Skin Damage Sustained During Head-and-Neck and Shoulder Radiotherapy Due to the Curvature of Skin and the Use of Immobilization Mask / 의학물리

The purpose of this study was to measure curvature contour skin dose using radiochromic film and TLD for a conventional open field. We also attempted to quantify the degradation of skin sparing associated with use of immobilization devices for high energy photon beams and to calculate the skin dose with a help of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. To simulate head-and-neck and shoulder treatment, a cylindrical solid water phantom 11 cm in diameter was irradiated with 6 MV x-rays using 40x40 cm2 field at 100 cm source axis distance (SAD) to the center of the phantom. Aquaplastic mesh mask was placed on the surface of the cylindrical phantom that mimicked relevant clinical situations. The skin dose profile was obtained by taking measurements from 0degrees to 360degrees around the circumference of the cylindrical phantom. The skin doses obtained from radiochromic film were found to be 47% of the maximum dose of D(max) at the 0degrees beam entry position and 61% at the 90degrees oblique beam position without the mask. Using the mask (1.5 mm), the skin dose received was 59% at 0degrees incidence and 78% at 80degrees incidence. Skin dose results were also gathered using thin thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). With the mask, the skin dose was 66% at 0degrees incidence and 80% at 80degrees incidence. This method with the mask revealed the similar pattern as film measurement. For the treatments of the head-and-neck and shoulder regions in which immobilization mask was used, skin doses at around tangential angle were nearly the same as the prescription dose. When a sloping skin contour is encountered, skin doses may be abated using thinner and more perforated immoblization devices which should still maintain immoblization.

LiF TLD in TLD Holder for In Vivo Dosimetry / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: LiF TLD has a problem to be used in vivo dosimetry because of the toxic property of LiF. The aim of this study is to develop new dosimeter with LiF TLD to be used in vivo dosimetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We designed and manufactured the teflon box(here after TLD holder) to put TLD in. The external size of TLD holder is 4x4x1 mm3. To estimate the effect of TLD holder on TLD response for radiation, the linearity of TLD response to nominal dose were measured for TLD in TLD holder. Measurement were performed in the 10 MV x-ray beam with LiF TLD using a solid water phantom at SSD of 100 cm. Percent Depth Dose (PDD) and Tissue-Maximum Ratio (TMR) with varying phantom thickness on TLD were measured to find the effect of TLD holder on the dose coefficient used for dose calculation in radiation therapy. RESULTS: The linearity of response of TLD in TLD holder to the nominal dose was improved than TLD only used as dosimeter. And in various measurement conditions, it makes a marginnal difference between TLD in TLD holder and TLD only in their responses. CONCLUSION: It was proven that the TLD in TLD holder as a new dosimetry could be used in vivo dosimetry.

Photon Energy Dependence of the Sensitivity of LiF TLDs Loaded with Thin Material / 대한방사선종양학회지

PURPOSE: An investigation has been carried out on the factors which affect the response reading of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD-100) loaded with thin material in high energy photon. The aim of the study was to assess the energy response of TLD-100 to the therapeutic ranges of photon beam. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this technique, TLD-100 (abbreviated as TLD) chips and three different thin material (Tin, Gold, and Tissue equivalent plastic plate) which mounted on the TLD chip were used in the clinical photon beam. The thickness of each metal plates was 0.1 mm and TE plastic plate was 1 mm thick. These compared with the photon energy dependence of the sensitivities of TLD (normal chip), TLD loaded with Tin or Gold plate, for the photon energy range 6 MV to 15 MV, which was of interest in radiotherapy. RESULTS: The enhancement of surface dose in the TLD with metal plate was clearly detected. The TLD chips with a Gold plate was found to larger response by a factor of 1.83 in 10 MV photon beam with respect to normal chip. The sensitivity of TLD loaded with Tin was less than that for normal TLD and TLD loaded with Gold. The relative sensitivity of TLD loaded with metal has little energy dependence. CONCLUSION: The good stability and linearity with respect to monitor units of TLD loaded with metal were demonstrated by relative measurements in high energy photon (6~15 MV) beams. The TLD laminated with metals embedded system in solid water phantom is a suitable detector for relative dose measurements in a small beam size and surface dose.