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Practical dosimetry procedure of air kerma for kilovoltage X-ray imaging in radiation oncology using a 0.6-cc cylindrical ionization chamber with a cobalt absorbed dose-to-water calibration coefficient

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Abstract

In this study, we implemented a practical dosimetry procedure of air kerma for kilovoltage X-ray beams using a 0.6-cc cylindrical ionization chamber, and validated the procedure with the accuracy of the measurements using the 0.6-cc chamber compared to the measurements using a 6-cc chamber and a semiconductor device. In addition, the kerma area products (KAPs) were compared with the dose reference levels of radiology. A modified air kerma formalism using a 0.6-cc cylindrical ionization chamber air kerma formalism with a cobalt absorbed dose-to-water calibration coefficient was implemented. Validation of the formalism showed good agreement between the 0.6-cc chamber and the 6-cc chamber (< 5%), and between the 0.6-cc chamber and the semiconductor device (< 2%) in the 60–120 kV range. The KAPs for four RO machines had difference factors of 0.04–15.4 and 0.01–4.1 from their median and maximum dose reference levels in radiology, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Takanori Matsuoka for providing critical advice and comments in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Safety and Quality Assurance Division, Hospital East, National Cancer Center, 6-5-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 2778577, Japan

    Hidenobu Tachibana

  2. Particle Therapy Division, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Chiba, 2778577, Japan

    Hidenobu Tachibana, Ryo Takahashi & Tomoyuki Kurosawa

  3. Radiation Safety and Quality Assurance Division, Hospital East, National Cancer Center, Chiba, 2778577, Japan

    Ryo Takahashi

  4. Department of Radiology, Chiba Tokushukai Hospital, Chiba, 2748503, Japan

    Takayuki Kogure

  5. Department of Radiology, General Hospital, Saiseikai Kawaguchi, Saitama, 3328558, Japan

    Shiro Nishiyama

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  1. Hidenobu Tachibana
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  2. Ryo Takahashi
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  3. Takayuki Kogure
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  5. Tomoyuki Kurosawa
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Correspondence to Hidenobu Tachibana.

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Tachibana, H., Takahashi, R., Kogure, T. et al. Practical dosimetry procedure of air kerma for kilovoltage X-ray imaging in radiation oncology using a 0.6-cc cylindrical ionization chamber with a cobalt absorbed dose-to-water calibration coefficient. Radiol Phys Technol 15, 264–270 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-022-00665-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12194-022-00665-3

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