Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Measurement of high energy x-ray beam penumbra with Gafchromic trade mark sign EBT radiochromic film

Journal Article · · Medical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1118/1.2218318· OSTI ID:20853391
; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China)
High energy x-ray beam penumbra are measured using Gafchromic trade mark sign EBT film. Gafchromic trade mark sign EBT, due to its limited energy dependence and high spatial resolution provide a high level of accuracy for dose assessment in penumbral regions. The spatial resolution of film detector systems is normally limited by the scanning resolution of the densitometer. Penumbral widths (80%/20%) measured at D{sub max} were found to be 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, and 3.4 mm ({+-}0.2 mm) using 5, 10, 20, and 30 cm square field sizes, respectively, for a 6 MV linear accelerator produced x-ray beam. This is compared to 3.2 mm{+-}0.2 mm (Kodak EDR2) and 3.6 mm{+-}0.2 mm (Kodak X-Omat V) at 10 cmx10 cm measured using radiographic film. Using a zero volume extrapolation technique for ionization chamber measurements, the 10 cmx10 cm field penumbra at D{sub max} was measured to be 3.1 mm, a close match to Gafchromic trade mark sign EBT results. Penumbral measurements can also be made at other depths, including the surface, as the film does not suffer significantly from dosimetric variations caused by changing x-ray energy spectra. Gafchromic trade mark sign EBT film provides an adequate measure of penumbral dose for high energy x-ray beams.
OSTI ID:
20853391
Journal Information:
Medical Physics, Journal Name: Medical Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 33; ISSN 0094-2405; ISSN MPHYA6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English