Refined gypsum effective attenuation coefficients for Co-60, 6 MV, 10 MV and 18 MV x-rays

Phys Med Biol. 2003 Jan 7;48(1):63-71. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/48/1/305.

Abstract

We report new effective linear attenuation coefficients (mueff) for refined gypsum for Co-60 and 18 MV x-rays. 6 MV and 10 MV mueff agree with published data. For a 100 cm2 field size (FS), tissue defect x = 1.35 cm, target depth d = 1.65 cm beneath the tissue defect x, mueff is 0.123 cm(-1) (Co-60) and 0.0934 cm(-1) (6 MV). For 100 cm2, x = 1.35 cm, and d = 5.65 cm beneath x, mueff is 0.072 cm(-1) (10 MV), and 0.0614 cm(-1) (18 MV). Ford, mueff decreases about 10% from 25 to 400 cm2. For a given FS, mueff decreases with d by 3%-5% for Co-60, and 3% for 6 MV, 10 MV and 18 MV, but depends on (d - x). For d, when x is large (8 cm), depending on energy and FS, mueff is 2%-4% less than when x is small (2 cm). These data were used in a treatment-planning computer to design compensator filters for a step phantom. Compensation was to within 10% in the compensation plane (CP). Above and below CP, computer-calculated ratios of doses with and without filters were 0.75-1.13. Chamber dose ratios with and without filters were 0.75-1.12.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Sulfate / radiation effects*
  • Cobalt Radioisotopes*
  • Manufactured Materials
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Quality Control
  • Radiometry / methods*
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Radiotherapy, Conformal / instrumentation*
  • Radiotherapy, Conformal / methods
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy / instrumentation
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy / methods
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Cobalt Radioisotopes
  • Calcium Sulfate