title: Rotational total skin electron irradiation with a linear accelerator.
abstract: The rotational total skin electron irradiation (RTSEI) technique at our institution has undergone several developments over the past few years. Replacement of the formerly used linear accelerator has prompted many modifications to the previous technique. With the current technique, the patient is treated with a single large field while standing on a rotating platform, at a source-to-surface distance of 380 cm. The electron field is produced by a Varian 21EX linear accelerator using the commercially available 6 MeV high dose rate total skin electron mode, along with a custom-built flattening filter. Ionization chambers, radiochromic film, and MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) detectors have been used to determine the dosimetric properties of this technique. Measurements investigating the stationary beam properties, the effects of full rotation, and the dose distributions to a humanoid phantom are reported. The current treatment technique and dose regimen are also described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Reynard
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael D C
authors.initials: MDC
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Devic
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberge
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Ervin B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Podgorsak
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D003201:Computers; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004583:Electrons; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010315:Particle Accelerators / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012666:Semiconductors; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014962:X-Ray Film
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D010087:Oxides