[Benchmark experiment to verify radiation transport calculations for dosimetry in radiation therapy].

Monte Carlo simulations are regarded as the most accurate method of solving complex problems in the field of dosimetry and radiation transport. In (external) radiation therapy they are increasingly used for the calculation of dose distributions during treatment planning. In comparison to other algorithms for the calculation of dose distributions, Monte Carlo methods have the capability of improving the accuracy of dose calculations - especially under complex circumstances (e.

Response of the alanine/ESR dosimetry system to MV X-rays relative to (60)Co radiation.

The measurand relevant in dosimetry for radiation therapy is the absorbed dose to water, D(W). The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) has established a secondary standard for D(W) for high-energy photon and electron radiation based on electron spin resonance (ESR) of the amino acid alanine. Since the calibration is usually performed using (60)Co radiation while a huge part of the external radiation therapy is done with high-energy x-rays from linear accelerators, determination of the response is an important issue.