Technical Note: Self-shielding evaluation and radiation leakage measurement of a jawless ring gantry linac with a...

To characterize the shielding design and leakage radiation from a newly released ring gantry linac (Halcyon, Varian Medical Systems).

To assess the radiation leakage surrounding headshield and the radiation level after the beam stopper, measurements were made with GafChromic films. To evaluate the in-room radiation levels, the radiation leakage in the isocenter plane was measured with a large volume spherical ionization chamber (Exradin A6, Standard Imaging). A lead enclosure was constructed to shield the chamber from the low energy scatter radiation from the room. The radiation level at multiple locations was measured with the MLC fully closed and gantry at 0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, and 315 degrees. The leakage radiation passing through multiple concrete slabs with various thickness was recorded in a narrow beam geometry to determine the tenth value layer (TVL).

A uniform leakage (<0.05%) at 1 m from electron beam line was measured surrounding the linac head with the maximum leakage measured at the top of the head enclosure. The highest radiation level (<0.08%) was measured near the edge of the beam stopper when projected to the measurement plane. The maximum radiation levels due to the head leakage at 15 locations inside the treatment room were recorded and a radiation map was plotted. The maximum leakage was measured at points that along the electron beam line while the gantry at 90 or 270 degree and at the end of head enclosure (0.314%, 0.4 m from electron beamline). The leakage TVL value is found to be 226 mm in a narrow beam geometry with the concrete density of 2.16 g/cm³ or 134.6 lb/cu.ft.

An overall uniform leakage was measured surrounding linac head. The beam stopper shields the primary radiation with the highest valued measured near the edge of beam stopper. The leakage TVL values are derived and less than the values reported for conventional C-arm linac.