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Monte Carlo calculations of scatter dose for small field sizes in a 6 0 Co beam
Author(s) -
Kijewski Peter K.,
Bjärngard Bengt E.,
Petti Paula L.
Publication year - 1986
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 - 10.1118/1.595925
Subject(s) - monte carlo method , physics , field (mathematics) , dosimetry , beam (structure) , scattering , field size , nuclear physics , atomic physics , computational physics , optics , nuclear medicine , statistics , medicine , mathematics , pure mathematics
Photon dose calculations are frequently based on the separation of primary and scatter dose components. For small field sizes it is difficult to make this separation from measured data. Such problems lend themselves to solution by calculational methods, which permit rigorous definition of primary and scatter dose. Using Monte Carlo methods, we verify an equation derived from O'Connor's scaling theorem relating scatter–primary ratios at small depths and field sizes to those at larger depths and fields. This equation may prove to be useful when separating primary and scatter dose components, and consequently in dose calculations involving irregular fields or inhomogeneities.