Technical note: SpekPy Web-online x-ray spectrum calculations using an interface to the SpekPy toolkit

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Computational Physics

Background:

• Accurate knowledge of x-ray tube photon spectra is crucial for medical imaging and radiation dosimetry.
• Existing software like SpekPy simplifies spectrum calculations but requires scripting knowledge.
• Routine spectral measurements are often impractical due to equipment and time constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce SpekPy Web, a graphical user interface (GUI) and API for the SpekPy x-ray spectrum modeling toolkit.
• To enhance the accessibility and ease of use of advanced x-ray spectrum models for a wider audience.
• To validate the accuracy of SpekPy Web's calculations against experimental data.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web application providing a GUI and API for the SpekPy toolkit.
• Utilized the SpekPy Web API to calculate first half-value layers (HVLs) for standard x-ray beam qualities.
• Compared calculated HVLs with experimental values from the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM).

Main Results:

• SpekPy Web successfully provides an accessible GUI and API for x-ray spectrum modeling.
• Estimated HVLs using SpekPy Web showed agreement within 3.5% of experimental BIPM values.
• Average calculation time for each spectrum was approximately 2.5 seconds.

Conclusions:

• SpekPy Web significantly improves the usability of the SpekPy toolkit for calculating x-ray photon spectra.
• The tool demonstrates high accuracy in predicting key dosimetric parameters like HVLs.
• SpekPy Web is a valuable resource for researchers and professionals in medical imaging and radiation physics.