1.11.3 Dose Distributions for Electron Beams
Electrons are directly ionizing radiation that deposit their energy in tissue
through Coulomb interactions with orbital electrons and nuclei of the absorber
atoms. Megavoltage electron beams represent an important treatment
modality in modern radiotherapy, often providing a unique option for treatment
of superficial tumors that are less than 5 cm deep. Electrons have been
used in radiotherapy since the early 1950s, first produced by betatrons and
then by linear accelerators. Modern high-energy linear accelerators used in
radiotherapy typically provide, in addition to two megavoltage x-ray beams,
several electron beams with energies from 4 to 25 MeV.
As shown in Fig. 1.2c, the electron beam dose distribution with depth
in patient exhibits a relatively high surface dose and then builds up to a
maximum dose at a certain depth referred to as the electron beam depth
dose maximum zmax. Beyond zmax the dose drops off rapidly, and levels off
at a small low-level dose component referred to as the bremsstrahlung tail.
Several parameters are used to describe clinical electron beams, such as the
most probable energy on the patient’s skin surface, the mean electron energy
on the patient’s skin surface, or the depth at which the absorbed dose falls
to 50 percent of the maximum dose.
The depth of dose maximum does not depend on beam energy, as is the
case for photon beams; rather it is a function of machine design. On the other.