title: A preliminary comparison of total skin electron treatment techniques to demonstrate the application of a mid-torso phantom for measurement of dose penetration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the UK, the treatment of patients with mycosis fungoides using total skin electron (TSE) beam therapy is undertaken using a number of different irradiation techniques. As part of a review of these techniques, a comparative set of measurements would be useful to determine how the techniques differ in terms of dose distribution. A dose penetration intercomparison method that could be used as part of such a study is presented here.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dose penetrations for six treatment techniques currently or recently used in four centres in the UK were measured. The variation of dose with skin depth was measured in a WT1 solid water mid-torso phantom. The phantom is portable and suitable to be used in all the techniques. It is designed to hold four small radiochromic film dosemeters to investigate the variation in dose around the mid-torso. For each treatment technique, the phantom was irradiated using the clinical set-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The phantom performed well and was able to measure dose penetration and the uniformity of penetration for several treatment techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results demonstrate that there is some variation in dose distribution between different TSE treatment techniques and that the phantom could be used in a more comprehensive intercomparison. The results are not intended to demonstrate comprehensively the range of penetration that can be achieved in clinical practice as, for one of the treatment techniques, the penetration is customised for the extent of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, University Hospital, Coventry, UK. gareth.baugh@uhcw.nhs.uk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baugh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Alawi
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Grieve
mesh_terms: D004583:Electrons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D060726:Torso; D006113:United Kingdom