This Code of Practice, which has also been endorsed by WHO, PAHO and ESTRO, fulfils the need for a systematic and internationally unified approach to the calibration of ionization chambers in terms of absorbed dose to water and to the use of these detectors in determining the absorbed dose to water for the radiation beams used in radiotherapy. It provides a methodology for the determination of absorbed dose to water in the low, medium and high energy photon beams, electron beams, proton beams and heavy ion beams used for external radiation therapy.

Provides guidelines to Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories on how to establish a standard of absorbed dose to water in a 60Co gamma ray beam, and provides guidelines on the changes that can be expected when IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 398 (TRS-398) is adopted in a hospital environment.

This publication is intended to support those working in the field of diagnostic radiology dosimetry, both in standards laboratories involved in the calibration of dosimeters and those in clinical centres and hospitals where patient dosimetry and quality assurance measurements are of vital concern. This code of practice covers diverse dosimetric situations corresponding to the range of examinations found clinically, and includes guidance on dosimetry for general radiography, fluoroscopy, mammography, computed tomography and dental radiography. The material is presented in a practical way with guidance worksheets and examples of calculations. A set of appendices is also included with background and detailed discussion of important aspects of diagnostic radiology dosimetry.

From the essential background physics and radiobiology to the latest imaging and treatment modalities, the updated second edition of Handbook of Radiotherapy Physics: Theory & Practice covers all aspects of the subject. In Volume 1, Part A includes the Interaction of Radiation with Matter (charged particles and photons) and the Fundamentals of Dosimetry with an extensive section on small-field physics. Part B covers Radiobiology with increased emphasis on hypofractionation. Part C describes Equipment for Imaging and Therapy including MR-guided linear accelerators. Part D on Dose Measurement includes chapters on ionisation chambers, solid-state detectors, film and gels, as well as a detailed description and explanation of Codes of Practice for Reference Dose Determination including detector correction factors in small fields. Part E describes the properties of Clinical (external) Beams. The various methods (or ‘algorithms’) for Computing Doses in Patients irradiated by photon, electron and proton beams are described in Part F with increased emphasis on Monte-Carlo-based and grid-based deterministic algorithms. In Volume 2, Part G covers all aspects of Treatment Planning including CT-, MR- and Radionuclide-based patient imaging, Intensity-Modulated Photon Beams, Electron and Proton Beams, Stereotactic and Total Body Irradiation and the use of the dosimetric and radiobiological metrics TCP and NTCP for plan evaluation and optimisation. Quality Assurance fundamentals with application to equipment and processes are covered in Part H. Radionuclides, equipment and methods for Brachytherapy and Targeted Molecular Therapy are covered in Parts I and J, respectively. Finally, Part K is devoted to Radiation Protection of the public, staff and patients. Extensive tables of Physical Constants, Photon, Electron and Proton Interaction data, and typical Photon Beam and Radionuclide data are given in Part L. Edited by recognised authorities in the field, with individual chapters written by renowned specialists, this second edition of Handbook of Radiotherapy Physics provides the essential up-to-date theoretical and practical knowledge to deliver safe and effective radiotherapy. It will be of interest to clinical and research medical physicists, radiation oncologists, radiation technologists, PhD and Master’s students.

Provides a comprehensive overview of the development of procedures for in vivo dosimetry in radiotherapy. It elaborates on the technology behind in vivo dosimetry and describes an initial set of measurements.

This Proceedings presents a refereed selection of papers that were given at the symposium held in Vienna in November 2002. Emphasis was placed on dosimetry for therapeutic applications of radiation in medicine. However, some papers deal with dosimetry in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine. Although many dosimetry techniques are discussed, calorimetry is featured in one session exclusively. Many papers deal with dosimetry standards, protocols and comparisons. The need for accurate dosimetry for the treatment of cancer was a common thread throughout the symposium.