Monitor unit calculation for large wedged high-energy photon beams. 1995

Z Chen, and L E Reinstein, and E B Ramsay
Department of Radiation Oncology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 11794-7028, USA.

With the modern high-energy linear accelerators, the following beam characteristics have to be taken into account in the monitor unit (MU) calculation of a wedged treatment: (i) the field size dependence of wedge factors; (ii) the changes in depth dose and maximum build-up depth (dmax) induced by wedges; and (iii) the field size dependence of dmax. The incorporation of a field size specific wedge factor in an MU calculation is straightforward. Effects (ii) and (iii) however, often cause confusion and inconsistency in the choices of the reference depth for wedge factors and the normalization depth for wedged depth dose, and consequently can lead to inconsistent MU calculation formalism with additional efforts of up to 7% in the delivered dose. In this note, we illustrate a derivation of an exact central axis MU calculation for wedged treatments, which correctly accounts for the effects mentioned above.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008433 Mathematics The deductive study of shape, quantity, and dependence. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Mathematic
D010315 Particle Accelerators Devices which accelerate electrically charged atomic or subatomic particles, such as electrons, protons or ions, to high velocities so they have high kinetic energy. Betatrons,Linear Accelerators,Accelerator, Linear,Accelerator, Particle,Accelerators, Linear,Accelerators, Particle,Betatron,Linear Accelerator,Particle Accelerator
D011879 Radiotherapy Dosage The total amount of radiation absorbed by tissues as a result of radiotherapy. Dosage, Radiotherapy,Dosages, Radiotherapy,Radiotherapy Dosages
D011880 Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted Computer-assisted mathematical calculations of beam angles, intensities of radiation, and duration of irradiation in radiotherapy. Computer-Assisted Radiotherapy Planning,Dosimetry Calculations, Computer-Assisted,Planning, Computer-Assisted Radiotherapy,Calculation, Computer-Assisted Dosimetry,Calculations, Computer-Assisted Dosimetry,Computer Assisted Radiotherapy Planning,Computer-Assisted Dosimetry Calculation,Computer-Assisted Dosimetry Calculations,Dosimetry Calculation, Computer-Assisted,Dosimetry Calculations, Computer Assisted,Planning, Computer Assisted Radiotherapy,Radiotherapy Planning, Computer Assisted
D011882 Radiotherapy, High-Energy Radiotherapy using high-energy (megavolt or higher) ionizing radiation. Types of radiation include gamma rays, produced by a radioisotope within a teletherapy unit; x-rays, electrons, protons, alpha particles (helium ions) and heavy charged ions, produced by particle acceleration; and neutrons and pi-mesons (pions), produced as secondary particles following bombardment of a target with a primary particle. Megavolt Radiotherapy,High-Energy Radiotherapy,Radiotherapy, Megavolt,High Energy Radiotherapy,Radiotherapy, High Energy
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001703 Biophysics The study of PHYSICAL PHENOMENA and PHYSICAL PROCESSES as applied to living things. Mechanobiology
D017785 Photons Discrete concentrations of energy, apparently massless elementary particles, that move at the speed of light. They are the unit or quantum of electromagnetic radiation. Photons are emitted when electrons move from one energy state to another. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)
D055592 Biophysical Phenomena The physical characteristics and processes of biological systems. Biophysical Concepts,Biophysical Processes,Biophysical Phenomenon,Biophysical Process,Biophysical Concept,Concept, Biophysical,Concepts, Biophysical,Phenomena, Biophysical,Phenomenon, Biophysical,Process, Biophysical,Processes, Biophysical

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