Development and characterization of solid-state detectors for medical dosimetry in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy and Stereotactic Radiosurgery

In the last decade, the majority of radiotherapy treatments are delivered via advanced radiotherapy technologies such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). The unique properties of these modalities such as small and irregular field shapes, continuously varying fluence/dose rates, and beam delivered at several different angles and from non-coplanar directions produces non-uniform, modulated intensity and conformed absorbed dose distribution which in turn improves the outcome of the treatment. However, the complexities associated with these technologies can create large deviations in treatment dose, requiring extensive dose measurement verification and quality assurance (QA) procedures to ensure the patient’s treatment is performed correctly and safely.