Superficial X-ray therapy beam measurements using a liquid-filled chamber array

Abstract

Superficial treatment from units such as the Gulmay D3300 investigated in this study are usually measured using a single ionization chamber at the central axis. Dose falls off from the central axis towards the periphery of the field. This falloff is asymmetrical in the anode-cathode axis due to the heel effect. Current clinical practice is to prescribe dose to the central axis, which neglects the varying dose across the treatment field. Therefore, it is important to formulate a methodology to quantify this. This study investigates the viability of the PTW LA-48 Linear Chamber Array with 100 and 140 kVp beam energies with seven applicators by comparing measurements with GAFChromic EBT-3 Film measurements which is validated for use at those beam energies in previous studies. The PTW LA-48 Array has 47 isooctane-filled chambers in series allowing investigation of off-axis dose. Measurements were taken under 5 mm of liquid water using a PTW MP3 Water Tank. Film measurements were taken under 5 mm of solid water and analysed using FilmQA Pro. Both data sets were made relative to the measured central axis dose and compared. The average percentage difference between measurements for each applicator ranged between −2 ± 2% and 1.5 ± 0.5% for 100 kVp and −2 ± 1% to 2 ± 3% for 140 kVp, where the uncertainty is the standard error. These results show that the PTW LA-48 measurements were comparable to the EBT-3 Film measurements and highlight the potential for liquid-filled chamber arrays to be utilised to investigate off-axis dose for superficial X-ray therapy units.