The tissue-equivalence of the Alderson Rando anthropomorphic phantom for X-rays of diagnostic qualities

Abstract

Comparative measurements were made of depth-dose profiles in an Alderson Rando phantom and a similarly shaped phantom of water which closely simulates the attenuation properties of human muscle. Measurements were carried out at three different kV settings of the X-ray generator, covering the lower-energy range of normal diagnostic practice over which attenuation differences are likely to be most important. The results show that whilst the Alderson phantom can undoubtedly be extremely useful in medical dosimetry, corrections to the dose distributions observed for diagnostic qualities of radiation may sometimes be necessary to allow for departures from tissue-equivalence.