RESUMO
PURPOSE: To study and compare the dose response curves of the new GafChromic EBT3 film for megavoltage and kilovoltage x-ray beams, with different spatial resolution. METHODS: Two sets of EBT3 films (lot#A101711-02) were exposed to each x-ray beam (6MV, 15MV and 50kV) at 8 dose values (50-3200cGy). The megavoltage beams were calibrated per AAPM TG-51 protocol while the kilovoltage beam was calibrated following the TG-61 using an ionization chamber calibrated at NIST. Each film piece was scanned three consecutive times in the center of Epson 10000XL flatbed scanner in transmission mode, landscape orientation, 48-bit color at two separate spatial resolutions of 75 and 300 dpi. The data were analyzed using ImageJ and, for each scanned image, a region of interest (ROI) of 2×2cm2 at the field center was selected to obtain the mean pixel value with its standard deviation in the ROI. For each energy, dose value and spatial resolution, the average netOD and its associated uncertainty were determined. The Student's t-test was performed to evaluate the statistical differences between the netOD/dose values of the three energy modalities, with different color channels and spatial resolutions. RESULTS: The dose response curves for the three energy modalities were compared in three color channels with 75 and 300dpi. Weak energy dependence was found. For doses above 100cGy, no statistical differences were observed between 6 and 15MV beams, regardless of spatial resolution. However, statistical differences were observed between 50kV and the megavoltage beams. The degree of energy dependence (from MV to 50kV) was found to be function of color channel, dose level and spatial resolution. CONCLUSIONS: The dose response curves for GafChromic EBT3 films were found to be weakly dependent on the energy of the photon beams from 6MV to 50kV. The degree of energy dependence varies with color channel, dose and spatial resolution. GafChromic EBT3 films were supplied by Ashland Corp. This work was partially supported by DGAPA-UNAM grant IN102610 and Conacyt Mexico grant 127409.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: To investigate the accuracy of the absorbed dose measured with Gafchromic EBT2 film in low-energy photon radiation fieldsMethods: Six EBT2 film (lot # F06110901) pieces (1cm2 ) per dose were exposed to x-rays of 50 kV, 80 kV, 120 kV and 60Co gamma rays from a Leksell Gamma Knife at dose values from 50 mGy to 100 Gy. The x-ray beams were calibrated following the AAPMTG-61 protocol using ionization chambers calibrated at NIST or Wisconsin University depending on the beam quality, while the 60Co gamma was calibrated in water using MD-V2-55 film. Each film piece was scanned once using a HP Scanjet 7650 document flatbed scanner in transmission mode, 48-bit color at 300 dpi spatial-resolution. The data analysis was made through the ImageJ. The measured light intensity for the red channel with its associate standard deviation was used to evaluate the netOD and its standard combined uncertainty. The absorbed dose as a function of the netOD was fitted using the logistic model and the relative combined uncertainties were evaluated for each energy photon beam. RESULTS: EBT2 film response curve depends on the low-energy photons and the degree of energy-dependence is a function of absorbed dose. The absorbed dose relative combined uncertainty as a function of the absorbed dose indicates that the minimum absorbed dose limit is also energy dependent. Lower is the energy photon; more accurate is the measurement at low dose value. This can be explain by the fact that comparing to high energy photons, low energy photons can produce locally enough ionization density to create more color centre in the same film area. CONCLUSIONS: Minimum absorbed dose limit of Gafchromic EBT2 films were found to be energy dependent. The response curve depends on the low-energy photons and the degree of energy-dependence is a function of absorbed dose This work is partially supported by DGAPA-UNAM grant IN102610 and Conacyt Mexico grant 127409.
