficient by the density of lead. The equivalent energy of mass attenuation coefficient was determined using the photon energy versus mass attenuation coefficient data of lead given by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In conclusion, the equivalent energy of the 6 MV X-ray beam was determined to be 1.61 MeV. This equivalent energy was determined to be about 30% lower than reported by Reft. The reason is presumed to be due to the presence of an air cavity between the lead attenuators.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

Purpose: A selection of proper energy in treatment planning is very important because of having different dose distribution in body as photon energy. In generally, the low energy photon has been used in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for head and neck (H&N) cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of partially used high energy photon at posterior oblique fields on IMRT plan for H&N cancer. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 10 patients (nasopharyngeal cancer 5, tonsilar cancer 5) treated with IMRT in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. CT images were acquired 3 mm of thickness in the same condition and the treatment plan was performed by Eclipse (Ver.7.1, Varian, Palo Alto, USA). Two plans were generated under same planing objectives, dose volume constraints, and eight fields setting: (1) The low energy plan (LEP) created using 6 MV beam alone, (2) the partially used high energy plan (PHEP) created partially using 15 MV beam at two posterior oblique fields with deeper penetration depths, while 6 MV beam was used at the rest of fields. The plans for LEP and PHEP were compared in terms of coverage, conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) for planning target volume (PTV). For organs at risk (OARs), $D_{mean}$ and $D_{50%}$ were analyzed on both parotid glands and $D_{max}$, $D_{1%}$ for spinal cord were analyzed. Integral dose (ID) and total monitor unit (MU) were compared as addition parameters. For the comparing dose to normal tissue of posterior neck, the posterior-normal tissue volume (P-NTV) was set on the patients respectively. The $D_{mean}$, $V_{20Gy}$ and $V_{25Gy}$ for P-NTV were evaluated by using dose volume histogram (DVH). Results: The dose distributions were similar with regard to coverage, CI and HI for PTV between the LEP and PHEP. No evident difference was observed in the spinal cord. However, the $D_{mean}$, $D_{50%}$ for both parotid gland were slightly reduced by 0.6%, 0.7% in PHEP. The ID was reduced by 1.1% in PHEP, and total MU for PHEP was 1.8% lower than that for LEP. In the P-NTV, the $D_{mean}$, $V_{20Gy}$ and $V_{25Gy}$ of the PHEP were 1.6%, 1.8% and 2.9% lower than those of LEP. Conclusion: Dose to some OARs and a normal tissue, total monitor unit were reduced in IMRT plan with partially used high energy photon. Although these reduction are unclear how have a clinical benefit to patient, application of the partially used high energy photon could improve the overall plan quality of IMRT for head and neck cancer.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1992 no.05
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• pp.148-151
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• 1992

There is a definite requirement to continuously monitor the operating characteristics of radiation therapy machines. It is advisable to monitor the symmetry, flatness, and energy stability of x-ray beams. The semiconductor system was developed using commercially available rectifier diode for th assessment of quality assurance In radiation therapy, which is capable of the above measurements. The beam characteristics of 6MV, 10MV and 21MV photon of Microtron electron accelerator were measured using seven-diodes as detectors and the results were compared with that of using a film results dosimetry with a X-Y plotter. The seven-diode detetor is versatile enough to be used for checking beam profile, flatness, symmetry and energy.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dosimetric characteristics of Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLD) for dosimetry Materials and Methods: InLight/OSL $NanoDot^{TM}$ dosimeters was used including $Inlight^{TM}MicroStar$ Reader, Solid Water Phantom, and Linear accelerator ($TRYLOGY^{(R)}$) OSLDs were placed at a Dmax in a solid water phantom and were irradiated with 100 cGy of 6 MV X-rays. Most irradiations were carried out using an SSD set up 100 cm, $10{\times}10\;cm^2$ field and 300 MU/min. The time dependence were measured at 10 minute intervals. The dose dependence were measured from 50 cGy to 600 cGy. The energy dependence was measured for nominal photon beam energies of 6, 15 MV and electron beam energies of 4-20 MeV. The dose rate dependence were also measured for dose rates of 100-1,000 MU/min. Finally, the PDD was measured by OSLDs and Ion-chamber. Results: The reproducibility of OSLD according to the Time flow was evaluated within ${\pm}2.5%$. The result of Linearity of OSLD, the dose was increased linearly up to about the 300 cGy and increased supralinearly above the 300 cGy. Energy and dose rate dependence of the response of OSL detectors were evaluated within ${\pm}2%$ and ${\pm}3%$. $PDD_{10}$ and PDD20 which were measured by OSLD was 66.7%, 38.4% and $PDD_{10}$ and $PDD_{20}$ which were measured by Ion-chamber was 66.6%, 38.3% Conclusion: As a result of analyzing characteration of OSLD, OSLD was evaluated within ${\pm}3%$ according to the change of the time, enregy and dose rate. The $PDD_{10}$ and $PDD_{20}$ are measured by OSLD and ion-chamber were evaluated within 0.3%. The OSL response is linear with a dose in the range 50~300 cGy. It was possible to repeat measurement many times and progress of the measurement of reading is easy. So the stability of the system and linear dose response relationship make it a good for dosimetry.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 1995

Lithium Fluoride (LiF; TLD-100) crystal chips are normally used as thermolu minescence dosimeters (abbreviated as NC-100) for estimating the absorbed dose to the skin of a patient or in a solid water phantom undergoing radiotherapy with megavoltage photon (6 and 15MV) beams. In general, investigation has revealed a reduction in the sensitivity of NC-100 chips after many runs through heating cycles. A TLD-100 chip laminated with gold plate (140${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) on the upper surface layer of its face toward the photon beam (abbreviated as GC-100) has properties different from that of a NC-100 chip activated by incident photons and contaminant electrons with various lower energies coming from the gantry head and air. Activation of the valence band electrons of GC-100 chips by incident photons, positrons and electrons-which come from the gold plate by mainly pair production process and partly from Compton scattering-results in more enhanced signal intensity, higher response per monitor unit, as well as a good linearity with monitor units and independence of dose rate. Since the electron beams (6 and 15 MeV) do not have the probability of pair production process with gold plate, there is only a small difference (about a 3.3％ increase for 15 MeV) in the signal gaps in the TL readout for electron beams between GC- and NC-100 chips. The 3.3％ increase is entirely due to the buildup caused by the 140 m gold plate. The sensitivity of GC-100 chips is much more susceptible to high energy photon beams than electron one because of pair production. The interaction of high energy photon with a material of high atomic number, such as the good plate in this case, results in a considerably significant probability of pair production. The gold plate on the NC-100 chips acts as not only an intensifier of their signals but also acts as a filter of contaminant electrons in therapeutic high energy X-ray beams.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.315-322
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• 2013

The aim of this work is to verify the self-quality assurances in medical institutions in Korea through the external audits by the group of experts and have a mutual discussion of the systematic problems. In order to validate the external audits 30 of 80 medical institutions across the nation were picked out considering the regional distribution and the final 25 institutions applied voluntarily to take part in this work. The basic rules were setup that any information of the participants be kept secrete and the measurements be performed with the dosimetry system already verified through intercomparision. The outputs for 2 or more photon beams, the accuracy of gantry rotation and collimator rotation and the poistional accuracy of MLC movement were measured. The findings for the output measurement showed the differences of -0.8%~4.5%, -0.79%~3.01%, and -0.7%~0.07% with respect to that of the verified dosimetry system for the 6MV, 10MV, and 15MV, respectively. For the reference absorbed dose 8 (16%) of 50 photon beams in 25 medical institutions differed 2.0% or greater from the reference value. The coincidences of Field size with x-ray beam and radiation isocenters of Gantry roration and collimator rotation gave the results of within ${\pm}2$ mm for every institute except 2 institutions. The positional accuracy of MLC movement agreed to within ${\pm}1$ mm for every institute. For the beam qualities of 6 MV photon beams kQ values showed the distribution within 0.4% between maximum and minimum. For the protocols 21 institutions (84%) used absorbed dose to water based protocol while 4 insitutions (16%) used air kerma based one. 22 institutions employed the SSD technique while 3 institutions did the SAD one. External audit plays an important role in discovering the systematic problems of self-performing Quality Assurances and having in depth discussion for mutual complementation. Training experts of international level as well as national support system are required so that both the group of experts of medical physicists and government laboratory could perform together periodical and constant external audits.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2006

A test code was written to apply the EGS5 Monte Carlo code recently published to radiotherapy. This test code was designed to calculate the depth dose in cylindrical phantom for point source model. The evaluation of the test code was peformed by calculating the depth dose curves for high energy electrons of 5, 9, 12, and 15 MeV photons of Co-60 and 10 MV in water and comparing the results with DOSRZ/EGS4 results. In depth dose results, the differences between test code and DOSRZ/EGS4 were estimated to be less then ${\pm}1.5%\;and\;{\pm}3.0%$ approximately for electron and photon beams respectively.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.183-191
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• 1993

The homogeneous dose planning is one of the most important roles in radiation therapy. But, it is not easy to obtain a homogeneous dose to paranasal sinus region including the ethmoidal sinus with conventional irradiation techniques. In this experimental study, the authors tried to get a homogeneous dose at PNS region, but the nasal cartirage does not exceed the tolerance dose, with anterior-posterior beam and two both lateral wedged beams. Used three fields were shielded with full thickness of blocks to preserve the eye-balls and with blocks of one half value layer to create a homogeneous dose at the whole treatment volume. The dose computations are based on the three dimensonal structure with modified scatter contributions of partial shielders and attenuated beams in 6 MV photon beams. The dose distributions of mid-plane is examined with Kodak verification films and teflon-embedded TLD rod (1 mm diameter and 6 mm length) to confirm the computed dose. In our study, the whole PNS regions have shown within $85{\%}$ of the resultant isodose curves with relatively homogeneous dose distribution. The results of dose computation and measurements are agree well within $5{\%}$ uncertainties.