title: Detective quantum efficiency of an amorphous selenium detector to megavoltage radiation.
abstract: The spatial frequency dependent detective quantum efficiency (DQE(f)) of a high-resolution selenium-based imaging system has been measured at megavoltage energies. These results have been compared with theoretical calculations. The imaging system was a video tube with a 5 microm amorphous selenium (a-Se) target which was irradiated by 1.25 MeV gamma-rays. The modulation transfer function (MTF) decreased rapidly with spatial frequency (determined by spread of electrons in the build-up material) while the noise power spectrum was constant as a function of spatial frequency. The DQE obtained from these MTF and noise power measurements was compared with a Monte Carlo model of the pulse height spectrum of the detector. The DQE(0) model accounted for the interaction of x rays with the detector as well as the energy-dependent gain (charge generated/energy deposition). Good agreement between the calculated and measured DQE(0) was found. The model was also used to estimate the DQE(f) of a metal plate + a-Se detector which was compared with a metal plate + phosphor system of the same mass thickness. The DQE(f) s of both detectors are very similar, indicating that the choice of which detector is better will be based upon criteria other than DQE(f), such as read-out approach, ease of manufacture or sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Hospital, Canada. mahd@mskcc.org
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mah
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rowlands
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012643:Selenium
chemical_list: D012643:Selenium