title: Practical experience of using the IPEM 2003 electron code of practice.
abstract: From 1 January 2007, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) 2003 code of practice (COP) for electron dosimetry replaces the old air kerma-based Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and Biology 1996 COP as the recommended protocol for the UK. The IPEM 2003 COP requires a secondary standard ionisation chamber calibrated directly in terms of absorbed dose to water. This paper examines the differences between the new and old COP and indicates that the dose measured using the 2003 COP appears to be greater than that using the 1996 COP by approximately 2+/-1%, based on a survey of radiotherapy centres in the UK. The paper also compares the characteristics of the NACP (Scanditronix) and Roos (PTW) chambers recommended by the 2003 COP. No practical difference was found between adopting the NACP or Roos chambers as a secondary standard chamber.
authors.affiliation: Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT, USA. Karen.Rosser@rmh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinclair
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D002985:Clinical Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D004583:Electrons; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D012015:Reference Standards; D006113:United Kingdom; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water