GS02-1093 - Introduction to Medical Physics I

Basic Interactions
Problem Set 3.2b Solutions

1. Some range calculations using J & C Table 6-3:

a. Estimate the range of 1 MeV, 10 MeV, and 100 MeV electrons in water by
numerical integration over the slowing down of the electron.
E0
dE
We want to numerically integrate the expression S (E ) , so we do this
0 tot

over each energy increment, as shown in the spreadsheet below.

b. Compare with the values in Table 6-3.

c. What is the % error in your approximation?

d. What is the % error incurred in the rule of thumb is used? Why?

E delta E Stot 1/Stot avg (1/Stot) delta E/Stot Range from table % error E/2 % error
0
0.01 0.01 22.56 0.044326 0.022163121 0.000221631 0.000 0.0003 26.1% 0.005 -1566.7%
0.02 0.01 13.18 0.075873 0.060099388 0.000600994 0.001 0.0009 8.6% 0.010 -1011.1%
0.04 0.02 7.781 0.128518 0.102195360 0.002043907 0.003 0.0029 1.2% 0.020 -589.7%
0.08 0.04 4.762 0.209996 0.169256993 0.006770280 0.010 0.0098 1.7% 0.040 -308.2%
0.1 0.02 4.120 0.242718 0.226357123 0.004527142 0.014 0.0143 1.0% 0.050 -249.7%
0.2 0.1 2.798 0.357398 0.300058294 0.030005829 0.044 0.0447 1.2% 0.100 -123.7%
0.4 0.2 2.154 0.464253 0.410825347 0.082165069 0.126 0.1282 1.5% 0.200 -56.0%
0.8 0.4 1.897 0.527148 0.495700341 0.198280136 0.325 0.3294 1.5% 0.400 -21.4%
1 0.2 1.865 0.536193 0.531670579 0.106334116 0.431 0.4359 1.1% 0.500 -14.7%
2 1 1.866 0.535906 0.536049355 0.536049355 0.967 0.972 0.5% 1.000 -2.9%
4 2 1.957 0.510986 0.523445942 1.046891884 2.014 2.019 0.3% 2.000 0.9%
8 4 2.110 0.473934 0.492459926 1.969839705 3.984 3.984 0.0% 4.000 -0.4%
10 2 2.176 0.459559 0.466746236 0.933492473 4.917 4.917 0.0% 5.000 -1.7%
20 10 2.472 0.404531 0.432044784 4.320447839 9.238 9.237 0.0% 10.000 -8.3%
40 20 3.021 0.331016 0.367773482 7.355469641 16.593 16.55 -0.3% 20.000 -20.8%
80 40 4.099 0.243962 0.287489081 11.49956323 28.093 27.88 -0.8% 40.000 -43.5%
100 20 4.637 0.215657 0.229809308 4.596186165 32.689 32.47 -0.7% 50.000 -54.0%

The rule of thumb is reasonable in the energy range 2 MeV 20 MeV,

which is the range of energies most often used in radiation therapy.
2. Plot the relative dose distribution as a function of path length (as distinct from depth,
i.e. straight-line path, no straggling) for 1 MeV, 10 MeV, and 20 MeV electrons.

Although you have already calculated some range values, we will use the range
values from J & C Table 6-3.

In generating the dose distribution curves, we will start with a path length equal to
the range and work backwards. For example, with the 1 MeV electrons, the range
is equal to 0.4359 g cm-2 (0.4359 cm in water).

Add 0.0003 cm to this value (the range of an 0.01 MeV electron) to get a
path length of 0.4362 cm and set the dose there equal to 0.

Assume the electron energy at 0.4359 cm is 0.01 MeV, and set the relative
dose at that path length equal to S for 0.01 MeV electrons, which is
coll
2 -1
22.56 MeV cm g .

The next energy we consider is 0.02 MeV electrons. Back up the range of
an 0.02 MeV electron (0.0009 cm), assume the relative dose at that path
length is 0.02 MeV, and set the relative dose at that path length equal to
S for 0.02 MeV electrons, which is 13.17 MeV cm2 g-1.
coll

Continue backtracking until we reach the surface (path length = 0 cm).

The dose will be proportional to S .
coll
 For 1 MeV electrons, we generate the following table:

E=1 MeV
path length E delta x Sion - dose
0.4362
0.4359 0.010 -0.0003 22.56
0.4350 0.020 -0.0009 13.17
0.4321 0.040 -0.0029 7.777
0.4223 0.080 -0.0098 4.757
0.4080 0.100 -0.0143 4.115
0.3633 0.200 -0.0447 2.793
0.2351 0.400 -0.1282 2.148
-0.0943 0.800 -0.3294 1.886

Plotting relative dose vs path length we obtain:

Relative Dose - 1 MeV electrons

25

20

15
Relative Dose

10

0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45

Path Length (cm)

 For 10 MeV electrons we generate the following table:

E=10 MeV
path length E delta x Sion - dose
4.918
4.918 0.010 -0.0003 22.560
4.917 0.020 -0.0009 13.170
4.914 0.040 -0.0029 7.777
4.904 0.080 -0.0098 4.757
4.890 0.100 -0.0143 4.115
4.845 0.200 -0.0447 2.793
4.717 0.400 -0.1282 2.148
4.388 0.800 -0.3294 1.886
3.952 1.000 -0.4359 1.852
2.980 2.000 -0.9720 1.839
0.961 4.000 -2.0190 1.896
-3.023 8.000 -3.9840 1.970

Plotting relative dose vs path length we obtain:

Relative Dose - 10 MeV electrons

25
Relative Dose (arbitrary units)

20

15

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Path Length (cm)

 For 20 MeV electrons we generate the following table:

E=20 MeV
path length E delta x Sion - dose
9.238
9.238 0.010 -0.0003 22.560
9.237 0.020 -0.0009 13.170
9.234 0.040 -0.0029 7.777
9.224 0.080 -0.0098 4.757
9.210 0.100 -0.0143 4.115
9.165 0.200 -0.0447 2.793
9.037 0.400 -0.1282 2.148
8.708 0.800 -0.3294 1.886
8.272 1.000 -0.4359 1.852
7.300 2.000 -0.9720 1.839
5.281 4.000 -2.0190 1.896
1.297 8.000 -3.9840 1.970
-3.620 10.000 -4.9170 1.994
Plotting relative dose vs path length we obtain:

Relative Dose - 20 MeV electrons

25
Relative Dose (arbitrary units)

20

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10

Path Length (cm)

Alternatively, we could have started from the patient surface with the incident
energy and worked our way forward, but that would have involved determining
stopping power for a large number of intermediate energies, as well as calculating
very small, and perhaps unknown increments of path length near the range of the
electrons, causing a large degree of uncertainty in the relative doses.