Program Information

A Feasibility Study to Utilize XR-QA2 Radiochromic Films as An Alternative Tool for Measuring Beam Parameters of Kilovoltage CBCT Systems

M Morales-Paliza*, G Ding , Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Presentations

SU-E-J-271 Sunday 3:00PM - 6:00PM Room: Exhibit Hall

Purpose: The beam parameters of the x-ray beams used in image guidance are difficult to measure in water due to the low exposure. This study is to investigate if XR-QA2 radiochromic films can be used in obtaining beam parameters, such as beam profiles and outputs for kV-CBCT systems.

Methods: The kV-CBCT beams were from a Varian OBI system. The films used were XR-QA2-GAFCHROMICTM films placed in the middle of two Plastic -Water slab phantoms at isocenter. The scanner used to analyze the films was an Epson Expression 1680 flat-bed scanner. Pre and 24 h-post-irradiated scans of films were obtained by using the reflective mode. The corresponding pixel-by-pixel dose in the films was obtained using a dose calibration equation as a function of net reflectance from the literature. Beam profiles of different scan protocols with and without bow-tie filters were measured. Monte Carlo simulations were used to compare the accuracy of the measured dose profiles.

Results: The beam profiles measured from XR-QA2 films for different clinical default kV-CBCT scan protocols were benchmarked against Monte Carlo simulated profiles which have been validated by measurements performed in water phantom. We confirmed that a minimum post-irradiated time of 24 hours is necessary to pass to scan the films to account for light scatter stability. We found that the uncertainties of the results depend on the scan orientation of the film when analyzed in different directions.

Conclusion: The XR-QA2 radiochromic films are sensitive to measure the x-ray beam profiles with irradiated dose ranging 1-5 cGy. The film measurements can be performed with an easy setup compared to ion chamber measurements in a water phantom. These films provide an alternative method to obtain the beam profiles for kV-CBCT beams.

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