A tissue compensation source-to-skin measurement system

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of source-to-skin distance (SSD) is crucial for effective radiation therapy.
• Tissue compensation techniques require precise SSD data for optimal dose delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel, user-friendly, and cost-effective system for measuring SSD.
• To evaluate the system's accuracy and precision across diverse treatment parameters.

Main Methods:

• Development of a low-cost measurement system for SSD.
• Validation of measurements for variable treatment field sizes.
• Testing across multiple treatment beam angles.

Main Results:

• The system provides accurate and precise SSD measurements.
• Measurements are reliable irrespective of treatment field size or beam angle.
• The system is compatible with various tissue compensation strategies.

Conclusions:

• This system offers a practical solution for obtaining essential SSD data in radiation oncology.
• Its ease of use and low cost make it accessible for diverse clinical settings.
• The validated accuracy supports its utility in determining tissue compensation requirements.