Calculated buildup curves for photons with energies up to 60Co

This report investigates the buildup region of the depth-dose curve for broad parallel beams of 60Co and lower energy photons incident on slabs of tissue as defined by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) and other materials. The EGS Monte Carlo system was used to simulate the transport of photons and electrons in the materials. Calculated buildup regions of the depth-dose curves are presented for photons incident on ICRU tissue. For 60Co beams, the primary and scatter dose components are presented, both for the buildup region and at depth in the phantom. Effects of beam radius were investigated and found to have only a small effect in the buildup region of the central axis depth-dose curve. The calculated effects of beam radius are larger at depth and in good agreement with experiment. Effects of scatter and attenuation in a small miniphantom of water were investigated as a function of photon energy and were found to cancel within 0.8%. The mean distance of electron transport was calculated for 60Co beams incident on carbon, water, polystyrene, aluminum, and lead.