• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2016

Background: For the accurate dose assessment in radiation therapy, energy spectrum of the photon beam generated from the linac head is essential. The aim of this study is to develop the technique to accurately unfolding the energy spectrum with the transmission analysis method. Materials and Methods: Clinical linear accelerator and Monet Carlo method was employed to evaluate the transmission signals according to the thickness of the observer material, and then the response function of the ion chamber response was determined with the mono energy beam. Finally the energy spectrum was unfolded with HEPROW program. Elekta Synergy Flatform and Geant4 tool kits was used in this study. Results and Discussion: In the comparison between calculated and measured transmission signals using aluminum alloy as an attenuator, root mean squared error was 0.43%. In the comparison between unfolded spectrum using HEPROW program and calculated spectrum using Geant4, the difference of peak and mean energy were 0.066 and 0.03 MeV, respectively. However, for the accurate prediction of the energy spectrum, additional experiment with various type of material and improvement of the unfolding program is required. Conclusion: In this research, it is demonstrated that unfolding spectra technique could be used in megavoltage photon beam with aluminum alloy and HEPROW program.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 1997

Purpose : Secondary electrons generated by interaction between Primary X-rar beam and block tray in megavoltage irradiation, result in excess soft radiation dose to the surface layer To reduce the surface dose from the electron contamination, electron filters were attached under the tray when a customized block was used. Materials and Methods : Cu, Al or Cu/Al combined Plate with different thickness was used as a filter and the surface dose reduction was measured for each case. The measurement to find optimal filter was performed with $10m\times10cm$ field size and 78.5cm source to surface distance. The measurement points are positioned with 2mm intervals from surface to maximum build-up point. To acquire the effect of field size dependence on optimal electron filter, the measurement was performed from $4cm\times4cm\;to\;25cm\times25cm$ field sizes. Results : The surface dose was slowly increased by increasing irradiation field but rapidly increased beyond $15cm\times15cm$ field size. Al plate was found to be inadequate filter because of the failure to have surface dose kept lowering than the dose of deep area. Cu 0.5mm plate and Cu/Al=0.28mm/1.5mm combined plate were found to be optimal filters. By using these 2 filters, the absorbed dose to the surface layer was effectively reduced by $5.5\%,\;11.3\%,\;and\;22.3\%$ for the field size $4cm\times4cm,\;10m\times10cm,\;and\;25cm\times25cm$, respectively. Conclusion : The surface dose attributable to electron contamination had a dependence on field size. The electron contamination was increased when tray was used. Specially the electron contamination in the surface layer was greater when the larger field was used. 0.5mm Cu Plate and Cu/Al=0.28mm/15mm combined plates were selected as optimal electron filters. When the optimal electron filter was attached under the tray, excessive surface dose was decreased effectively The effect of these electron filters was better when a larger field was used.