• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 1998

Wedge shaped isodoses are desired in a number of clinical situations. Hard wedge filters have provided nominal angled isodoses with dosimetric consequences of beam hardening, increased peripheral dosing, nonidealized gradients at deep depths along with the practical consequendes of filter handling and placement problems. Dynamic wedging uses a combination of a moving collimator and changing monitor dose to achieve angled isodoses. The segmented treatment tables(STT) that monitor unit setting by every distance of moving collimator, was induced by numerical formular. The characteristics of dynamic wedge by STT compared with real dosimetry. Methods and Materials : The accelerator CLINAC 2100C/D at Yonsei Cancer Center has two photon energies (6MV and 10MV), currently with dynamic wedge angles of 15$^{\circ}$, 30$^{\circ}$, 45$^{\circ}$ and 60$^{\circ}$. The segmented treatment tables(STT) that drive the collimator in concert with a changing monitor unit are unique for field sizes ranging from 4.0cm to 20.0cm in 0.5cm steps. Transmission wedge factors were measured for each STT with an standard ion chamber. Isodose profiles, isodose curves, percentage depth dose for dynamic wedge filters were measured with film dosimetry. Dynamic wedge angle by STT was well coincident with film dosimetry. Percent depth doses were found to be closer to open field but more shallow than hard wedge filter. The wedge transmission factor were decreased by increased the wedge angle and more higher than hard wedge filters. Dynamic wedging probided more consistent gradients across the field compared with hard wedge filters. Dynamic wedging has practical and dosimetric advantages over hard filters for rapid setup and keeping from table collisions. Dynamic wedge filters are positive replacement for hard filters and introduction of dynamic conformal radiotherapy and intensity modulation radiotherapy in a future.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 2012

Aquisition of accurate beam data is very important to calculate a reliable dose distribution of the treatment planning system for small radiation fields in intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery(SRS). For the measurement of small fields, the choice of a suitable detector is important due to the shape gradient in profile penumbra, the lack of lateral electronic equilibrium, and the effect of effective detector volume. Therefore, this study was to analyze the dosimetric characteristics of various detectors in measurement of beam data for small fields of linear accelerator. 0.01cc and 0.13cc ion chambers (CC01 and CC13) and a stereotactic diode detector(SFD) were used for measurement of small fields. The beam data, including the percent depth dose, output factor, and beam profile were acquired under 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams. Measurements were performed with the field size ranging from $2{\times}2cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$. For $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size, the differences of the ratios of $PDD_{20}$ and $PDD_{10}$ measured by CC01 and SFD detectors were 1.02% and 0.12% for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. For field sizes larger than $3{\times}3cm^2$, the differences of values of $PDD_{20}/PDD_{10}$ obtained from each detector were 1.15% and 0.71% for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. The output factors obtained from CC01 and SFD for $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size were within 0.5% and 1.5% for 6 MV and 15 MV, respectively. The differences in output factor of three detectors for $3{\times}3cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$ field sizes were within 0.5%. Profile penumbras measured by the SFD, CC01, and CC13 detectors at three depths were average 2.7 mm and 3.5 mm, 3.4 mm and 4.3 mm, and 5.2 mm and 6.1 mm for 6 MV and 15 MV photon beams, respectively. In conclusion, it could be possible to use of the CC01 and SFD detectors for the measurement of percent depth dose and output factor for $2{\times}2cm^2$ field size, and to use of three detectors for $3{\times}3cm^2$ to $5{\times}5cm^2$ field sizes. CC01 and SFD detectors, consider ably smaller than the radiation field, should be used in order to accurately measure the profile penumbra for small field sizes.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2016

The dosimetric characteristics were experimentally evaluated for electron beams from the prototype linac developed for radiotherapy units. This paper focuses on the electron beam output and energy variations as a function of electron gun heater current. The electron energy was derived from its mean and most probable energies measured by film dosimetry. The electron beam output at the maximum electron energy was measured with the plane parallel ionization chamber in water using TRS-398 dosimetry protocol. The mean energy and the most probable energy of the electron beam were 6.54~3.31 MeV and 5.94~2.80 MeV at electron gun current of 2.02~2.50 A respectively. The output dose rate for an electron beam of mean energy 6.54 MeV was 5.41 Gy/min ${\pm}1.5%$ at the reference depth in water.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.105-111
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• 2004

The parallel plate detector with dielectric film for dosimetry was designed to measure detection characteristic of 6 MV X-ray with medical linear accelerator. PTFE film was inserted into FEP films that are made by two one-side metal coated materials for ion source. The thicknesses of PTFE dielectric film was 100 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and the thickness of FEP dielectric film was 100 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, respectively. This detector was fixed by two acrylic plate for physical hardness ad geometrical consistency. The geometrical condition for measurement with parallel-plate for detector was below; SSD=100 cm and the 5 cm depth between detector and phantom surface The major parameter of detector characteristics such as zero drift current, leakage current, charge response by applied voltage, reproducibility, linearity, TMR measurement, dose rate effect were measured. The zero drift currents are 8.3 pA and leakage currents are 10 pA. The charge response of applied voltage is showing linearity in 414 voltage. The measurement deviation of reproducibility in this detector is within 1% for dose and the linearity of applied dose shows in this detector. The TMR curves in phantom between this parallel plate detector and reference detector are matched within 3% deviation from maximum dose depth to 7.5 cm depth. It is considered that this dosimetric system is satisfactory for the purpose of the constancy check of the 6 MV x-ray from medical linear accelerator.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.74-78
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• 2002

The individual (customized) immobilization has been used to reproduce the patients' set-up on daily base. There are many various devices available commercially. To evaluate dosimetric characteristics of vacuum cushion, we analysed the surface dose and transmission factor for d$_{max}$ when patient is immobilized with vacuum cushion. Experiments were performed with 4 MV (Varian 4/100, USA), 6 MV, 15 MV (Varian CL2100C/D, USA) photon beams and five field sizes (5$\times$5, 10$\times$10, 20$\times$20, 30$\times$30, 40$\times$40 $\textrm{cm}^2$) on each occasion. Outputs were measured from surface of polysterene phantom to d$_{max}$ with four different thicknesses of cushion, which is 12, 32, 48 mm and only vinyl without styroforms. As results, the transmission factor for thicknesses of vacuum cushion was ranged from 0.9953 to 1.0043. The more the thickness of vacuum cushion is thick, the more surface dose delivered to patient is increased. The surface dose vary with the thickness of vacuum cushion for energy and field size. The skin reactions may result. But the variation is not serious in the clinic.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2001

The region, near the edge of a radiation beam, where the dose changes rapidly according to the distance from the beam axis is known as the penumbra. There is a sharp dose gradient zone even in megavoltage photon beams due to source size, collimator, lead alloy block, other accessories, and internal scatter ray. We investigate dosimetric characteristics on penumbra regions of a standard collimator and compare to those of theoritical model for the optimal use of the system in radiotherapy. Peripheral dose distribution of 6 W Photon beams represents penumbral forming function as the depth. Also we have discussed that the peripheral dose distribution of clinical photon beams, differences between calculation dose use of emperical penumbral forming function and measurements in penumbral region. Predictions by emperical penumbral forming functions are compared with measurements in 3-dimensional water phantom and it is shown that the method is capable of reproduceing the measured peripheral dose values usually to within the statistical uncertainties of the data. The semiconductor detector and ion chamber were positioned at a dmax depth, 5cm depth, 10cm depth, and its specific ratio was determined using a scanning data. The effective penumbra, the distance from 80% to 20% isodose lines were analyzed as a function of the distance. The extent of penumbra will also expand with depth increase. Difference of measurement value and model functions value according to character of the detector show small error in dose distribution of the peripheral dose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

The difference between three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) dose could be affected by factors such as tumor size and motion. To quantitatively analyze the effects of these factors, a phantom that can independently control each factor is required. The purpose of this study is to develop a deformable lung phantom with the above attributes and evaluate the characteristics. A phantom was designed to simulate diaphragm motion with amplitude in the range 1~7 cm and period up to ${\geq}2s$ of regular breathing. To simulate different tumors sizes, custom molds were created using a 3D printer and filled with liquid silicone. The accuracy of the phantom diaphragm motion was assessed by comparing measured motion with predicted motion. Because the phantom diaphragm motion is not identical to the tumor motion, the correlation between the diaphragm and tumor motions was calculated by a curve fitting method to emulate user-intended tumor motion. Tumors of different sizes were located at same position, and tumor set-up positions were evaluated. The accuracy of phantom diaphragm motion was better than 1 mm. The diaphragm-tumor correlation showed that the tumor motion in the superior-inferior direction increased with increasing diaphragm motion. The tumor motion was larger in the $10cm^3$ tumor than in the $90cm^3$ tumor. The range of difference between the tumor set-up positions was 0 to 0.45 cm. This phantom showed independently adjusting factors such as tumor size and motion to facilitate quantitative analysis of the dosimetric impact of respiratory motion according to these factors.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.571-575
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• 2016

Monte Carlo simulations are widely used as the most accurate technique for dose calculation in radiation therapy. In this paper, the GATE6(Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission ver.6) code was employed to calculate the dosimetric performance of the photon beams from a linear accelerator(LINAC). The treatment head of a Varian 21EX Clinac was modeled including the major geometric structures within the beam path such as a target, a primary collimator, a flattening filter, a ion chamber, and jaws. The 6 MV photon spectra were characterized in a standard $10{\times}10cm^2$ field at 100 cm source-to-surface distance(SSD) and subsequent dose estimations were made in a water phantom. The measurements of percentage depth dose and dose profiles were performed with 3D water phantom and the simulated data was compared to measured reference data. The simulated results agreed very well with the measured data. It has been found that the GATE6 code is an effective tool for dose optimization in radiotherapy applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.479-485
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• 2022

At the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, physical human phantoms were developed to evaluate various radiation protection quantities, based on the mesh-type reference computational phantoms of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The physical human phantoms were fabricated such that a radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeter (RPLGD) with a Tin filter, namely GD-352M, could be inserted into them. A Tin filter is used to eliminate the overestimated signals in low-energy photons below 100 keV. The measurement uncertainty of the RPLGD reader system based on GD-352M should be analyzed for obtaining reliable protection quantities before using it for practical applications. Generally, the measurement uncertainty of RPLGD systems without Tin filters is analyzed for quality assurance of radiotherapy units using a high-energy photon beam. However, in this study, the measurement uncertainty of GD-352M was analyzed for evaluating the protection quantities. The measurement uncertainty factors in the RPLGD include the reference irradiation, regression curve, reproducibility, uniformity, energy dependence, and angular dependence, as described by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). These factors were calculated using the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement method, applying ISO/ASTM standards 51261(2013), 51707(2015), and SS-ISO 22127(2019). The measurement uncertainties of the RPLGD reader system with a coverage factor of k = 2 were calculated to be 9.26% from 0.005 to 1 Gy and 8.16% from 1 to 10 Gy. A blind test was conducted to validate the RPLGD reader system, which demonstrated that the readout doses included blind doses of 0.1, 1, 2, and 5 Gy. Overall, the E_n values were considered satisfactory.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.150-157
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• 2022

Purpose: Elekta synergy^® was commissioned in the Seoul National University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Recently, Chung-Ang University Gwang Myeong Hospital commissioned Elekta Versa HD^TM. The beam characteristics of both machines are similar because of the same Agility^TM MLC Model. We compared measured beam data calculated using the Elekta treatment planning system, Monaco^®, for each institute. Methods: Beam of the commissioning Elekta linear accelerator were measured in two independent institutes. After installing the beam model based on the measured beam data into the Monaco^®, Monte Carlo (MC) simulation data were generated, mimicking the beam data in a virtual water phantom. Measured beam data were compared with the calculated data, and their similarity was quantitatively evaluated by the gamma analysis. Results: We compared the percent depth dose (PDD) and off-axis profiles of 6 MV photon and 6 MeV electron beams with MC calculation. With a 3%/3 mm gamma criterion, the photon PDD and profiles showed 100% gamma passing rates except for one inplane profile at 10 cm depth from VMTH. Gamma analysis of the measured photon beam off-axis profiles between the two institutes showed 100% agreement. The electron beams also indicated 100% agreement in PDD distributions. However, the gamma passing rates of the off-axis profiles were 91%-100% with a 3%/3 mm gamma criterion. Conclusions: The beam and their comparison with MC calculation for each institute showed good performance. Although the measuring tools were orthogonal, no significant difference was found.