Photon Spectra calculation for an Elekta linac beam using experimental scatter measurements and Monte Carlo techniques.

Abstract

The present work is centered in reconstructing by means of a scatter analysis method the primary beam photon spectrum of a linear accelerator. This technique is based on irradiating the isocenter of a rectangular block made of methacrylate placed at 100 cm distance from surface and measuring scattered particles around the plastic at several specific positions with different scatter angles. The MCNP5 Monte Carlo code has been used to simulate the particles transport of mono-energetic beams to register the scatter measurement after contact the attenuator. Measured ionization values allow calculating the spectrum as the sum of mono-energetic individual energy bins using the Schiff Bremsstrahlung model. The measurements have been made in an Elekta Precise linac using a 6 MeV photon beam. Relative depth and profile dose curves calculated in a water phantom using the reconstructed spectrum agree with experimentally measured dose data to within 3%.