Normalized sensitometric curves for the verification of hybrid IMRT treatment plans with multiple energies

With the clinical implementation of time-variable dose patterns and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) film dosimetry has regained popularity. Films are currently the most frequently used dosimetric means for patient specific quality assurance in IMRT. A common method is to verify a so-called hybrid IMRT plan, which is the patient specific treatment plan with unmodified fluence patterns recalculated in a dedicated phantom. For such applications the sensitometric curve, i.e., the relation between optical density (OD) and absorbed dose, should not depend critically on beam energy, field size and depth, or film orientation. In order to minimize the influence of all these variables a normalization of sensitometric curves is performed at various photon beam energies (6 MV, 10 MV, 25 MV). By doing so one unique sensitometric curve can be used for these three beam qualities. This holds for both film types investigated: Kodak X-Omat V films and EDR-2 films. Additionally, the influence of field size, depth and film orientation on a normalized sensitometric curve is determined for both film types. For doses smaller than 0.8 Gy for X-Omat V and doses smaller than 3 Gy for EDR-2 films the field size variation of normalized sensitometric curves is much smaller than 3% for fields up to 20x20 cm(2). For X-Omat V films all differences between sensitometric curves determined at depths of 5, 10, and 15 cm are smaller than 3%. For EDR-2 films deviations larger than 3% are only observed at low net OD smaller than 0.25. The dependence of film orientation (parallel versus perpendicular) on a normalized sensitometric curve is found to be not critical. However, processing conditions have the largest influence and can result in differences up to 20% for sensitometric curves derived from films of the same batch but using different film processors. When normalizing sensitometric curves to the dose value necessary to obtain a net OD=1 for that respective geometry and energy the large energy dependence of sensitometric curves can be almost eliminated. This becomes especially important for the verification of hybrid IMRT plans with multiple energies. Additionally, such a normalization minimizes other influences such as field size, depth, and film orientation. This method is generally applicable to both Kodak X-Omat V and EDR-2 films. In order to achieve the highest accuracy level an upper dose limit of 0.8 Gy for X-Omat V films and 3 Gy for EDR-2 films should be taken into account. However, these dose limits may vary with film reading instrument and film processor. (C) 2003 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.