title: Proposed definitions for isodose flatness and symmetry in clinical radiotherapy beams.
abstract: In clinical radiotherapy it is important that beam intensity be as homogeneous as possible to reduce the probability of treatment failure. As an extension of the well established concepts of beam flatness and symmetry for characterizing radiotherapy beams, the concepts of isodose flatness and symmetry are introduced. The definitions are tested with actual data obtained from a Co-60 unit and a linear accelerator and results are presented. The concepts as defined appear to provide a useful quantitative indication of beam homogeneity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Laurentian University, Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, Ont. P3E 2C6, Canada. egalianoriveros@laurentian.ca
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galiano
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiebe
mesh_terms: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010315:Particle Accelerators / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage / Q000592:standards; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes