Skip to main content

SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators

Publication ,  Journal Article
O'daniel, J; Kudchadker, R; Zullo, J; Gillin, M
Published in: Medical Physics
January 1, 2007

Purpose: Tuning nominal energies on linear accelerators is useful for matching machines of different vendors and for altering energies to match clinical needs. In this study we investigated matching a Varian 2100EX 4MeV electron beam to a Siemens Primus 5MeV electron beam. Method and Materials: The 4MeV beam of a Varian 2100EX linear accelerator was tuned via a significant shunt‐voltage adjustment to match the 5MeV beam of a Siemens Primus linear accelerator. The percent depth‐depth dose (PDD) curves and off‐axis profiles for multiple field sizes were compared to validate the beam matching. Data was collected with a CC04 cylindrical chamber in water and with a parallel‐plate ion chamber in plastic water® (Computer Imaging Reference Systems, Inc., Norfolk, VA). Results: The PDD from the parallel‐plate and cylindrical ion chambers agreed within 1.1% and 2.5% for the 3×3cm2 and 10×10cm2 fields respectively. There was also good agreement in the PDD of the tuned 4MeV (referred to as 4MeV* post‐tuning) and 5MeV beams. The depth of Dmax was identical. Differences in the practical range were only 1mm. The PDD had the best agreement for the 3×3cm2 field (⩽1.5% to depth of D90), followed by the 10×10cm2 field (⩽2.0% to depth of D90) and the 25×25cm2 field (⩽2.5% to depth of D90). Larger disagreements occurred in the dose falloff region beyond D90, typically 2–7%. The off‐axis profiles for the 4MeV* and 5MeV beams showed good agreement for the 10×10cm2 field (⩽2%). However, there was a substantial loss in flatness for the 25×25cm2 field (5.5% for 4MeV*, 2.4% for 5MeV). We believe these differences are caused by the original 4MeV Varian scattering foil, which was not changed to reflect the greater energy of the 4MeV* beam. Conclusion: The Varian 4MeV and Siemens 5MeV beams were successfully matched, allowing oncologists to utilize these machines interchangeably. © 2007, American Association of Physicists in Medicine. All rights reserved.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Medical Physics

DOI

ISSN

0094-2405

Publication Date

January 1, 2007

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

2424

Related Subject Headings

  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
  • 5105 Medical and biological physics
  • 4003 Biomedical engineering
  • 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
  • 0903 Biomedical Engineering
  • 0299 Other Physical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
O’daniel, J., Kudchadker, R., Zullo, J., & Gillin, M. (2007). SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators. Medical Physics, 34(6), 2424. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.2760758
O’daniel, J., R. Kudchadker, J. Zullo, and M. Gillin. “SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators.” Medical Physics 34, no. 6 (January 1, 2007): 2424. https://doi.org/10.1118/1.2760758.
O’daniel J, Kudchadker R, Zullo J, Gillin M. SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators. Medical Physics. 2007 Jan 1;34(6):2424.
O’daniel, J., et al. “SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators.” Medical Physics, vol. 34, no. 6, Jan. 2007, p. 2424. Scopus, doi:10.1118/1.2760758.
O’daniel J, Kudchadker R, Zullo J, Gillin M. SU‐FF‐T‐102: Clinical Beam Tuning of Low‐Energy Electron Beams: Matching Varian and Siemens Linear Accelerators. Medical Physics. 2007 Jan 1;34(6):2424.

Published In

Medical Physics

DOI

ISSN

0094-2405

Publication Date

January 1, 2007

Volume

34

Issue

6

Start / End Page

2424

Related Subject Headings

  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
  • 5105 Medical and biological physics
  • 4003 Biomedical engineering
  • 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis
  • 0903 Biomedical Engineering
  • 0299 Other Physical Sciences