Wk02 Linac Flashcards
What is the source axis distance (SAD) of a Co-60 linac?
80 or 100 cm
What are the problems of Co-60 linac machines?
- Short half life (approx 5 years) —> need to change source every 5 year
- Difficult of dose calculation and computerisation
What are the different external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) modes and their machine respectively?
- Contact x ray = <50kvp x ray unit
- Superficial x ray = 50-150kvp x ray unit
- Orthovoltage x ray = 150-400 kvp x ray unit
- Teletherapy = Co-60 unit, Cs-137 unit
- MV x rays = linac
- MV electron beam = linac
- Hadron therapy = cyclotron / synchrotron / synchrocyclotron
When high speed electrons hit the high Z-material target, most of the electron’s kinetic energy is transformed into _____?
Heat
X ray photons which formed by X ray tubes are divided into which two categories?
- Characteristic x rays
- when incident electrons ejected a K-shell electron - Bremsstrahlung photons
- distant interaction with the nuclei —> low energy
- close interaction with the nuclei —> moderate energy
- direct impact with the nucleus —> max. Energy
The relative proportion of the number of characteristic photons to bremsstraahlung photons in an x ray beam spectrum varies with:
- Kinetic energy of the electron beam striking the x ray target
- Atomic number of the target
High energy x ray machines have __________ targets; low energy x ray machines have _________ type targets.
Transmission ; reflection
diagnostic range photons are produced at ____ degrees from the direction of electrons striking. While in megavoltage range, photons are produced at ____________ direction of electrons striking.
90; the same (180 degree)
Name 4 x ray beam qualities specifiers.
- Complete x ray spectrum
- Half-value layer (HVL)
- Tissue-phantom ratio (TPR)
- Percentage depth dose (PDD)
What is the term ‘beam quality’ is used to indicate.
The ability of a beam to penetrate a water phantom.
What is linear accelerator (linac)?
A device use high frequency electromagnetic waves to accelerate electrons to high energies through a linear tube.
What are the major components of a linac?
- Drive stand
- Klystron / magnetron
- waveguide
- water cooling system - Gantry
- electron gun
- accelerator structure - Treatment head
- bending magnet
- flattening filter
- scattering foil - Imaging systems
- MV/ KV imaging
What are the components of a treatment head under x ray therapy mode?
- x ray target
- primary collimates
- flattening filter
- ion chamber
- secondary collimated
- slots for wedges / blocks / compensators
What are the components of a treatment head under electron therapy mode?
- primary collimating
- scattering foil
- ion chamber
- secondary collimating
- accessory mount
- electron applicator
Modern linacs collimating are achieved with which 3 devices?
- Primary collimator
- provides fixed maximum aperture for the x ray beam - Secondary collimator (X and Y jaws)
- tungsten jaws
- 1cm x 1cm to 40cm x 40cm - Multileaf collimator
- each lead are driven by motor independently
- used in IMRT and VMAT
What is the function of a flattening filter?
The profile of x rays generated at the target has a cone shape distribution, metal flattening filter turns the cone shape profile into a flat profile, to facilitate manual and forward computer planning.
What are the benefits of flattening filter free (FFF) x ray beam?
- Increase output efficiency
- a large % of the x ray beam produced is absorbed by the flattening filter originally - Increase output dose rate
- increase from 400-600 to over 1200