Absorbed

Dose Determination in Small Fields

of
High Energy Photon Beams

BasedontheGermanStandardDIN68098
1. Introduction
ThisdocumentconstitutesanexcerptofproceduresanddataaspublishedintheGermanstandard
DIN 68098. The aim is to determine absorbed dose to water in the center of small highenergy
photonfieldswithdimensionsof4cmx4cmorsmaller.
Althoughthisdocumentprovidesthereaderwithaconciseoverviewofequationsandfactorsitshall
notreplacepertinentstandards,protocolsandpublications,norisitintendedtogiveallofthedetails
that are important for accurate dosimetry. Also, the procedures outlined in this document are not
theonlyonesdescribedinthereferencedliterature,theyconstituteonlyoneofseveralpossibilities
forabsorbeddosedeterminationinsmallfields.

2. General Instructions
2.1 Measuring phantom
Thisdocumentassumesthatallmeasurementsaremadeinawaterphantom.

2.2 Detector types

Dosemeasurementsina4cmx4cmfieldshallbemadewithacylindricalventedionizationchamber
thatwascalibratedina60Cobeam.Dosemeasurementsatfieldsizes 4cmx4cmshallbemade
with detectors featuring a high spatial resolution such as smallsize ionization chambers, silicon
diodes or diamond detectors. In this document such detectors are referred to as small field
detectors.

2.3 Detector positioning

General rules
Thedosemeterreadingisobtainedbypositioningthedetectorseffectivepointofmeasurementat
thepointofinterestinthephantom.
Theeffectivepointofmeasurementmaynotcoincidewiththereferencepointofthedetector.The
reference point is defined by the manufacturer of the detector and serves for positioning the
detector in the phantom. Usually, the reference point is a point on the central axis of a cylindrical
detectorwithastateddistancefromthedetectortip.Forsolidstatedetectorssuchassilicondiodes
or diamond detectors the manufacturer may select the effective point of measurement as the
referencepoint.

D560.210.03/02Sch2014051

Forcylindricalionizationchamberstheeffectivepointofmeasurementisdefinedasapointshifted
by 0.5 from the axis of the chamber towards the focus ( is the inner radius of the measuring
chamber volume) [DIN 68002]. To measure dose at a focus distance of cm, the axis of the
cylindricalchambermustbepositionedatafocusdistanceof cm+0.5 ,i.e.thechambermust
beshiftedawayfromthefocus,i.e.downstream.Thelocationoftheeffectivepointofmeasurement
ofsolidstatedetectorscanbetakenfromthedatasheetofthedetector.
The TRUFIX system
The task of positioning various types of radiation detectors precisely in their effective point of
measurement can be quite challenging. The patented TRUFIX system (see Figure1) facilitates this
task considerably. TRUFIX can be used on automated PTW water phantoms (MP2, MP3 etc.) in
connection with most PTW therapy detectors. A plastic tip lets you easily locate the water surface
where the coordinate system is set to (0,0,0). Then the plastic tip is replaced by a holding device
specifictoeachdetectortype,andtheeffectivepointofmeasurementisautomaticallyplacedatthe
tip's earlier position. The radius of cylindrical chambers, the waterequivalent window thickness of
planeparallel chamber and solid state detector windows as well as the detector centers are
automaticallyaccountedfor.

Figure1:TheTRUFIXdetectorpositioningsystem.

2.4 Corrected reading

In this document detector readings are designated as corrected readings . For ionization
chambers the reading of the dosemeter must be corrected for influence quantities as described in
[DIN 68002]. The reader must compute the corrected reading from the uncorrected reading
andthereadingwithoutirradiation by

(21)

,
,
and correct for air density, incomplete charge collection,
The correction factors
polarityeffectandhumidity,respectively.Theyaredescribedindetailin[DIN68002].Forsolidstate
detectorssomeofthecorrectionfactorsinequation(21)maynotapply.
Forabsorbeddosedeterminationinsmallfields,additionalfactorsaretobeappliedtothecorrected
reading asdescribedinthefollowingchapters.

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3. Formalism for dose measurements in small fields

3.1 Overview
Thedeterminationofabsorbeddosetowaterinsmallfieldsconsistsofthreesteps:
(1) Measure the absorbed dose to water in a 4 cm x 4 cm field using a vented ionization
chambercalibratedina60Cobeam.Makesuretheionizationchamberisnottoolargeforthe
field.Seechapter3.2.
(2) Applythesamedoseinthe4cmx4cmfieldtoadetectorwithhighspatialresolution(small
field detector), e.g. a silicon diode, diamond detector or PinPoint chamber, and calculate
the crosscalibration factor for the small field detector by referring to the dose measured
in(1).Seechapter3.3.
(3) Use the small field detector for dose measurements in fields smaller than 4 cm x 4 cm,
applyingthecorrectionfactorsdescribedinchapter3.4.

3.2 Step 1: Ionization chamber measurement at 4 cm x 4cm

The absorbed dose shall be measured in a water phantom at a depth of 10 cm with a sourceto
surfacedistanceof100cm.Thefieldsizeisdefindedatthemeasuringdepth.Ifafiledsizeof4cmx4
cm cannot be adjusted any filed size between 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm and 5 cm x 5 cm is allowed. Dose
homogeneitywithin0.5cmdistancefromthebeamaxismustbegoodenoughtoensurethatdose
differencesdonotexceed0.5%.
The absorbed dose to water
, measured with a vented cylindrical ionization chamber, is
determinedbythefollowingequation:

(31)

where

absorbeddosetowater
=1 0,03 (replacementcorrectionfactor, istheinnerradiusofthemeasuring
volumeofthecylindricalchamber,givenincm)

energydependant correction factor accounting for measuring in a high energy

photonbeaminsteadofa60Cobeam.Thisfactorcanbetakenfrom[DIN68002]and
ismostaccurateforthereferenceconditionsdescribedtherein,especiallyforafield
sizeof10cmx10cm.Notethatthisfactorisdenotedby in[DIN68002].
correctionfactoraccountingforthechangeofradiationqualitywhenmeasuringina
4cmx4cmfieldinsteadofa10cmx10cmfield
correctionfactoraccountingforthesizeoftheionizationchamber,causingavolume
effectina4cmx4cmradiationfield,seeTable1

calibrationfactorforabsorbeddosetowaterfor60Co

correctedreadingofthedosemeterasdescribedinchapter2.4

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PTWchambertype

at6MV

at15MV

PinPoint31015(0.03cm)

1.000

1.001

Semiflex31010(0.125cm)

1.001

1.002

Semiflex31013(0.3cm)

1.004

1.008

Table1:Correctionfactor forionizationchambermeasurementsina4cmx4cmfield,for6MV
and15MV.DataistakenfromTable3andequation(C.11)in[DIN68098].

Inordertodeterminethecorrectionfactor , theradiationqualityindex mustbeknown. can

be obtained by depth dose measurements in a 10 cm x 10 cm field at depths of 10 cm and 20 cm
accordingtothefollowingequation[DIN68002]:

1.2661

0.0595

(32)

where

10 ,

20

radiationqualityindex
dosevaluesat10cmand20cmdepth,respectively.Sourcetosurface
distance100cm,fieldsizeatthephantomsurface10cmx10cm.

Ifafieldsizeof10cmx10cmcannotbeadjustedforthedeterminationofthequalityindex ,the
qualityindexisdeterminedby[DIN68098]:

(33)

where
20 /

10 at100cmsourcetodetectordistance

TPR20,10

Tissuephantomratio

fielddimensioninonedirection,incm

=19.5cm

A1

=0.625

A2

=0.679

b1

=0.208

b2

=1.213

Equation(33)isvalidfor0.62< <0.8andfielddimensions 0.4cm.Forcircularfieldsthefield

dimension canbetakenas
0.9 , where isthediameterofthecircularfield.

D560.210.03/02Sch2014054

Hint: DIN 68002 offers an iteration process to increase the accuracy of equation (33).
However, the increase of accuracy is smaller than the uncertainties of the parameters in
equation(33).Therefore,aniterationprocessisnotsuggestedinthisdocument.
Thecorrectionfactor

, istakenfrom[DIN68002].NotethatthenotationinDIN68002is

In a 4 cm x 4 cm field, the correction factor

withoutflatteningfilter.

can be set to 1.000 for both beams with and

3.3 Step 2: Crosscalibration of a small field detector in a 4 cm x 4 cm field

Detectorswithhighspatialresolution(smallfielddetectors)arecalibratedina4cmx4cmfieldfor
which the dose has been determined with a calibrated ionization chamber as described in
chapter3.2. If is the corrected reading of the small field detector (see chapter 2.4) and
the
dose measured with the calibrated ionization chamber, the calibration factor for the small field
detector
is

(34)

Thiscalibrationfactorisvalidfortheradiationqualityandthemeasuringdepthusedforthecross
calibration, and for a field size of 4 cm x 4 cm. Deviations from these calibration conditions are
accountedforbyapplyingcorrectionfactorstothereadingasdescribedinchapter3.4.
Hint:IfPinPointchambersareusedassmallfielddetectors,andifacalibrationfactorat 60Co
as well as , factors are known, a cross calibration may not be necessary down to a
fieldsizeof1.5cmx1.5cm.

3.4 Step 3: Measurements with small field detectors at

field sizes 4 cm x 4 cm
The absorbed dose to water, measured with a detector of high spatial resolution (small field
detector),isdeterminedby

(35)

where
DW

absorbeddosetowater

correction factor for the size of the small field detector, causing a volume effect in
smallfields,seeTables3aand3b

correction factor accounting for variation of detector response when changing the
fieldsizefrom4cmx4cmtosmallerfields,seeTables2aand2b

calibration factor for the small field detector under crosscalibration conditions,
seechapter3.3
correctedreadingofthedosemeterasdescribedinchapter2.4

Hint: Due to their size Semiflex chambers with a volume of 0.3 cm or 0.125 cm are not
recommendedfordosimetryatfieldsizessmallerthan4cmx4cm.

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PTWdetectortype
Semiflex31010(0.125cm)

=2.5cm

=4cm

=5cm

1.007

1.000

1.007

PinPoint31014(0.015cm)

1.006

1.000

1.007

PinPoint3D31016(0.016cm)

1.005

1.000

1.006

DosimetryDiodeP60016

1.002

1.000

1.003

DosimetryDiode60017/60018(PTW)

1.001

1.000

0.998

DosimetryDiode60017/60018(MC)

1.006

1.000

1.003

DiamondDetector60003

1.000

1.000

1.000

microDiamond60019

1.000

1.000

1.000

Table2a:Correctionfactor
formeasurementsinthecenterofsmallfieldsat10cmdepth.The
field dimensions are designated by , the radiation quality is 6 MV photons. Data is taken from
TableE.1in[DIN68098].AllvaluesarebasedonMonteCarlosimulationswiththeexceptionofthe
line labeled (PTW). The values for the diamond detectors are preliminary as no measurements or
simulationshavebeenpublishedsofar.

PTWdetectortype
Semiflex31010(0.125cm)

=2.5cm
1.006

=4cm
1.000

=5cm
0.996

PinPoint31014(0.015cm)

1.003

1.000

0.996

PinPoint3D31016(0.016cm)

1.003

1.000

0.995

DosimetryDiodeP60016

1.002

1.000

0.991

DosimetryDiode60017/60018(PTW)

1.000

1.000

0.997

DosimetryDiode60017/60018(MC)

1.003

1.000

0.991

DiamondDetector60003

1.000

1.000

1.000

microdiamond60019

1.000

1.000

1.000

Table2b:Correctionfactor
formeasurementsinthecenterofsmallfieldsat20cmdepth.The
field dimensions are designated by , the radiation quality is 6 MV photons. Data is taken from
TableE.2in[DIN68098].AllvaluesarebasedonMonteCarlosimulationswiththeexceptionofthe
linedlabeled(PTW).The valuesforthediamonddetectorsarepreliminaryasnomeasurementsor
simulationshavebeenpublishedsofar.

PTWdetectortype
Semiflex31013(0.3cm)
PinPoint

=1cm
1.570
1.076

=2cm
1.067
1.007

=3cm
1.012
1.001

=4cm
1.004
1.000

Table3a:Correctionfactor for6MVphotonsasafunctionoffielddimension .Dataistaken

fromFigureC.3in[DIN68098].

PTWdetectortype
Semiflex31013(0.3cm)
PinPoint

=1cm
1.543
1.075

=2cm
1.091
1.009

=3cm
1.023
1.002

=4cm
1.008
1.001

Table3b:Correctionfactor for15MVphotonsasafunctionoffielddimension .Dataistaken

fromFigureC.3in[DIN68098].

D560.210.03/02Sch2014056

References

[DIN68002]

DIN 68002, Deutsche Norm, Dosismessverfahren nach der Sondenmethode fr

PhotonenundElektronenstrahlung,Teil2:DosimetriehochenergetischerPhotonen
undElektronenstrahlungmitIonisationskammern,Mrz2008

[DIN68098]

EDIN68098,EntwurfzurDeutschenNorm,KlinischeDosimetrieTeil8:Dosimetrie
kleinerPhotonenBestrahlungsfelder,Mrz2014

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