Biomaterial Database

Comparison of skin doses to large fields using tangential beams from cobalt-60 gamma rays and 4-MV x rays. 1978

W F Gagnon, and M D Peterson

Excess radiation to the skin during external beam megavoltage radiation therapy has reportedly caused excessive erythema in patients treated with the Clinac 4 linear accelerator on sloping surfaces, but not for similar treatments with cobalt 60. Doses at the epidermal level were measured under geometries simulating sloping surfaces for a Clinac 4 and an Eldorado 8 cobalt-60 teletherapy machine. For equal doses to the axilla, doses to the epidermal layer were similar. When the tumor dose was calculated for the mediastinum, the dose to the skin in the axillary region was 12% higher for the Clinac 4.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011867	Radioisotope Teletherapy	A type of high-energy radiotherapy using a beam of gamma-radiation produced by a radioisotope source encapsulated within a teletherapy unit.	Teleradioisotope Therapy,Teletherapy, Radioisotope,Therapy, Teleradioisotope
D011878	Radiotherapy	The use of IONIZING RADIATION to treat malignant NEOPLASMS and some benign conditions.	Radiotherapy, Targeted,Targeted Radiotherapy,Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapy, Targeted,Radiation Treatment,Targeted Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapies,Radiation Therapies, Targeted,Radiation Treatments,Radiotherapies,Radiotherapies, Targeted,Targeted Radiation Therapies,Targeted Radiotherapies,Therapies, Radiation,Therapies, Targeted Radiation,Therapy, Radiation,Therapy, Targeted Radiation,Treatment, Radiation
D011879	Radiotherapy Dosage	The total amount of radiation absorbed by tissues as a result of radiotherapy.	Dosage, Radiotherapy,Dosages, Radiotherapy,Radiotherapy Dosages
D003037	Cobalt Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of cobalt that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. Co atoms with atomic weights of 54-64, except 59, are radioactive cobalt isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Cobalt
D004817	Epidermis	The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of EPITHELIUM: (1) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (2) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (3) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (4) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (5) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).
D005720	Gamma Rays	Penetrating, high-energy electromagnetic radiation emitted from atomic nuclei during NUCLEAR DECAY. The range of wavelengths of emitted radiation is between 0.1 - 100 pm which overlaps the shorter, more energetic hard X-RAYS wavelengths. The distinction between gamma rays and X-rays is based on their radiation source.	Gamma Wave,Gamma Radiation,Nuclear X-Rays,Radiation, Gamma,X-Rays, Nuclear,Gamma Radiations,Gamma Ray,Gamma Waves,Nuclear X Rays,Nuclear X-Ray,Ray, Gamma,Wave, Gamma,Waves, Gamma,X Rays, Nuclear,X-Ray, Nuclear
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012867	Skin	The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D014965	X-Rays	Penetrating electromagnetic radiation emitted when the inner orbital electrons of an atom are excited and release radiant energy. X-ray wavelengths range from 1 pm to 10 nm. Hard X-rays are the higher energy, shorter wavelength X-rays. Soft x-rays or Grenz rays are less energetic and longer in wavelength. The short wavelength end of the X-ray spectrum overlaps the GAMMA RAYS wavelength range. The distinction between gamma rays and X-rays is based on their radiation source.	Grenz Ray,Grenz Rays,Roentgen Ray,Roentgen Rays,X Ray,X-Ray,Xray,Radiation, X,X-Radiation,Xrays,Ray, Grenz,Ray, Roentgen,Ray, X,Rays, Grenz,Rays, Roentgen,Rays, X,X Radiation,X Rays,X-Radiations