Dose Calculation

Assist.lec. Amal I.
Mahmood
DOSE CALCULATION PARAMETERS

The dose to a point in a medium may be analyzed into primary and
scattered components.
The primary dose is contributed by the initial or original photons
emitted from the source and the scattered dose is the result of the
scattered photons.
The scattered dose can be further analyzed into collimator and
phantom components, because the two can be varied independently by
blocking. For example, blocking a portion of the field does not
significantly change the output or exposure in the open portion of the
beam but may substantially reduce the phantom scatter.
For megavoltage photon beams, it is reasonably accurate to consider
collimator scatter as part of the primary beam so that the phantom
scatter could be calculated separately.
We, therefore, define an effective primary dose as the dose due to the
primary photons as well as those scattered from the collimating system.
The effective primary in a phantom may be thought of as the dose at
depth minus the phantom scatter.
The effective primary dose may be defined as the depth dose expected
in the field when scattering volume is reduced to zero while keeping
the collimator opening constant.
Collimator Scatter Factor

The beam output (exposure rate, dose rate in free space, or energy
fluence rate) measured in air depends on the field size. As the field size
is increased, the output increases because of the increased collimator
scatter,' which is added to the primary beam.
The collimator scatter factor (Sc) is commonly called the output factor
and may be defined as the ratio of the output in air for a given field to
that for a reference field (e.g.,10 x 10 cm).
The measurement setup is shown in Figure below
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Engineering of Radiation Instruments 4th class
Figure: Arrangement for measuring Sc , Chamber with build-up cap in air to

measure output relative to a reference field, for determining Sc versus field size.
 Normally, the collimator scatter factors are measured at the source-to-

axis distance (SAD). However, larger distances can be used provided
the field sizes are all defined at the SAD.
Phantom Scatter Factor

 The phantom scatter factor (Sp) takes into account the change in scatter
radiation originating in the phantom at a reference depth as the field size
is changed.
 Sp may be defined as the ratio of the dose rate for a given field at a
reference depth (e.g., depth of maximum dose) to the dose rate at the
same depth for the reference field size (e.g., 10 x 10 cm), with the same
collimator opening.
 In this definition, it should be noted that Sp is related to the changes in
the volume of the phantom irradiated for a fixed collimator opening.
 Thus one could determine Sp, at least in concept, by using a large field
incident on phantoms of various cross-sectional sizes.
 For photon beams for which backscatter factors can be accurately
measured (e.g., 60Co and 4 MV), Sp factor at the depth of maximum dose
may be defined simply as the ratio of backscatter factor (BSF) for the
given field to that for the reference field.
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Assist.lec. Amal I. Mahmood
where r, is the side of the reference field size (10 x 10 cm).

A more practical method of measuring Sp, which can be used for all beam
energies, consists of indirect determination from the following equation:
Where Sc,p (r) is the total scatter factor defined as the dose rate at a reference
depth for a given field size r divided by the dose rate at the same point and
depth for the reference field size (10 x 10 cm)
 Thus Sc,p contains both the collimator and phantom scatter and
when divided by Sc(r) yields Sp(r).
Figure: Arrangement for measuring Sc, p Measurements in a phantom at a fixed

depth for determining Sc, p versus field size.
Accelerator Calculations
 SSD Technique
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Engineering of Radiation Instruments 4th class
Percent depth dose is a suitable quantity for calculations involving SSD

techniques. Machines are usually calibrated to deliver 1 rad (l0 -2Gy) per
monitor unit (MU) at the reference depth to, for a reference field size 10 x 10
cm and a source-to-calibration point distance of SCD. Assuming that the Sc
factors relate to collimator field sizes defined at the SAD, the monitor units
necessary to deliver a certain tumor dose (TD) at depth d for a field size rat the
surface at any SSD are given by:
Where K is 1 rad per MU, r, is the collimator field size, given by:
And
It must be remembered that, whereas the field size for the Sc, is defined at the
SAD, Sp relates to the field irradiating the patient.
EXAMPLE: A 4-MV linear accelerator is calibrated to give 1 rad ( 10 -2 Gy )

per MU in phantom at a reference depth of maximum dose of (1 cm), (100cm)
SSD, and( 10 x 10 cm) field size. Determine the MU values to deliver 200 rads
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Assist.lec. Amal I. Mahmood
to a patient at 100-cm SSD, (10 cm ) depth, and (15 x 15 cm) field size, given
Sc(15 x 15) = 1.020, Sp(15 x 15) = 1.010, %DD = 65.1.
SOLUTION:
Example2: Determine the MU for the treatment conditions given in Example 1

except that the treatment SSD is 120 cm, given Sc(12.5 x 12.5) = 1.010 and
%DD for the new SSD is 66.7.
SOLUTION:

Dose Calculation

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Assist.lec. Amal I.

DOSE CALCULATION PARAMETERS

Collimator Scatter Factor

Figure: Arrangement for measuring Sc , Chamber with build-up cap in air to

 Normally, the collimator scatter factors are measured at the source-to-

Phantom Scatter Factor

where r, is the side of the reference field size (10 x 10 cm).

Figure: Arrangement for measuring Sc, p Measurements in a phantom at a fixed

Percent depth dose is a suitable quantity for calculations involving SSD

EXAMPLE: A 4-MV linear accelerator is calibrated to give 1 rad ( 10 -2 Gy )

Example2: Determine the MU for the treatment conditions given in Example 1

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