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Characteristics of in vivo radiotherapy dosimetry

Department of Medical Physics, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Princes Road, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7LN, UK

Correspondence: Craig Edwards, Medical Physics Department, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Princes Road, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 7LN, UK. E-mail: craig.edwards{at}uhns.nhs.uk

The recent discussion and debate about the use of in vivo dosimetry as a routine component of the radiotherapy treatment process has not included the limitations introduced by the physical characteristics of the detectors. Although a robust calibration procedure will ensure acceptable uncertainties in the measurements of tumour dose, further work is required to confirm the accuracy of critical organ measurements with a diode or a thermoluminescent dosemeter outside the main field owing to limitations caused by a non-uniform X-ray energy response of the detector, differences between the X-ray energy spectrum inside and outside the main field, and contaminating electrons.