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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Characterization of Recombination Effects in a Liquid Ionization Chamber Used for the Dosimetry of a Radiosurgical Accelerator
Published on: May 9, 2014
Use of novel fibre-coupled radioluminescence and RADPOS dosimetry systems for total scatter factor measurements in
N Ploquin1, G Kertzscher, E Vandervoort
1Department of Medical Physics, The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
A dosimetry system based on Al2O3:C radioluminescence (RL), and RADPOS, a novel 4D dosimetry system using microMOSFETs, were used to measure total scatter factors, (S(c,p))(f(clin))(det), for the CyberKnife robotic radiosugery system. New Monte Carlo calculated correction factors are presented and applied for the RL detector response for the 5, 7.5 and 10 mm collimators in order to correct for the detector geometry and increased photoelectric cross section of Al2O3:C relative to water. For comparison, measurements were also carried out using a micro MOSFET, PTW60012 diode and GAFCHROMIC(®) film (EBT and EBT2). Uncorrected (S(c,p))(f(clin))(det) were obtained by taking the ratio of the detector response for each collimator to that for the 60 mm diameter reference field. Published Monte Carlo calculated correction factors were applied to the RADPOS, microMOSFET and diode detector measurements to yield corrected field factors, Ω(f(clin),f(msr))(Q(clin),Q(msr)), following the terminology of a recent formalism introduced for small and composite field relative dosimetry. With corrections, the RL measured Ω(f(clin),f(msr))(Q(clin),Q(msr)) were 0.656 ± 0.002, 0.815 ± 0.002 and 0.865 ± 0.003 for the 5, 7.5 and 10 mm collimators, respectively. This was in good agreement with RADPOS corrected field factors of 0.650 ± 0.010, 0.816 ± 0.024 and 0.867 ± 0.010 for the 5, 7.5 and 10 mm collimators, respectively. Both RL and RADPOS total scatter factors agreed within approximately two standard deviations of the GAFCHROMIC film values (average of EBT and EBT2) of 0.640 ± 0.006, 0.806 ± 0.007 and 0.859 ± 0.09. Corrected total scatter factors for all dosimetry systems agreed within one standard deviation for collimator sizes 10-60 mm. Our study suggests that the microMOSFET/RADPOS and optical fibre-coupled RL dosimetry system are well suited for total scatter factor measurements over the entire range of field sizes, provided that appropriate correction factors are applied for the collimator diameters smaller than 10 mm.
