Reliability of clinical port films for measuring dose inhomogeneities in radiotherapy for head and neck tumours

Radiother Oncol. 1994 Feb;30(2):167-70. doi: 10.1016/0167-8140(94)90048-5.

Abstract

Reproducibility and reliability of film dosimetry are evaluated in clinical circumstances. Optical densities were read on 82 routinely taken verification films of Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) treatment fields and corrected with the sensitometric curve to obtain relative dose values. Off-axis ratios measured on 10 successive films of one specific field were compared with each other and show a good reproducibility (s = 1.7%). Reliability was assessed by comparing 82 off-axis ratios obtained on the films with off-axis ratios obtained by simultaneously performed diode measurements. Only small relative differences were detected (mean = 1.1%, s = 3.0).

MeSH terms

  • Film Dosimetry / standards*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Humans
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy
  • Reproducibility of Results