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Title: Output calculation of electron therapy at extended SSD using an improved LBR method

Abstract

Purpose: To calculate the output factor (OPF) of any irregularly shaped electron beam at extended SSD. Methods: Circular cutouts were prepared from 2.0 cm diameter to the maximum possible size for 15 × 15 applicator cone. In addition, two irregular cutouts were prepared. For each cutout, percentage depth dose (PDD) at the standard SSD and doses at different SSD values were measured using 6, 9, 12, and 16 MeV electron beam energies on a Varian 2100C LINAC and the distance at which the central axis electron fluence becomes independent of cutout size was determined. The measurements were repeated with an ELEKTA Synergy LINAC using 14 × 14 applicator cone and electron beam energies of 6, 9, 12, and 15 MeV. The PDD measurements were performed using a scanning system and two diodes—one for the signal and the other a stationary reference outside the tank. The doses of the circular cutouts at different SSDs were measured using PTW 0.125 cm{sup 3} Semiflex ion-chamber and EDR2 films. The electron fluence was measured using EDR2 films. Results: For each circular cutout, the lateral buildup ratio (LBR) was calculated from the measured PDD curve using the open applicator cone as the reference field. Themore » effective SSD (SSD{sub eff}) of each circular cutout was calculated from the measured doses at different SSD values. Using the LBR value and the radius of the circular cutout, the corresponding lateral spread parameter [σ{sub R}(z)] was calculated. Taking the cutout size dependence of σ{sub R}(z) into account, the PDD curves of the irregularly shaped cutouts at the standard SSD were calculated. Using the calculated PDD curve of the irregularly shaped cutout along with the LBR and SSD{sub eff} values of the circular cutouts, the output factor of the irregularly shaped cutout at extended SSD was calculated. Finally, both the calculated PDD curves and output factor values were compared with the measured values. Conclusions: The improved LBR method has been generalized to calculate the output factor of electron therapy at extended SSD. The percentage difference between the calculated and the measured output factors of irregularly shaped cutouts in a clinical useful SSD region was within 2%. Similar results were obtained for all available electron energies of both Varian 2100C and ELEKTA Synergy machines.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. South Carolina Oncology Associates, Columbia, South Carolina 29210 (United States)
  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208 (United States)
  3. CAMC Cancer Center and Alliance Oncology, Charleston, West Virginia 25304 (United States)
  4. The Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425 (United States)
  5. Department of Physics, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22413439
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Medical Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 42; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-2405
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; DEPTH DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS; ELECTRON BEAMS; FILM DOSIMETRY; IONIZATION CHAMBERS; LINEAR ACCELERATORS; MEV RANGE 01-10; MEV RANGE 10-100; RADIOTHERAPY

Citation Formats

Alkhatib, Hassaan A., Gebreamlak, Wondesen T., E-mail: wondtassew@gmail.com, Wright, Ben W., Neglia, William J., Tedeschi, David J., Mihailidis, Dimitris, Sobash, Philip T., and Fontenot, Jonas D. Output calculation of electron therapy at extended SSD using an improved LBR method. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1118/1.4905375.
Alkhatib, Hassaan A., Gebreamlak, Wondesen T., E-mail: wondtassew@gmail.com, Wright, Ben W., Neglia, William J., Tedeschi, David J., Mihailidis, Dimitris, Sobash, Philip T., & Fontenot, Jonas D. Output calculation of electron therapy at extended SSD using an improved LBR method. United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4905375
Alkhatib, Hassaan A., Gebreamlak, Wondesen T., E-mail: wondtassew@gmail.com, Wright, Ben W., Neglia, William J., Tedeschi, David J., Mihailidis, Dimitris, Sobash, Philip T., and Fontenot, Jonas D. 2015. "Output calculation of electron therapy at extended SSD using an improved LBR method". United States. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4905375.
@article{osti_22413439,
title = {Output calculation of electron therapy at extended SSD using an improved LBR method},
author = {Alkhatib, Hassaan A. and Gebreamlak, Wondesen T., E-mail: wondtassew@gmail.com and Wright, Ben W. and Neglia, William J. and Tedeschi, David J. and Mihailidis, Dimitris and Sobash, Philip T. and Fontenot, Jonas D.},
abstractNote = {Purpose: To calculate the output factor (OPF) of any irregularly shaped electron beam at extended SSD. Methods: Circular cutouts were prepared from 2.0 cm diameter to the maximum possible size for 15 × 15 applicator cone. In addition, two irregular cutouts were prepared. For each cutout, percentage depth dose (PDD) at the standard SSD and doses at different SSD values were measured using 6, 9, 12, and 16 MeV electron beam energies on a Varian 2100C LINAC and the distance at which the central axis electron fluence becomes independent of cutout size was determined. The measurements were repeated with an ELEKTA Synergy LINAC using 14 × 14 applicator cone and electron beam energies of 6, 9, 12, and 15 MeV. The PDD measurements were performed using a scanning system and two diodes—one for the signal and the other a stationary reference outside the tank. The doses of the circular cutouts at different SSDs were measured using PTW 0.125 cm{sup 3} Semiflex ion-chamber and EDR2 films. The electron fluence was measured using EDR2 films. Results: For each circular cutout, the lateral buildup ratio (LBR) was calculated from the measured PDD curve using the open applicator cone as the reference field. The effective SSD (SSD{sub eff}) of each circular cutout was calculated from the measured doses at different SSD values. Using the LBR value and the radius of the circular cutout, the corresponding lateral spread parameter [σ{sub R}(z)] was calculated. Taking the cutout size dependence of σ{sub R}(z) into account, the PDD curves of the irregularly shaped cutouts at the standard SSD were calculated. Using the calculated PDD curve of the irregularly shaped cutout along with the LBR and SSD{sub eff} values of the circular cutouts, the output factor of the irregularly shaped cutout at extended SSD was calculated. Finally, both the calculated PDD curves and output factor values were compared with the measured values. Conclusions: The improved LBR method has been generalized to calculate the output factor of electron therapy at extended SSD. The percentage difference between the calculated and the measured output factors of irregularly shaped cutouts in a clinical useful SSD region was within 2%. Similar results were obtained for all available electron energies of both Varian 2100C and ELEKTA Synergy machines.},
doi = {10.1118/1.4905375},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22413439}, journal = {Medical Physics},
issn = {0094-2405},
number = 2,
volume = 42,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}