METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTION

摘要

This invention is a phantom apparatus (10) for measuring the radiation dose distribution produced by a brachy-therapy device used to treat a localized area with radiation. The brachy-therapy device includes an insertable probe (24) capable of producing predefined radiation dose geometries about a predefined point. The phantom apparatus (10) includes a tank (12) containing a medium having a radiological equivalent characteristic of the localized area to be treated. The phantom apparatus (10) also includes a radiation sensor (32) for measuring the radiation dose and a positioning system for moving the probe (24) with respect to the radiation sensor (32). The radiation sensor (32) is also coupled to a positioning system (50) to orient the sensor (32) for optimal dose measurements. The phantom apparatus (10) includes a control system (160) that coordinates the movements of the probe (24) and the radiation sensor (32) to avoid a collision. The control system (160) moves the probe (24) along a predefined path around radiation sensor (32) and records the dose at predefined points along the path. In order to reduce the settling time of the sensor (32), the path is selected to coincide with the isodose contours of the radiation dose distribution of the probe (24).