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Effective wedge angles for 6‐MV wedges
Author(s) -
Zwicker R. D.,
Shahabi S.,
Wu A.,
Sternick E. S.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.595694
Subject(s) - wedge (geometry) , field size , optics , materials science , physics , geometry , mathematics , beam (structure)
Measurements were undertaken with 30° and 45° large wedges on a 6‐MV linac to determine the effective wedge angle for various combinations of open and wedged fields. The validity of Tatcher's equation, relating effective wedge angle to maximum dose weightings, was examined over a range of field sizes from 5×5 to 20×20 cm. An alternative equation involving only central axis quantities was also investigated. The results obtained from an analysis of point dose measurements indicate that, for these wedges, either equation yields sufficient accuracy for clinical purposes.