Lateral Dose Response Functions Research Articles

Investigating the lateral dose response functions of point detectors in proton beams

Objective. Point detector measurements in proton fields are perturbed by the volume effect originating from geometrical volume-averaging within the extended detector’s sensitive volume and density perturbations by non-water equivalent detector components. Detector specific lateral dose response functions K(x) can be used to characterize the volume effect within the framework of a mathematical convolution model, where K(x) is the convolution kernel transforming the true dose profile D(x) into the measured signal profile of a detector M(x). The aim of this work is to investigate K(x) for detectors in proton beams. Approach. The K(x) for five detectors were determined by iterative deconvolution of measurements of D(x) and M(x) profiles at 2 cm water equivalent depth of a narrow 150 MeV proton beam. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out for two selected detectors to investigate a potential energy dependence, and to study the contribution of volume-averaging and density perturbation to the volume effect. Main results. The Monte Carlo simulated and experimentally determined K(x) agree within 2.1% of the maximum value. Further simulations demonstrate that the main contribution to the volume effect is volume-averaging. The results indicate that an energy or depth dependence of K(x) is almost negligible in proton beams. While the signal reduction from a Semiflex 3D ionization chamber in the center of a gaussian shaped field with 2 mm sigma is 32% for photons, it is 15% for protons. When measuring the field with a microDiamond the trend is less pronounced and reversed with a signal reduction for protons of 3.9% and photons of 1.9%. Significance. The determined K(x) can be applied to characterize the influence of the volume effect on detectors measured signal profiles at all clinical proton energies and measurement depths. The functions can be used to derive the actual dose distribution from point detector measurements.

Analysis of the applicability of two-dimensional detector arrays in terms of sampling rate and detector size to verify scanned intensity-modulated proton therapy plans.

The introduction of advanced treatment techniques in proton therapy, such as intensity-modulated proton therapy, leads to an increased need for patient-specific quality assurance, especially an accurate treatment plan verification becomes inevitable. In this study, signal theoretical analysis of dose distributions in scanned proton therapy is performed to investigate the feasibility and limits of two-dimensional (2D) detector arrays for treatment plan verification. 2D detector arrays are characterized by two main aspects: the distance between the single detectors on the array or the sampling frequency; and the lateral response functions of a single detector. The analysis is based on single spots, reference fields and on measured and calculated dose distributions of typical intensity-modulated proton therapy treatment plans with and without range shifter. Measurements were performed with Gafchromic EBT3 films (Ashland Speciality Ingredients G.P., Bridgewater, NJ, USA), the MatriXX PT detector array (IBA Dosimetry, Schwarzenbruck, Germany) and the OCTAVIUS detector array 1500XDR (PTW-Freiburg, Germany) at an IBA Proteus PLUS proton therapy system (Ion Beam Applications, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium). Dose calculations were performed with the treatment planning system RayStation 6 or 8 (RaySearch Laboratories, Sweden). The Fourier analysis of the data of the treatment planning system and film measurements show maximum frequencies of 0.06/mm for the plan with range shifter and 0.083/mm for the plan without range shifter. According to the Nyquist theorem, this corresponds to minimum required sampling distances of 8.3 and 6mm, respectively. By comparison, the sampling distances of the arrays of 7.6mm (MatriXX PT) and 7.1mm (OD1500XDR) are sufficient to reconstruct the dose distributions adequately from measurements if range shifters are used, whereas some fields of the plans without range shifter violated the Nyquist requirement. The lateral dose response functions of the single detectors within the arrays have clearly higher frequencies than the treatment plans and thus the volume effect only slightly influences the measurements. Consequently, the array measurements show high gamma passing rates with at least 96 % and a good agreement between the investigated line profiles. The results indicate that the detector dimensions and sampling distances of the arrays are in most studied cases adequate not to substantially influence the measurement process when they are used for analyzing typical intensity-modulated proton therapy treatment plans. Nevertheless, clinical conditions have been identified, for instance treatment plans without range shifter, under which the Nyquist theorem is violated such that a full representation of the dose distributions with the measurements is not feasible. In these cases, analysis of measurements is limited to pointwise comparisons.

Technical Note: Characterization of the new microSilicon diode detector.

PurposeDosimetric properties of the new microSilicon diode detector (60023) have been studied with focus on application in small‐field dosimetry. The influences of the dimensions of the sensitive volume and the density of the epoxy layer surrounding the silicon chip of microSilicon have been quantified and compared to its predecessor (Diode E 60017) and the microDiamond (60019, all PTW‐Freiburg, Germany).MethodsDose linearity has been studied in the range from 0.01 to 8.55 Gy and dose‐per‐pulse dependence from 0.13 to 0.86 mGy/pulse. The effective point of measurement (EPOM) was determined by comparing measured percentage depth dose curves with a reference curve (Roos chamber). Output ratios were measured for nominal field sizes from 0.5 × 0.5 cm2 to 4 × 4 cm2. The corresponding small‐field output correction factors, k, were derived with a plastic scintillation detector as reference. The lateral dose–response function, K(x), was determined using a slit beam geometry.ResultsMicroSilicon shows linear dose response (R 2 = 1.000) in both low and high dose range up to 8.55 Gy with deviations of only up to 1% within the dose‐per‐pulse values investigated. The EPOM was found to lie (0.7 ± 0.2) mm below the front detector’s surface. The derived k for microSilicon (0.960 at s eff = 0.55 cm) is similar to that of microDiamond (0.956), while Diode E requires larger corrections (0.929). This improved behavior of microSilicon in small‐fields is reflected in the slightly wider K(x) compared to Diode E. Furthermore, the amplitude of the negative values in K(x) at the borders of the sensitive volume has been reduced.ConclusionsCompared to its predecessor, microSilicon shows improved dosimetric behavior with higher sensitivity and smaller dose‐per‐pulse dependence. Profile measurements demonstrated that microSilicon causes less perturbation in off‐axis measurements. It is especially suitable for the applications in small‐field output factors and profile measurements.

Experimental and Monte-Carlo characterization of the novel compact ionization chamber PTW 31023 for reference and relative dosimetry in high energy photon beams

IntroductionThe aim of the present work is to perform dosimetric characterization of a novel vented PinPoint ionization chamber (PTW 31023, PTW-Freiburg, Germany). This chamber replaces the previous model (PTW 31014), where the diameter of the central electrode has been increased from 0.3 to 0.6mm and the guard ring has been redesigned. Correction factors for reference and non-reference measurement conditions were examined. Materials and methodsMeasurements and calculations of the correction factors were performed according to the DIN 6800-2. The shifts of the effective point of measurement (EPOM) from the chamber's reference point were determined by comparison of the measured PDD with the reference curve obtained with a Roos chamber. Its lateral dose response functions, which act according to a mathematical convolution model as the convolution kernel transforming the dose profile D(x) to the measured signal M(x), have been approximated by Gaussian functions with standard deviation σ. Additionally, the saturation correction factors kS have been determined using different dose-per-pulse (DPP) values. The polarity effect correction factors kP were measured for field sizes from 5cm×5cm to 40cm×40cm. The influence of the diameter of the central electrode and the new guard ring on the beam quality correction factors kQ was studied by Monte-Carlo simulations. The non-reference condition correction factors kNR have been computed for 6MV photo beam by varying the field size and measurement depth. Comparisons on these aspects have been made to the previous model. ResultsThe shifts of the EPOM from the reference point, Δz, are found to be −0.55 (6MV) and −0.56 (10MV) in the radial orientation and −0.97mm (6MV) and −0.91mm (10MV) in the axial orientation. All values of Δz have an uncertainty of 0.1mm. The σ values are 0.80mm (axial), 0.75mm (radial lateral) and 1.76mm (radial longitudinal) for 6MV photon beam and are 0.85mm (axial), 0.75mm (radial lateral) and 1.82mm (radial longitudinal) for 15MV photon beam. All σ values have an uncertainty of 0.05mm. The correction factor kS was found to be 1.0034±0.0009 for the PTW 31014 chamber and 1.0024±0.0007 for the PTW 31023 chamber at the highest DPP (0.827mGy) investigated in this study. Under reference conditions, the polarity effect correction factor kP of the PTW 31014 chamber is 1.0094 and 1.0116 for 6 and 10MV respectively, while the kP of the PTW 31023 chamber is 1.0005 and 1.0013 for 6 and 10MV respectively, all values have an uncertainty of 0.002. The kP of the new chamber also exhibits a weaker field size dependence. The kQ values of the PTW 31023 chamber are closer to unity than those of the PTW 31014 chamber due to the thicker central electrode and the new guard ring design. The kNR values of the PTW 31023 chamber for 6MV photon beam deviate by not more than 1% from unity for the conditions investigated. DiscussionsCorrection factors associated with the new chamber required to perform reference and relative dose measurements have been determined according to the DIN-protocol. The correction factor kS of the new chamber is 0.1% smaller than that of the PTW 31014 at the highest DPP investigated. Under reference conditions, the correction factor kP of the PTW 31023 chamber is approximately 1% smaller than that of the PTW 31014 chamber for both energies used. The dosimetric characteristics of the new chamber investigated in this work have been demonstrated to fulfil the requirements of the TG-51 addendum for reference-class dosimeters at reference conditions.

The polarity effect of compact ionization chambers used for small field dosimetry.

The recent developments of compact air-filled ionization chambers for use in small photon beams have raised the needs to address the associated polarity effect. The polarity effect of five compact ionization chambers has been quantified at small field sizes. The origins of the polarity effect are studied experimentally and through Monte-Carlo simulations. For this purpose, the one-dimensional lateral dose-response functions were determined using positive and negative chamber's polarity. Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to study the underlying mechanism of the polarity effect by quantifying the charge imbalance in the collecting electrode and cable. Five novel compact ionization chamber designs have been studied (PTW-Freiburg: Semiflex 3D 31021, PinPoint 3D 31022 and PinPoint 31023; IBA Dosimetry: Razor chamber CC01-G and Razor Nano-chamber CC003). Output ratios were measured down to a nominal field side length of 3mm using both polarities to evaluate the polarity effect at different field sizes. The small field output correction factors were derived using a scintillator detector as reference. To identify the origins of the polarity effect, slit beam measurements were performed to obtain their lateral dose-response functions. All measurements were performed using three chamber orientations: axial, radial crossplane, and radial inplane. The chambers were modeled according to the manufacturers' blueprints using the Monte-Carlo package EGSnrc. The charge imbalance due to electrons entering and leaving the inner electrode and cable was studied using an adapted user-code. The output ratios obtained using all five chambers show field size-dependent polarity effects at small field sizes in the axial orientation, whereas no significant field size dependence of the polarity effect has been observed in the radial orientations. The chambers' lateral dose-response functions reveal that the radiation-induced charge imbalance in the inner electrode and cable is the main cause of the observed polarity effect at small field sizes. The effect is weakest for the largest PTW 31021 chamber but intensifies for smaller chambers with decreasing sensitive air volume. Consistent results have been obtained between Monte-Carlo simulations and measurement data. Awareness needs to be raised so that the polarity effect of novel compact ionization chambers is appropriately accounted for in small field dosimetry. The results in this work are useful to identify the magnitude of the polarity effect correction and to assist in the decisions on choosing the appropriate chambers and setups during measurements. The origins of the observed polarity effect have been elucidated using the chambers' lateral dose-response functions. The adapted Monte-Carlo user-code has been used to compute the radiation-induced charge imbalance in the chamber's components. It opens the possibility to study the chamber's design with the aim to minimize its polarity effect. Small field output correction factors computed according to TRS 483 have been reported for these investigated chambers.

The 1D lateral dose response functions of photon-dosimetry detectors in magnetic fields—measurement and Monte-Carlo simulation

The present study is concerned with clinical photon-beam dosimetry at radiotherapy units combined with magnetic resonance imaging devices. Due to the superposed constant magnetic field, the deflections of the secondary electron trajectories by the Lorentz force not only influence the 2D dose distribution, D(x,y), in water phantoms, but furthermore modify the secondary electron transport within the detectors and thereby the detectors’ signal profiles, M(x,y), across the photon beams. This second effect can be represented by the lateral dose response function, K(x,y), the convolution kernel transforming D(x,y) into M(x,y) via the convolution M(x,y) = D(x,y) * K(x,y). The 1D functions K(x) of a set of commercial gas-filled and solid-state photon-beam detectors were experimentally determined using a slit beam geometry together with a constant, homogeneous magnetic field of up to 1.42 T. As predicted by a recent Monte-Carlo study (Looe et al Phys. Med. Biol. 62 5131–48), the functions K(x) of these detectors are shown experimentally to be distorted in magnetic field. For the larger Semiflex 3D 31021 chamber, the FWHM value of K(x) decreases from 4.9 mm for the field free (0 T) case to 4.8 mm in 0.35 T and 4.1 mm in 1.42 T magnetic field, whereas the FWHM value of the smaller PinPoint 3D 31022 chamber decreases from 2.8 mm for the field free case to 2.6 mm in 1.42 T magnetic field. The FWHM values of the semiconductor detectors are not modified in magnetic fields. Additionally, the symmetry of K(x) is shown to be distorted in magnetic field. Using a 10 mm wide field as example, the signal profiles, M(x), predicted by the measured and simulated K(x) by convolution with D(x) (measured with EBT3 film) agree within 3% of the maximum value to the measured M(x) for all detectors, except for the silicon diode detector if the measured K(x) was used, where deviations of around 5% were observed at the field border.

A new reference-type ionization chamber with direction-independent response for use in small-field photon-beam dosimetry – An experimental and Monte Carlo study

The frequently applied narrow and non-standard transverse dose profiles of intensity modulated photon-beam radiotherapy, lacking lateral secondary electron equilibrium, require the use of high-resolution dosimetry detectors, and small air-filled detectors are recommended as the reference detectors for cross-calibration of the high-resolution detectors. The present study focuses on the dosimetric properties of a novel cylindrical ionization chamber, the PTW Semiflex 3D 31021. The chamber's effective point of measurement was found to lie at (0.41±0.04) r downstream the tip of the inner surface of the spherical front wall in the axial orientation and (0.46±0.04) r upstream the chamber axis in the radial orientation. Due to its symmetrical design, the sigma values of its lateral dose response functions for all chamber's orientations are the same (2.10±0.05mm). The polarity correction factors obtained in this work do not exceed 0.1% and the saturation correction factor was below 1% up to a dose-per-pulse value of 0.956mGy. The radiation quality correction factor kQ of the chamber as a function of the tissue-phantom-ratio, TPR20,10, has been calculated by Monte Carlo simulation and has been determined experimentally at the German Metrology Institute (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB). The values of the non-reference condition correction factor kNR have been Monte-Carlo-calculated for use of the chamber at various depths and field sizes.

2D convolution kernels of ionization chambers used for photon-beam dosimetry in magnetic fields: the advantage of small over large chamber dimensions

This study aims at developing an optimization strategy for photon-beam dosimetry in magnetic fields using ionization chambers. Similar to the familiar case in the absence of a magnetic field, detectors should be selected under the criterion that their measured 2D signal profiles M(x,y) approximate the absorbed dose to water profiles D(x,y) as closely as possible. Since the conversion of D(x,y) into M(x,y) is known as the convolution with the ‘lateral dose response function’ K(x-ξ, y-η) of the detector, the ideal detector would be characterized by a vanishing magnetic field dependence of this convolution kernel (Looe et al 2017b Phys. Med. Biol. 62 5131–48). The idea of the present study is to find out, by Monte Carlo simulation of two commercial ionization chambers of different size, whether the smaller chamber dimensions would be instrumental to approach this aim.As typical examples, the lateral dose response functions in the presence and absence of a magnetic field have been Monte-Carlo modeled for the new commercial ionization chambers PTW 31021 (‘Semiflex 3D’, internal radius 2.4 mm) and PTW 31022 (‘PinPoint 3D’, internal radius 1.45 mm), which are both available with calibration factors. The Monte-Carlo model of the ionization chambers has been adjusted to account for the presence of the non-collecting part of the air volume near the guard ring.The Monte-Carlo results allow a comparison between the widths of the magnetic field dependent photon fluence response function KM(x-ξ, y-η) and of the lateral dose response function K(x-ξ, y-η) of the two chambers with the width of the dose deposition kernel KD(x-ξ, y-η). The simulated dose and chamber signal profiles show that in small photon fields and in the presence of a 1.5 T field the distortion of the chamber signal profile compared with the true dose profile is weakest for the smaller chamber. The dose responses of both chambers at large field size are shown to be altered by not more than 2% in magnetic fields up to 1.5 T for all three investigated chamber orientations.

The output factor correction as function of the photon beam field size – direct measurement and calculation from the lateral dose response functions of gas-filled and solid detectors

The first aim of this study has been to extend the systematic experimental study of the field size dependence of the output factor correction for three micro-ionization chambers (PTW 31014, PTW 31022 and IBA Razor chamber), two silicon diodes (PTW 60017 and IBA Razor Diode) and the synthetic diamond detector microDiamond (PTW 60019) in a 6 MV photon beam down to an effective field side length of 2.6mm, and to summarize the present knowledge of this factor by treating it as a function of the dosimetric field size. In order to vary the dosimetric field size over this large range, output factors measurements were performed at source-to-surface distances of 60cm and 90cm. Since the output factors obtained with the organic scintillation detector Exradin W1 (Standard Imaging, Middleton, USA) at all field sizes closely agreed with those measured by EBT3 radiochromic films (ISP Corp, Wayne, USA), the scintillation detector served as the reference detector. The measured output correction factors reflect the influences of the volume averaging and density effects upon the uncorrected output factor values. In case of the microDiamond detector these opposing influences result in output factor correction values less than 1 for moderately small field sizes and larger than 1 for very small field sizes. Our results agree with most of the published experimental as well as Monte-Carlo simulated data within detector-specific limits of uncertainty. The dosimetric field side length has been identified as a reliable determinant of the output factor correction, and typical functional curve shapes of the field-size dependent output factor correction vs. dosimetric field side length have been associated with gas-filled, silicon diode and synthetic diamond detectors.The second aim of this study has been a novel, semi-empirical approach to calculate the field-size dependent output correction factors of small photon detectors by convolving film measured true dose profile data with measured lateral response functions of the detectors. To achieve this, the set of previously published 2D lateral dose response functions was complemented by those of the novel detectors PTW PinPoint chamber 31022 (PTW Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany), Razor chamber and Razor Diode (IBA Dosimetry, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). The output correction factors calculated from the lateral dose response functions closely fit with the directly measured output correction factors, thus supporting the latter by an independent method.

Magnetic field influences on the lateral dose response functions of photon-beam detectors: MC study of wall-less water-filled detectors with various densities

The distortion of detector reading profiles across photon beams in the presence of magnetic fields is a developing subject of clinical photon-beam dosimetry. The underlying modification by the Lorentz force of a detector’s lateral dose response function—the convolution kernel transforming the true cross-beam dose profile in water into the detector reading profile—is here studied for the first time. The three basic convolution kernels, the photon fluence response function, the dose deposition kernel, and the lateral dose response function, of wall-less cylindrical detectors filled with water of low, normal and enhanced density are shown by Monte Carlo simulation to be distorted in the prevailing direction of the Lorentz force. The asymmetric shape changes of these convolution kernels in a water medium and in magnetic fields of up to 1.5 T are confined to the lower millimetre range, and they depend on the photon beam quality, the magnetic flux density and the detector’s density. The impact of this distortion on detector reading profiles is demonstrated using a narrow photon beam profile. For clinical applications it appears as favourable that the magnetic flux density dependent distortion of the lateral dose response function, as far as secondary electron transport is concerned, vanishes in the case of water-equivalent detectors of normal water density. By means of secondary electron history backtracing, the spatial distribution of the photon interactions giving rise either directly to secondary electrons or to scattered photons further downstream producing secondary electrons which contribute to the detector’s signal, and their lateral shift due to the Lorentz force is elucidated. Electron history backtracing also serves to illustrate the correct treatment of the influences of the Lorentz force in the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code applied in this study.

The energy dependence of the lateral dose response functions of detectors with various densities in photon-beam dosimetry

The lateral dose response function is a general characteristic of the volume effect of a detector used for photon dosimetry in a water phantom. It serves as the convolution kernel transforming the true absorbed dose to water profile, which would be produced within the undisturbed water phantom, into the detector-measured signal profile. The shape of the lateral dose response function characterizes (i) the volume averaging attributable to the detector’s size and (ii) the disturbance of the secondary electron field associated with the deviation of the electron density of the detector material from the surrounding water. In previous work, the characteristic dependence of the shape of the lateral dose response function upon the electron density of the detector material was studied for 6 MV photons by Monte Carlo simulation of a wall-less voxel-sized detector (Looe et al 2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 6585–07). This study is here continued for 60Co gamma rays and 15 MV photons in comparison with 6 MV photons. It is found (1) that throughout these photon spectra the shapes of the lateral dose response functions are retaining their characteristic dependence on the detector’s electron density, and (2) that their energy-dependent changes are only moderate. This appears as a practical advantage because the lateral dose response function can then be treated as practically invariant across a clinical photon beam in spite of the known changes of the photon spectrum with increasing distance from the beam axis.

Experimental determination of the lateral dose response functions of detectors to be applied in the measurement of narrow photon-beam dose profiles

This study aims at the experimental determination of the detector-specific 1D lateral dose response function K(x) and of its associated rotational symmetric counterpart K(r) for a set of high-resolution detectors presently used in narrow-beam photon dosimetry. A combination of slit-beam, radiochromic film, and deconvolution techniques served to accomplish this task for four detectors with diameters of their sensitive volumes ranging from 1 to 2.2 mm. The particular aim of the experiment was to examine the existence of significant negative portions of some of these response functions predicted by a recent Monte-Carlo-simulation (Looe et al Phys. Med. Biol. 60 6585–607).In a 6 MV photon slit beam formed by the Siemens Artiste collimation system and a 0.5 mm wide slit between 10 cm thick lead blocks serving as the tertiary collimator, the true cross-beam dose profile D(x) at 3 cm depth in a large water phantom was measured with radiochromic film EBT3, and the detector-affected cross-beam signal profiles M(x) were recorded with a silicon diode, a synthetic diamond detector, a miniaturized scintillation detector, and a small ionization chamber. For each detector, the deconvolution of the convolution integral M(x) = K(x) ∗ D(x) served to obtain its specific 1D lateral dose response function K(x), and K(r) was calculated from it. Fourier transformations and back transformations were performed using function approximations by weighted sums of Gaussian functions and their analytical transformation.The 1D lateral dose response functions K(x) of the four types of detectors and their associated rotational symmetric counterparts K(r) were obtained. Significant negative curve portions of K(x) and K(r) were observed in the case of the silicon diode and the diamond detector, confirming the Monte-Carlo-based prediction (Looe et al Phys. Med. Biol. 60 6585–607). They are typical for the perturbation of the secondary electron field by a detector with enhanced electron density compared with the surrounding water. In the cases of the scintillation detector and the small ionization chamber, the negative curve portions of K(x) practically vanish. It is planned to use the measured functions K(x) and K(r) to deconvolve clinical narrow-beam signal profiles and to correct the output factor values obtained with various high-resolution detectors.

Understanding the lateral dose response functions of high-resolution photon detectors by reverse Monte Carlo and deconvolution analysis

The purpose of the present study is to understand the mechanism underlying the perturbation of the field of the secondary electrons, which occurs in the presence of a detector in water as the surrounding medium. By means of ‘reverse’ Monte Carlo simulation, the points of origin of the secondary electrons contributing to the detector’s signal are identified and associated with the detector’s mass density, electron density and atomic composition. The spatial pattern of the origin of these secondary electrons, in addition to the formation of the detector signal by components from all parts of its sensitive volume, determines the shape of the lateral dose response function, i.e. of the convolution kernel K(x,y) linking the lateral profile of the absorbed dose in the undisturbed surrounding medium with the associated profile of the detector’s signal. The shape of the convolution kernel is shown to vary essentially with the electron density of the detector’s material, and to be attributable to the relative contribution by the signal-generating secondary electrons originating within the detector’s volume to the total detector signal. Finally, the representation of the over- or underresponse of a photon detector by this density-dependent convolution kernel will be applied to provide a new analytical expression for the associated volume effect correction factor.

SU-E-T-135: Dosimetric Properties of the OCTAVIUS Detector 1500

Purpose: In this study the dosimetric properties of the Octavius Detector 1500 array (PTW-Freiburg-Germany) are investigated. Methods: The chambers of the array, each with an entrance window of 4.4 × 4.4 cm{sup 2}, are arranged in a checkerboard pattern in a measurement area of 27 × 27 cm{sup 2} with a sampling frequency of 0.1 mm{sup −1} along each row which can be doubled by merging two measurements shifted by 5 mm. Linearity, stability and output factors were measured with either a Semiflex 31013 or 31010 as a reference detector. Output factors were additionally measured with a Diode 60012. The effective point of measurement was determined by comparing TPR curves of the array with Roos chamber 34001 measurements. The lateral dose response function of a single chamber was determined by comparison with a high resolution diode. An IMRT field verification was carried out with a merged OD1500 measurement. Results: The OD1500 was stable within ±0.15 %. Deviations in linearity did not exceed 1% from 5 to 1000 MU. The effective point of measurement was 8.2 mm below the surface. Deviations in output factors were below 0.77 % from 5 × 5 to 27 × 27 cm{sup 2}. As expected formore » the smallest field of 1 × 1 cm{sup 2}, the deviation from the diode was significant. The widths of the lateral dose response functions were σ{sup 6} = (2.07 ± 0.03) mm and σ{sup 15} = (2.09 ± 0.03) mm. Gamma Index passing rates for typical IMRT and VMAT plans were above 90 % compared to film and TPS calculations for a local 3 mm / 3 % criterion. Conclusion: The first measurements with the OD1500 array show the excellent applicability of the array for clinical dosimetry. The response of the array to the mean photon energy and dose per pulse are under investigation.« less