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Chan, M

Publications and source records attributed to Chan, M.

21 records · Page 2

SU-E-T-52: Beam Data Comparison for 20 Linear Accelerators in One Network

Purpose: To compare photon beam data for the 20 Varian linear accelerators (TrueBeam, iX, and EX models) in use at five centers in the same network with the intent to model with one set of beam data in Eclipsec. Methods: Varian linear accelerators, TrueBeam (3), 21 EX, iX, and Trilogy (14), and 6 EX (3), installed between 1999 and 2014 have their 6 MV and 15 MV x-ray beams reevaluated. Full commissioning, including output factors (St), percent depth doses (PDD), and off-axis profiles, was recently performed for a TrueBeam with a cc04 ion chamber in an IBA Blue phantom. Similarly, a subset of beam data for each of the other accelerators was measured recently as follows: for 3×3, 10×10, and 30×30 cm{sup 2} field sizes, flatness and penumbra (80–20%) were measured at dmax and 10 cm depths, PDD were measured at 10 and 20 cm depths, and St were measured at 5 cm depth. Measurement results for all machines were compared. Results: For 15 high-energy (6 and 15 MV) and 3 low-energy machines (6MV only): 1) PDD agreed within 1.4% at 10 and 20 cm depths; 2) penumbra agreed within 1.0 mm at dmax and 10 cm depths; 3) flatness was within 1.3% at dmax and 10 cm depths; and 4) with exception of the three low energy machines, output factors were within 1.1% and 0.5% for 3×3 and 30×30 cm{sup 2}, respectively. Measurement uncertainty, not quantified here, accounts for some of these differences. Conclusion: Measured beam data from 15 high-energy Varian linacs are consistent enough that they can be classified using one beam data set in Eclipse. Two additional high-energy machines are removed from this group until their data are further confirmed. Three low-energy machines will be in a separate class based upon differences in output factors (St)

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

SU-E-T-276: Radiochromic Film Dosimetry: Solving the Lateral Response Puzzle

Purpose: A known factor affecting the accuracy of radiochromic film dosimetry is the lateral response artifact induced by off-center placement of film on flatbed scanners. This work reports a practical solution to eliminate such artifacts for IMRT dose QA. Methods: EBT3 film calibration strips (3.5×32cm{sup 2}) were exposed at a depth of 5cm on a Varian Trilogy to a 40×40cm{sup 2} open field at six doses between 120 and 900cGy using 6MV photons. A sheet of film was similarly exposed with a large IMRT field. Together with a strip of unexposed film from the same lot the films were digitized at different lateral positions on an Epson 10000XL scanner. The calibration strips covered nearly the full width of the scanner window. Calibration and response data were used to generate the IMRT dose map using multi-channel dosimetry. The scanner response was determined as a function of lateral position of the scanned film. The response at any lateral position L is related to the response at the center, C, of the scanner by Response(C,D) = aL+bL*Response(L,D) where D is dose and the coefficients aL and bL are constant for each lateral location. The coefficients aL and bL were determined by measuring films exposed to different doses at the center of the scanner and various lateral positions. Results: Applying this relationship to raw calibration responses, the values at any lateral position can be corrected to an equivalent response as if that film was located centrally. Our study found that calibration curves at the different lateral positions are correlated by a simple two-point re-scaling and thereby the correction could be made. Conclusion: The work reported elaborates on the process and demonstrates improvements in radiochromic film dosimetry using this simple procedure to eliminate the lateral response artifact. Acknowledgements: Supported in part by a grant from Ashland Inc. D Lewis is an employee of Ashland Inc., the manufacturer of radiochromic film; M Chan is supported in part by a grant from Ashland Inc.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗