Characteristic parameters of 6-21 MeV electron beams from a 21 MeV linear accelerator.

Dosimetry measurements have been carried out for the electron beams produced by a linear accelerator at energies 6, 8, 10, 14, 18, and 21 MeV. Characteristic parameters of the central axis dose distributions were derived and compared to corresponding values of electron beams from other accelerators in clinical use where such a comparison is appropriate. A comprehensive set of dosimetric parameters is provided for electron beam treatment planning. The data include central axis depth dose, range-energy parameters, beam penumbra and uniformity.

Dosimetric aspects of the therapeutic photon beams from a dual-energy linear accelerator.

Parameters of the photon beams (6 and 20 MV) from a dual-energy linear accelerator (Mevatron-KD, Siemens Medical Laboratories, CA) are presented. The depth dose characteristics of the photon beams are dmax of 1.8 and 3.8 cm and percentage depth dose of 68% and 80% at 10-cm depth and 100-cm source-surface distance for a field size of 10 X 10 cm2 for 6 and 20 MV, respectively. The 6 and 20 MV beams were found to correspond to nominal accelerating potentials of 4.7 and 17 MV, respectively. The stability of output is within +/- 1% and flatness and symmetry are within +/- 3%. These figures compare favorably with the manufacturer's specifications.