Skip to main content
Log in

Dose reduction from loss of backscatter in superficial x-ray radiation therapy with the Pantak SXT 150 unit

  • Technical Note
  • Published:
Australasian Physics & Engineering Sciences in Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Loss of backscatter has been measured for a Pantak Therapax SXT 150 superficial x-ray therapy unit. Ionisation chamber measurements at the surface were performed in solid water with and without underlying lead to confirm the applicability of previous published measurements. Measurements of loss of backscatter with and without lead allowed the effect of underlying lead to be separated from the effect of loss of backscatter. It was found that the difference between the effect of lead and that of air on surface dose is minimal for solid water phantom thickness exceeding 3 cm. Differences up to 3% in dose reduction at the surface were found between this work and previous published results with different x-ray units.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Klevenhagen, S.C.,The buildup of backscatter in the energy range 1 mm Al to 8 mm Al HVT, Phys. Med. Biol., 27:1035–43, 1982.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lanzon, P.J. and Sorell, G.C.,The effect of lead underlying water on the backscatter of x-rays of beam qualities 0.5 to 8 mm Al HVT, Phys. Med. Biol., 38:1137–44, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Huq, M.S., Venkataramanan, N. and Meli, J.A.,The effect on dose of kilovoltage x-rays backscattered from lead, Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys., 24:171–175, 1992.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Das, I.J. and Chopra, K.L.,Backscatter dose perturbation in kilovoltage photon beams at high atomic number interface, Med. Phys., 22:767–773, 1995.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hill, R., Healy, B., Holloway, L. and Baldock, C.,An investigation of dose changes for therapeutic kilovoltage x-ray beams with underlying lead, Med. Phys., 34:3045–53, 2007.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Constantinou, C., Attix, F. H. and Paliwal, B. R.,A solid water phantom material for radiotherapy x-ray and gammaray beam calibrations, Med. Phys., 9:436–441, 1982.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Healy, B.J., Gibbs, A., Murry, R.L., Prunster, J.E. and Nitschke, K.N.Output factor measurements for a kilovoltage x-ray therapy unit, Australasian Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, 28:115–121, 2005.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. IPEMB 1996,The IPEMB code of practice for the determination of absorbed dose for x-rays below 300 kV generating potential (0.035 m Al $#x2014; 4 mm Cu HVL; 10 -300 kV generating potential), Phys. Med. Biol., 41: 2605–2625, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. British Journal of Radiology Supplement 25,Central axis depth dose data for use in radiotherapy, British Institute of Radiology, London, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Aird, E. G. A. and Farmer, F. T.,The design of a thimble chamber for the Farmer dosimeter, Phys. Med. Biol., 17: 169–174, 1972.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Paix, D., Taylor, K. W. and Holloway, A. F.,Backscatter of diagnostic x-rays from metals (communication), Med. Phys., 10:112–113, 1983.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. J. Healy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Healy, B.J., Sylvander, S. & Nitschke, K.N. Dose reduction from loss of backscatter in superficial x-ray radiation therapy with the Pantak SXT 150 unit. Australas. Phys. Eng. Sci. Med. 31, 49–55 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03178453

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03178453

Key words

Navigation