title: Verification of the accuracy of a photon dose-calculation algorithm.
abstract: An extensive set of measured data was developed for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of a photon dose-calculation algorithm. Dose distributions from a linear accelerator were measured using an ion chamber in a water phantom and thermoluminescent dosimeters in a heterogeneous anthropomorphic phantom. Test cases included square fields, rectangular fields, fields having different source-to-surface distances, wedged fields, irregular fields, obliquely incident fields, asymmetrically collimated fields with wedges, multileaf collimator-shaped fields, and two heterogeneous density cases. The data set was used to validate the photon dose-calculation algorithm in a commercial radiation treatment planning system. The treatment planning system calculated photon doses to within the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 53 (TG-53) criteria for 99% of points in the buildup region, 90% of points in the inner region, 88% of points in the outer region, and 93% of points in the penumbra. For the heterogeneous phantoms, calculations agreed with actual measurements to within +/-3%. The monitor unit tests revealed that the 18-MV open square fields, oblique incidence, oblique incidence with wedge, and mantle field test cases did not meet the TG-53 criteria but were within +/-2.5% of measurements. It was concluded that (i) the photon dose calculation algorithm used by the treatment planning system did not meet the TG-53 criteria 100% of the time; (ii) some of the TG-53 criteria may need to be modified, and (iii) the generally stated goal of accuracy in dose delivery of within 5% cannot be met in all situations using this beam model in the treatment planning system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. kagifford@mail.mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Kent A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Followill
authors.forename: H Helen
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Starkschall
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D017785:Photons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water