Absolute dose calibration and output factor simulation for flattened and flattening filter-free Monte Carlo model of 6 MV photon beams / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the Monte Carlo calculation methods for the absolute dose calibration and output factor of 6 MV flattening-filter ( FF) and flattening-filter free ( FFF) photon beams based on TrueBeam accelerator .Methods The BEAMnrc code was used to model the LINAC head of FF and FFF modes.The BEAM_up covers the components from the target to the monitor chamber , and BEAM_down includes the structures beneath the chamber , the dose deposit to the monitor chamber contributed by the incidence electrons and scattered particles from the secondary collimators were calculated respectively .The incidence electron-induced dose at certain depths on the central axis were simulated by means of the DOSXYZnrc code .By means of dose calibration equation , the calibration factor for the standard field (10 cm ×10 cm) and the output factors for various fields (1 cm ×1 cm-40 cm ×40 cm) were computed respectively .Results For the 6 MV FF and FFF beams under the standard 10 cm ×10 cm field, 1 MU equals to 7.747 ×1013 ±3.099 ×1011 and 3.248 ×1013 ±1.624 ×1011 electrons to the target , respectively , which deposited 21.53 and 35.01 cGy to the monitor chamber of the virtual accelerator respectively .The difference between the simulated and calculated output factors were 0.72%±1.4%and 0.56%±0.78%for FF and FFF , respectively .Conclusions The model generated and measured output factors agree well , indicating the good accuracy of the dose calculation by the model , which would provides basis for further clinical dosimetric studies .