Experimental evaluation of PCXMC and prepare codes used in conventional radiology

N. Khelassi-Toutaoui, Yasmina Berkani, Virginia Tsapaki, A. Toutaoui, A. Merad, A. Frahi-Amroun, Zakia Brahimi

Radiation Protection Dosimetry · 2008 · 26 citations · 8 references

Concepts

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the precision of dose-calculation computer codes used in our laboratory (PCXMC and PREPARE) for organ dose evaluation. Measurements of entrance and organ dose were performed using ionisation chamber and thermoluminescence dosimetry. To obtain a mean dose of organ, we have used the Rando-Alderson phantom. The results showed that computed and measured doses correlate well (within 28%) in 60% of the samples. The percentage shows that the computed doses correlate with the experimental doses rather well for PCXMC software than PREPARE. Although the two programs are based on the Monte-Carlo method, their calculations differ. PCXMC carries out a simulation of the trajectory of the photon, whereas PREPARE provides interpolated values. Our experimental results are close to the values given by the PCXMC, a program which takes into account the weight, the height of the patient and field dimensions.

References

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