title: The dosimetric properties of an intraoperative radiation therapy applicator system for a Mevatron-80.
abstract: An applicator system for intraoperative radiation therapy has been fabricated which does not require physical docking with the accelerator. A dosimetric study has been completed which documents the properties of this system for a variety of electron beam energies, applicator sizes, collimator settings, both primary and secondary, and source-surface distance (SSD) settings. Sensitivity of the system to common misalignment errors was also determined. Results indicate (a) applicator leakage of less than 5%, (b) beam flatness to within plus or minus 5% at the dMAX with a single primary collimator setting, (c) smooth changes in output with cone size, beam energy and SSD, and (d) negligible changes in dose distributions within alignment errors permitted by the system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27858.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rakfal
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006283:Health Physics; D006801:Humans; D011874:Radiometry; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000295:instrumentation*