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Updated: Apr 24, 2026

Dosimetry for Cell Irradiation using Orthovoltage 40-300 kV X-Ray Facilities
Published on: February 20, 2021
Characterization of an X-ray irradiation system (Hitachi MBR-1618R-BE) based on Monte Carlo simulations for
Muhammad Bilal1, Koichi Okuno2, Soheil Aghabaklooei1
1Department of Radiation Biophysics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM), Hiroshima University, Kasumi 1-2-3, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan; Phoenix Leader Education Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for Renaissance from Radiation Disaster, Hiroshima University, Kasumi 1-2-3 Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan; Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kasumi 1-2-3 Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
None:
X-rays have been widely used in experiments for biomedical studies. To obtain reliable dose-response data, it is important to understand the characteristics of the X-ray beams delivered to biological samples. In this study, we confirmed the dosimetric characteristics of an X-ray irradiation system (Hitachi MBR-1618R-BE) based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations using the Electron Gamma Shower (EGSnrc) code and its derivative programs (BEAMnrc, BEAMDP, and DOSXYZnrc). The dose rates at different source-to-sample distances from 250 to 550 mm were calculated and compared with the experimental values. The MC-simulated dose distribution was compared with off-axis dose profiles measured using a radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT-XD). The simulated mean-energy spectrum of the 160 kVp X-rays showed an overall agreement (<1.9%) with the commonly provided analytical spectrum. The simulated dose rates agreed well with experimentally measured values using a calibrated ionization chamber and RPL dosimeters, with deviations within ±3% and ±5%, respectively, across the investigated source-to-sample distances. The simulated and experimentally measured dose distributions showed agreement within 2% in the homogeneous region, while maximum local deviations of approximately ±3% were observed in the beam penumbra regions due to steep dose gradients. The planar fluence profile obtained under a metal (Al and Cu) filter with a radius of 2.5 cm exhibited a uniform photon distribution and negligible electron contamination. The angular distribution of the beam demonstrated a concentrated forward peak between 12° and 20°, with virtually no fluence detected beyond 24°. These results validate the efficacy of the investigated X-ray irradiation system in biomedical experiments and the usefulness of MC simulations for characterizing similar irradiation systems.
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