A study on the dosimetric behaviour of high energy x ray beams with and without flattening filters in an inhomogeneous medium

Abstract

The human body is made up of many different tissues and cavities that are radiologically distinct from water, such as the teeth, bones, lungs, nasal passages, sinuses and oral cavities. These tissue inhomogeneities affect dose distribution, and as treatments become more conformal, the possibility of regional losses of target due to more inaccurate isodose coverage. newlineFor photon field sizes less than the length of the laterally scattered electrons, the dose falls off quickly. The extent of dose non-uniformity that results from the dose reduction depends on the geometry of the tumour. With increasing photon energy, the rise in lateral electronic non-equilibrium-induced dose reduction. Small tumours respond well to treatment with low-energy photons. newline