Comparing the physical and dosimetric characteristics of cylindrical and beam shaper intraoperative radiotherapy applicators

• Published in: Radiation physics and chemistry (Oxford, England : 1993) Vol. 158; pp. 22 - 36
• Main Authors: Baghani, Hamid Reza, Heidarloo, Nematollah, Aghamiri, Seyed Mahmoud Reza, Mahdavi, Seyed Rabi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Accelerators; Angular distribution; Beam shaper applicator; Computer simulation; Dosimetric characteristics; Dosimetry; Electron beams; Electron radiation; Energy distribution; Energy measurement; IOERT; LIAC; Monte Carlo simulation; Physical characteristics; Physical properties; Radiation shielding; Radiation therapy; Standard cylindrical applicator; IOERT; Dosimetric characteristics; Beam shaper applicator; Standard cylindrical applicator; LIAC; Physical characteristics
• ISSN: 0969-806X; 1879-0895
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.01.003

Intraoperative electron radiation therapy is one of the cancer treatment techniques that delivers high doses to the tumor bed by dedicated mobile accelerators such as LIAC. Two types of applicators (standard cylindrical applicators and beam shaper applicator) can be used with LIAC. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the physical and dosimetric characteristics of emerging electrons from distal end of mentioned applicators. For this purpose, percentage depth dose, dose profiles and output factors were measured and compared. Furthermore, energy and angular distribution of electron beam at the exit of both applicator types were calculated by Monte Carlo simulation. A considerable difference was observed in both physical and dosimetric characteristics of emerging electrons from distal end of applicators under investigation which is mainly due to the presence of shielding blades in design of beam shaper applicator. This difference in both dosimetric and physical properties, can change the considered treatment planning procedure for patient irradiation during the employment of each studied applicator type. •Physical characteristics of electron from standard and beam shaper applicators were compared.•Dosimetric features of standard and beam shaper IOERT applicators were compared.•All of the results were obtained by ionometric dosimetry and Monte Carlo simulation.•Different physical and dosimetric trends were observed for investigated applicators.