Electron beam characteristics of the 50-MeV racetrack microtron

Electron beams in the MM50 racetrack microtron are generated by computer controlled scanning of a well-focused electron pencil beam. The treatment head is optimized to give a minimum of scatter between the source position and the collimator plane by a general minimization of all scattering material in the beam and by replacement of the air in the treatment head by helium, which has a much lower linear scattering power than air. A double-focused multileaf collimator with a 31-cm collimator to patient distance is used both for electron and photon collimation. In general, no extra electron collimation is needed for the standard SSD of 100 cm. To make irregular field collimation at a distance this far from the patient possible, a number of requirements have to be fulfilled regarding the virtual source position and the spatial and angular distribution of the initial electron beam. The virtual source position has been found to be at a fixed position for different irradiation parameters. This is important for the use of the light field in electron beam treatment but also for achieving a high degree of accuracy in the dosimetry. Scatter from the multileaf collimator has not been found to give any significant contribution to the radiation field or to the monitor output factor of the MM50. Experimental dose distribution data on the MM50 have been compared to data both from other types of treatment units and to Monte Carlo simulations.