2019-2020 HKU Master of Med Science Module 6 Assignment

1. You are required to perform dose calibration for 8 MeV electron beam. The following table gives
the depth ionization curve for this 8 MeV beam. Describe the setup and equipment used for this
procedure. Give diagrams for setup if necessary.

Depth/mm % Ionization Depth/mm % Ionizaton Depth/mm % Ionization

0 86.3 57 19.7 114 1.4
1.5 87.1 58.5 15 115.5 1.4
3 88.7 60 11.3 117 1.3
4.5 90 61.5 8.05 118.5 1.3
6 91.1 63 5.4 120 1.3
7.5 91.8 64.5 3.75
9 92.6 66 2.7
10.5 93.25 67.5 2.3
12 94.1 69 1.9
13.5 94.75 70.5 1.9
15 95.3 72 1.9
16.5 95.9 73.5 1.9
18 96.6 75 1.8
19.5 97.25 76.5 1.8
21 98 78 1.8
22.5 98.4 79.5 1.75
24 99 81 1.8
25.5 99.5 82.5 1.7
27 99.8 84 1.7
28.5 99.9 85.5 1.7
30 99.7 87 1.6
31.5 99.25 88.5 1.6
33 98.5 90 1.7
34.5 97.15 91.5 1.6
36 95.6 93 1.6
37.5 93.1 94.5 1.6
39 90.2 96 1.6
40.5 86.5 97.5 1.6
42 82.3 99 1.5
43.5 77.55 100.5 1.5
45 72.1 102 1.5
46.5 65.95 103.5 1.4
48 59.5 105 1.5
49.5 53.1 106.5 1.4
51 45.9 108 1.4
52.5 38.95 109.5 1.5
54 32.1 111 1.4
55.5 25.75 112.5 1.4
2. Define flatness and symmetry for a photon beam profile. For the 10x10 cm2 cross plane profile
given in the following table, determine the flatness and symmetry values.

-150.0 +001.3

-147.5 +001.3

-145.0 +001.4

-142.5 +001.4

-140.0 +001.5

-137.5 +001.5

-135.0 +001.6

-132.5 +001.7

-130.0 +001.8

-127.5 +001.8

-125.0 +001.9

-122.5 +002.0

-120.0 +002.1

-117.5 +002.2

-115.0 +002.3

-112.5 +002.5

-110.0 +002.6

-107.5 +002.8

-105.0 +002.9

-102.5 +003.1

-100.0 +003.3

-097.5 +003.6

-095.0 +003.8

-092.5 +004.1

-090.0 +004.4
-087.5 +004.7

-085.0 +005.1

-082.5 +005.4

-080.0 +005.9

-077.5 +006.4

-075.0 +006.9

-072.5 +007.5

-070.0 +008.2

-067.5 +009.0

-065.0 +010.0

-062.5 +011.2

-060.0 +014.4

-057.5 +025.6

-055.0 +046.8

-052.5 +070.9

-050.0 +087.4

-047.5 +094.0

-045.0 +095.6

-042.5 +096.4

-040.0 +097.1

-037.5 +097.6

-035.0 +098.1

-032.5 +098.6

-030.0 +099.1

-027.5 +099.4

-025.0 +099.7

-022.5 +099.9
-020.0 +100.1

-017.5 +100.2

-015.0 +100.2

-012.5 +100.2

-010.0 +100.1

-007.5 +100.1

-005.0 +100.1

-002.5 +100.1

+000.0 +099.9

+002.5 +099.9

+005.0 +099.9

+007.5 +099.9

+010.0 +100.1

+012.5 +100.2

+015.0 +100.2

+017.5 +099.9

+020.0 +099.9

+022.5 +099.8

+025.0 +099.6

+027.5 +099.3

+030.0 +099.0

+032.5 +098.7

+035.0 +098.1

+037.5 +097.5

+040.0 +097.0

+042.5 +096.4

+045.0 +095.7
+047.5 +094.7

+050.0 +089.1

+052.5 +074.8

+055.0 +051.5

+057.5 +029.1

+060.0 +016.0

+062.5 +011.4

+065.0 +010.3

+067.5 +009.2

+070.0 +008.4

+072.5 +007.6

+075.0 +007.0

+077.5 +006.5

+080.0 +006.0

+082.5 +005.5

+085.0 +005.1

+087.5 +004.8

+090.0 +004.4

+092.5 +004.1

+095.0 +003.8

+097.5 +003.6

+100.0 +003.4

+102.5 +003.2

+105.0 +003.0

+107.5 +002.8

+110.0 +002.6

+112.5 +002.5
+115.0 +002.4

+117.5 +002.3

+120.0 +002.1

+122.5 +002.0

+125.0 +001.9

+127.5 +001.9

+130.0 +001.8

+132.5 +001.7

+135.0 +001.7

+137.5 +001.6

+140.0 +001.5

+142.5 +001.4

+145.0 +001.4

+147.5 +001.3

+150.0 +001.3

% Dose
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.9
1
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.5
1.7
1.9
2.3
2.8
3.7
4.6
6.7
8.9
14.6
 20.3
32.9
45.4
61.9
78.1
87.4
96.7
98.4
99.8
94.8
89.5
75.8
62.1
46.5
31.1
22.2
13.3
9.8
3. Describe the equipment and procedures you will use to measure the total scatter factor,
phantom scatter factor and collimator scatter factors. Give diagrams for setup if necessary.
Table 3 gives the result of the scatter factor measurement. Calculate the phantom scatter factor
for the field sizes measured.

Table 3: Scatter factors for different field sizes

Field Size (cm2) Sc Sc,p
5x5 0.957 0.990
6x6 0.971 0.992
7x7 0.982 0.994
8x8 0.991 1.002
9x9 0.998 1.001
10x10 1.000 1.000
12x12 1.011 1.007
15x15 1.021 1.017
20x20 1.029 1.028
25x25 1.035 1.044
30x30 1.037 1.050
35x35 1.040 1.049
40x40 1.040 1.062
4. Table 4 gives the percentage depth dose measurement for a 6MV 10x10 field. Describe how you
would proceed with the calibration of this photon energy. Give the setup and equipment
needed. You may refer to question 3 for data on scatter factors.

Table 4. Percentage depth dose for 10x10 cm2 field

Depth/ Depth/
Depth/mm %Dose mm %Dose mm %Dose
0 49.88 38 92.40 180 43.35
1 54.55 39 91.90 185 42.15
2 61.05 40 91.40 190 41.05
3 68.45 41 91.00 195 39.85
4 75.40 42 90.55 200 38.80
5 81.25 43 90.10 205 37.80
6 85.85 44 89.70 210 36.70
7 89.30 45 89.25 215 35.80
8 92.00 46 88.75 220 34.85
9 94.20 47 88.35 225 33.90
10 95.95 48 87.95 230 32.95
11 97.25 49 87.50 235 32.10
12 98.20 50 87.10 240 31.35
13 98.85 55 84.80 245 30.40
14 99.25 60 82.80 250 29.65
15 99.55 65 80.75 255 28.85
16 99.85 70 78.70 260 28.05
17 100.00 75 76.75 265 27.40
18 99.85 80 74.75 270 26.60
19 99.65 85 72.75 275 26.05
20 99.45 90 70.75 280 25.25
21 99.15 95 68.95 285 24.55
22 98.85 100 67.10 290 24.00
23 98.55 105 65.35 295 23.35
24 98.10 110 63.60 300 22.75
25 97.65 115 61.80 305 22.25
26 97.35 120 60.20 310 21.65
27 97.00 125 58.55 315 21.05
28 96.60 130 57.10 320 20.55
29 96.20 135 55.55 325 19.95
30 95.80 140 53.90 330 19.55
31 95.35 145 52.55 335 19.00
32 94.85 150 51.05 340 18.45
33 94.35 155 49.65 345 18.05
34 93.95 160 48.35 350 17.28
35 93.55 165 47.00
36 93.10 170 45.80
37 92.75 175 44.60
Solution:

1. Read R50,ion from the graph:

From graph, R50,ion is 33.9 mm (3.39 cm) for 10x10 field.

Use formula:

And reference depth is given by:

Zref = 0.6 R50 – 0.1 g/cm2 (R50 in g/cm2)

Use a calibrated parallel plate chamber or cylindrical chamber to measure the absorbed dose under
reference conditions. (10x10 field size, 100 cm SSD, ionization chamber corrected for temperature,
pressure, polarity and ion recombination.) Position chamber reference point at zref. For plane-parallel
chambers, place inner surface of window at zref. For cylindrical chambers, place center of chamber at
0.5 rcyl deeper than zref.

Dw,Q = MQ ND,w,QokQ,Qo

The absorbed dose is determined from the above formula. Here is the electrometer reading. The
second term is the calibration factor, the third term is the correction factor specific to the beam
quality and chamber type.
2.

Beam width is equivalent to the FWHM of the profile, which is equal to the field size (which is 10 cm
in this case). Data is normalized to maximum of the dose. Then Dmax = 100, and Dmin = 95.81.
Flatness F = 2.14%. Symmetry is 4.6%.
3. For total scatter factor measurement, set up the ionization chamber with isocenter setup with
center of the chamber at reference depth. Measure the output (electrical or dosimetric) at each
field size for 3 measurements each. Use the mean value and normalize to the value of the 10x10
field.

For collimator scatter factor measurement, set up the chamber at 100 cm SSD with appropriate
buildup cap. Measure the output (electrical or dosimetric) at each field size for 3 measurements
each. Use the mean value and normalize to the value of the 10x10 field.

Field Size (cm2) Sc Sc,p Sp

5x5 0.957 0.99 1.034483
6x6 0.971 0.992 1.021627
7x7 0.982 0.994 1.01222
8x8 0.991 1.002 1.0111
9x9 0.998 1.001 1.003006
10x10 1 1 1
12x12 1.011 1.007 0.996044
15x15 1.021 1.017 0.996082
20x20 1.029 1.028 0.999028
25x25 1.035 1.044 1.008696
30x30 1.037 1.05 1.012536
35x35 1.04 1.049 1.008654
40x40 1.04 1.062 1.021154

Sp is given by dividing Sc,p with Sc.

4. Plot percentage depth dose curve according to the given data:

Percentage Depth Dose Curve

105

85

65
% Dose

45

25

5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
-15
Depth / mm

Set up for calibration of photon beam:

Equipment required: Use water phantom of size at least 30x30x30 cm3. The ionization chamber
should be calibrated at a standards laboratory and is a secondary standard. And a calibrated
electrometer.

From IAEA TRS-398, the dose in water is given by:

Where MQo is the reading of the dosimeter under the reference conditions corrected for
temperature, pressure, recombination and polarity. ND,w,Qo is the calibration factor in terms of
absorbed dose to water of the dosimeter. kQ,Qo corrects for the effects of the difference between the
reference beam quality Qo and the actual user quality Q. To determine the user beam quality, the
TPR20,10 of the user beam has to be determined.

To convert PDD to TPR, use the following equation:

Here, TPR(10,10x10) is given by:

( )( )
2
67.1 % 100+10 1
TPR ( 10 ,10 ×10 )= × =0.671
100 % 100+10 1

TPR(20,10x10):

( )( )
2
38.8 % 100+20 1
TPR ( 20 ,10 ×10 )= × =0.461
100 % 100+10 1

TPR 20 ,10=0.688

Using TPR 20 ,10 , the kQ,Qo factor for the calibrated secondary chamber can be determined. Alternative
way to determine beam quality from AAPM TG-51 report is to use the following formula: