• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2009

This work is for the preliminary study for the calibration of an $^{192}Ir$ brachytherapy source based on an absorbed dose to water standards. In order to calibrate brachytherapy sources based on absorbed dose to water standards using a clyndirical ionization chamber, the beam quality correction factor $k_{Q,Q_0}$ is needed. In this study $k_{Q,Q_0}s$ were determined by both Monte carlo simulation and semiexperimental methods because of the realistic difficulties to use primary standards to measure an absolute dose at a specified distance. The 5 different serial numbers of the PTW30013 chamber type were selected for this study. While chamber to chamber variations ran up to maximum 4.0% with the generic $k^{gen}_{Q,Q_0}$, the chamber to chamber variations were within a maximum deviation of 0.5% with the individual $k^{ind}_{Q,Q_0}$. The results show why and how important ionization chambers must be calibrated individually for the calibration of $^{192}Ir$ brachytherapy sources based on absorbed dose to water standards. We hope that in the near future users will be able to calibrate the brachytherapy sources in terms of an absorbed dose to water, the quantity of interest in the treatment, instead of an air kerma strength just as the calibration in the high energy photon and electron beam.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.267-271
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• 1998

It is required to measure air density correction factor at the time of absorbed dose calibration or measurement. In general, thermometer and barometer are widely used for air density correction. However, this can be done using the radioactive check device with better accuracy. The measurements of air density correction were performed by using the radioactive check device, Unidos electrometer, and 0.6 cc Farmer-type ion chamber of PTW under the different environmental conditions. Above experiments were repeated with thermometer and barometer. By comparing the two methods, they were within the difference of 0.2 %. The overall uncertainty for the dose found in thermometer and barometer was 1.2 - 1.6 %, depending upon either one step or two, whereas the overall uncertainty for the radioactive check device was 1.02 %. This method may reduce the possible error which could occur when thermometer and barometer are not calibrated at regular basis.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2003

A few years ago, a proposal was made to change the dosimetry from the air kerma-based reference dosimetry to the absorbed dose-based reference dosimetry for all radiotherapy beams of ionizing radiation to improve the accuracy of dosimetry. Here, we present a dosimetry study in which the two most widespread absorbed dose­based protocols (IAEA TRS­398 and AAPM TG­51) were compared with an air kerma­based protocol (IAEA TRS-277) by measuring the absorbed dose in the same reference depth. Measurements were performed in three clinical electron beam energies using a PTW 30002 cylindrical chamber, and Markus and Roos plane­parallel chambers. $^{60}$ Co calibration factors were obtained from the KFDA. The absorbed dose differences between the air kerma­based and absorbed dose­based protocols were within 2.0% for all chambers in all beams. The results thus show that the obtained absolute dose values will be not significantly altered by changing from the air kerma­based dosimetry to the absorbed dose­based dosimetry. It was also shown that absorbed dose values between the absorbed dose­based protocols agreed by deviations of less than 0.5% for a cylindrical chamber and less than 0.7% for plane­parallel chambers using cross­calibration factors. Although the use of a cylindrical chamber and plane­parallel chambers resulted in a difference of less than 2% for all situations investigated here, to reduce errors, the plane­parallel chambers are recommended for electron energies in which the use of cylindrical chamber is not permitted in each protocol.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2011

The measurement-based verification for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a time-and labor-consuming procedure. Instead, this study aims to develop a MU fluence reconstruction method for IMRT QA. Total actual fluences from treatment planning system (TPS, Eclipse 8.6, Varian) were selected as a reference. Delivered leaf positions according to MU were extracted by the dynalog file generated after IMRT delivery. An in-house software was develop to reconstruct MU fluence from the acquired delivered leaf position data using MATLAB. We investigated five patient's plans delivered by both step-and-shoot IMRT and sliding window technologies. The total actual fluence was compared with the MU fluence reconstructed by using commercial software (Verisoft 3.1, PTW) and gamma analysis method (criteria: 3%/3 mm and 2%/1 mm). Gamma pass rates were $97.8{\pm}1.33$% and the reconstructed fluence was shown good agreement with RTP-based actual fluence. The fluence from step and shoot IMRT was shown slightly higher agreement with the actual fluence than that from sliding window IMRT. If moving from IMRT QA measurements toward independent computer calculations, the developed method can be used for IMRT QA. A point dose calculation method from reconstructed fluences is under development for the routine IMRT QA purpose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2005

The quality factors for cylindrical ionization chambers for kV X-rays were determined by Monte Carlo calculation and measurement. In this study, the X-rays of 60-300 kV beam (lSO-4037) installed in KFDA and specified in energy spectra and beam qualities, and the chambers of PTW N23333 and N30001 were investigated. In calculations, the $R_{\mu}\;and\;R_{Q,Q_{0}}$ in IAEA dosimetry protocols were determined from the air kerma and the cavity dose obtained by theoretical and Monte Carlo calculations. It is shown that the N30001 chamber has a flat response of $\pm1.7\%$ in $110\~300kV$ region, while the response range of two chambers were shown to $\pm3\~4\%$ in $80\~250kV$ region. From this work we have discussed dosimetry protocol for the kV X-rays and we have found that the estimation of energy dependency is more important to apply dosimetry protocol for kV X-rays.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.218-222
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• 2010

As radiation is irradiated from various directions in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), longer treatment time than conventional treatment method is taken. In case of the patients who have problem to keep same posture for long time because of pain and injury, reducing treatment time through increased dose rate is a way for effective treatment. This study measured and found out the variation of dose and dose distribution in accordance with dose rate variation. IMRT treatment plan was set up to investigate from 5 directions - $0^{\circ}$, $72^{\circ}$, $144^{\circ}$, $216^{\circ}$, $288^{\circ}$ - using ECLIPSE system (Varian, SomaVision 6.5, USA). To confirm dose and dose rate in accordance with dose rate variation, dose rate was set up as 100, 300, 500 MU/min, and dose and dose distribution were measured using ionization chamber (PTW, TN31014) and film dosimeter (EDR2, Kodak). At this time, film dosimeter was inserted into acrylic phantom, then installed to run parallel with beam's irradiating direction, 21EX-S (Varian, USA) was utilized as linear accelerator for irradiation. The measured film dosimeter was analyzed using VXR-16 (Vidar System Corporation) to confirm dose distribution.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.194-201
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• 2007

Although Gamma Knife irradiates much more radiation in a single session than conventional radiotherapy, there were only a few studies to measure absolute dose of a Gamma Knife. Especially, there is no report of application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TRS-398 which requires to use a water phantom in radiation measurement to Gamma Knife. In this article, the authors reported results of the experiments to measure the absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife Model C using the IAEA TRS-398 protocol. The absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife model C was measured using a water phantom under conditions as close as possible to the IAEA TRS-398 protocol. The obtained results were compared with values measured using the plastic phantom provided by the Gamma Knife manufacturer. Two Capintec PR-05P mini-chambers and a PTW UNIDOS electrometer were used in measurements. The absorbed dose to water of a Gamma Knife model C inside the water phantom was 1.38% larger than that of the plastic phantom. The current protocol provided by the manufacturer has an intrinsic error stems from the fact that a plastic phantom is used instead of a water phantom. In conclusion, it is not possible to fully apply IAEA TRS-398 to measurement of absorbed dose of a Gamma Knife. Instead, it can be a practical choice to build a new protocol for Gamma Knife or to provide a conversion factor from a water phantom to the plastic phantom. The conversion factor can be obtained in one or two standard laboratories.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2001

We was investigate the dosimetric characteristics of the virtual wedge and it compared to the conventional fixed wedge. Also we was evaluate the quality factor of the experimental multi-channel dosimetry system for virtual wedge. Recently virtual wedge technique and wedge fraction methods are available through the computer controlled asymmetric collimator or the independent jaw in medical linear accelerator for radiation therapy. The dosimetric characteristics are interpreted by radiation field analyzer RFA-7 system and PTW-UNIDOS system. Experimental multi-channel dosimetry system for virtual wedge was consists of the electrometer, the solid detector and array phantom. The solid detectors were constructed using commercially diodes for the assessment of quality assurance in radiotherapy. And it was used for the point dose measuring and field size scanning. The semiconductor detector and ion chamber were positioned at a dmax, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm depth and its specific ratio was determined using a scanning data. Wedge angles in fixed and virtual type are compared with measurements in water phantom and it is shown that the wedge angle 15$^{\circ}$, 30$^{\circ}$, 45$^{\circ}$were agree within 1$^{\circ}$ degree in 6, 10 MV photon beams. In PDD and beam flatness, experimental multi-channel disimetry system was capable of reproduceing the measured values usually to within $\pm$2.1% the statistical uncertainties of the data. It was used to describe dosimetric characteristics of virtual wedge in clinical photon beams. Also we was evaluate optimal use of the virtual wedge and improve the quality factor of the experimental multi-channel dosimetry system for virtual wedge.

• IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing and Computing
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.297-304
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• 2015

A multilayer gaseous detector has been developed for fast dose-verification measurements of raster-scan-mode therapeutic beams in particle therapy. The detector, which was constructed with eight thin parallel-plate ionization chambers (PPICs) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) absorber plates, is closely tissue-equivalent in a beam's eye view. The gas-electron signals, collected on the strips and pad arrays of each PPIC, were amplified and processed with a continuous charge.integration mode. The detector was tested with 190-MeV raster-scan-mode beams that were provided by the Proton Therapy Facility at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea. The detector responses of the PPICs for a 190-MeV raster-scan-mode proton beam agreed well with the dose data, measured using a 2D ionization chamber array (Octavius model, PTW). Furthermore, in this study it was confirmed that the detector simultaneously tracked the doses induced at the PPICs by the fast-oscillating beam, with a scanning speed of 2 m s-1. Thus, it is anticipated that the present detector, composed of thin PPICs and operating in charge.integration mode, will allow medical scientists to perform reliable fast dose-verification measurements for typical dynamic mode therapeutic beams.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 1998

There has been necessity of an air free ionization chamber using the gold-crystal-aluminium plates, henceforth called the crystal chamber. The crystal chamber formed of parallel plates is very small in size and has more response for absorbed dose of therapeutic radiation beams. The gold plate on the crystal facing the photon and electron beam acts as an intensifier of signals and crystal plate as an ionization medium respectively. Both the copper guard ring and the aluminum collecting electrode are connected to an electrometer. Using high energy photon (6, 15 MV) and electron (9, 12, 15, 18 MeV) beams, the responses of the crystal chamber are evaluated against a PTW Farmer-type chamber at a field size of 10${\times}$10cm$^2$ and 100 cm SSD. The responses of crystal chamber for therapeutic radiation electron and photon beams are greater in magnitude by several order than Farmer. The crystal chamber has good linearity without correction factor C$\_$t,p/ with respect to the signals, a reading reproduction with good accuracy and precision less than 0.5%, and has other useful functions in measuring radiation beams.