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Evaluation of effective energy using radiochromic film and a step-shaped aluminum filter

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Abstract

Although the half-value layer (HVL) is one of the important parameters for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC), constant monitoring has not been performed because measurements using an ionization chamber (IC) are time-consuming and complicated. To solve these problems, a method using radiochromic film and step-shaped aluminum (Al) filters has been developed. To this end, GAFCHROMIC EBT2 dosimetry film (GAF-EBT2), which shows only slight energy dependency errors in comparison with GAFCHROMIC XR TYPE-R (GAF-R) and other radiochromic films, has been used. The measurement X-ray tube voltages were 120, 100, and 80 kV. GAF-EBT2 was scanned using a flat-bed scanner before and after exposure. To remove the non-uniformity error caused by image acquisition of the flat-bed scanner, the scanning image of the GAF-EBT2 before exposure was subtracted after exposure. HVL was evaluated using the density attenuation ratio. The effective energies obtained using HVLs of GAF-EBT2, GAF-R, and an IC dosimeter were compared. Effective energies with X-ray tube voltages of 120, 100, and 80 kV using GAF-EBT2 were 40.6, 36.0, and 32.9 keV, respectively. The difference ratios of the effective energies using GAF-EBT2 and the IC were 5.0%, 0.9%, and 2.7%, respectively. GAF-EBT2 and GAF-R proved to be capable of measuring effective energy with comparable precision. However, in HVL measurements of devices operating in the high-energy range (X-ray CT, radiotherapy machines, and so on), GAF-EBT2 was found to offer higher measurement precision than GAF-R, because it shows only a slight energy dependency.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Michihiko Oishi for providing the various equipment used in these investigations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Oishi Hospital, 1-7-15 Kawaguchi Cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, 720-0822, Japan

    T. Gotanda

  2. Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Himeji Dokkyo University, Himeji, Japan

    T. Gotanda

  3. Faculty of Radiologic Technology, Seikeikai College, Osaka, Japan

    T. Katsuda

  4. School of Health Sciences, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Ibaraki, Japan

    R. Gotanda

  5. Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan

    R. Gotanda, T. Kuwano, H. Yatake, K. Kashiyama & Y. Takeda

  6. Kawasaki Medical School Kawasaki Hospital, Okayama, Japan

    A. Tabuchi

  7. Department of Radiology, Osaka Cancer Prevention and Detection Center, Osaka, Japan

    K. Yamamoto

  8. Department of Radiology, Katsuragi Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    K. Yabunaka

  9. Department of Radiological Technology, Tokushima Red Cross Hospital, Tokushima, Japan

    T. Akagawa

Authors
  1. T. Gotanda
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  2. T. Katsuda
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  3. R. Gotanda
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  4. A. Tabuchi
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  5. K. Yamamoto
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  6. T. Kuwano
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  7. H. Yatake
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  8. K. Kashiyama
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  9. K. Yabunaka
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  10. T. Akagawa
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  11. Y. Takeda
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Correspondence to T. Gotanda.

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Gotanda, T., Katsuda, T., Gotanda, R. et al. Evaluation of effective energy using radiochromic film and a step-shaped aluminum filter. Australas Phys Eng Sci Med 34, 213–222 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-011-0068-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13246-011-0068-2

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