Highlights
- •Medical physicists should verify new dosimetry devices for the conditions during any physics tests.
- •The energy response of tested solid state dosimeters was excellent (25kVp-32kVp).
- •Tested solid state dosimeters are trustworthy for routine QA purposes (output-HVL).
Abstract
Purpose
To assess if single shot acquisitions with solid-state dosimeters as well as Robson’s
method could replace ionization chambers for tube output and HVL measurements, saving
medical physicists time.
Material and methods
The energy responses of 4 solid-state dosimeters with automatic calculation of HVL
were compared to ionization chamber measurements. Five anode/filter combinations were
tested: Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, Rh/Rh, W/Rh and W/Ag, from 24kVp to 35kVp. Tube output was measured
free in air. HVL was measured using the solid-state dosimeters (single-shot acquisition),
then manually with aluminum sheets and finally using the parametrization method of
Robson.
Results
Deviations in tube output and HVL related to energy response in SSD were small in
the 25–32 kVp range, and for tube output typically within 3%. Extrapolation using
the Robson parametrization was within 5%, except for one device and for all W/Rh.
Deviations of the HVL using the single shot approach were within 10% of the gold standard
data. Larger deviations were found at the extreme tube voltages of 24kVp and 35kVp
(maximum of 24%).
Conclusion
With the assumption that deviations in tube output of 5% and for HVL of 10% are acceptable,
all tested solid state dosimeters met this criterion in the tube voltage range of
26kVp to 32kVp. Robson’s method worked well for the spectra for which the method was
developed, making both alternative approaches trustworthy for routine quality assurance
purposes.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 23, 2021
Accepted:
July 5,
2021
Received in revised form:
May 31,
2021
Received:
November 21,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
