Table of Contents

*1. Ionizing Radiation and What It Does in the Body * References *2. Radiation Fields and Their Statistics * Fluence and Fluence Rate * Energy Fluence and Energy Fluence Rate * Angular Distributions * Energy Distributions * References *3. Photon Interactions * Cross Sections and the Attenuation Coefficient* Terma, Kerma, and Collision Kerma * Dose Definition * Narrow and Broad Beam Geometry of Photons * References *4. Photoelectric Effect * Differential Cross Section for Photoelectric Effect (K-shell) * Fluorescent Photons and Auger Electrons * Mass Energy Transfer Coefficient for the Photoelectric Effect * References *5. Compton Scattering Effect * Differential Cross Section for Compton Effect * Differential Cross Section Relative to Recoil Electron Energy * Mass Energy Transfer Coefficient for the Compton Effect * Binding Energy Correction for the Klein-Nishina Cross Section * References *6. Pair (and Triplet) Production Effect * Pair Production * Cross Section for Pair Production * The Similarity between Pair Production and Bremsstrahlung* Triplet Production * The Triplet Production Cross Section * Positron Annihilation in Flight * References *7. Other Photon Interactions and Summary * Rayleigh (Coherent) Scattering * Photonuclear Interactions * Relative Importance of Each Interaction Type * Total Cross Sections (or Coefficients) * Cross Sections for Compounds and Mixtures * References *8. Charged Particle Interactions with Matter * Interactions of Heavy Charged Particles * Stopping Power and Mass Stopping Power * Collisional Mass Stopping Power for Heavy Charged Particles* Soft Collision Mass Stopping Power for Heavy Charged Particles * Hard Collision Mass Stopping Power for Heavy Charged Particles * Shell Correction * Dependence of the Stopping Power on the Medium* Mass Collisional Stopping Power Dependence on Particle Velocity* Mass Collisional Stopping Power Dependence on Particle Charge * Electron and Positron Interactions * Mass Collision Stopping Power for Electrons and Positrons * Polarization or Density Effect Correction * Restricted Mass Stopping Power * Linear Energy Transfer and Unrestricted Linear Energy Transfer * Mass Radiative Stopping Power * Radiation Length * Radiation Yield * Elastic Scattering * Multiple Scattering * Particle Range * Calculating the CSDA Range * Projected Range * Practical Range * References *9. Radiation Equilibrium * Fano's Theorem * Charged Particle Equilibrium * Exposure * Transient Charged Particle Equilibrium * References 85*10. Absorbed Dose in Media Containing Radioactive Materials * Radioactive Decay * Alpha Decay * Alpha Decay Specific to Dosimetry * Dose Rate Calculations for Alpha Decay* Beta Decay * Beta Decay Specific to Dosimetry * Fermi Theory of Beta Decay * Electron Capture (EC) * Dose Rate Calculations for Beta Decays and Electron Capture * Gamma Decay * Internal Conversion * Some Essential Gamma Decay Theory * Absorbed Fraction (AF) * Dose Rate Calculations for Gamma Decay and Internal Conversion * General Dose Rate Calculations * References *11. Dose from Directly Ionizing External Radiation Sources * Dose in Thin Films *1. Dose in Thin Films When d -ray CPE Exists *2. Dose in Thin Films When d-ray CPE Does Not Exist * Average Dose in Thick Foils *1. Average Dose in Very Thick Foils from Electrons *2. Average Dose in Thick Foils from Heavy Charged Particles *3. Average Dose in Thick Foils from Electrons * Dose When the Electron Energy Spectrum is Known * References *12. Dosimetry Introduction * Characteristics of Dosimeters *1. Precision or/vs. Accuracy*2. Dose Sensitivity *3. Stability *4. Energy Dependence *5. Angular Dependence * Ion Chamber Dosimetry * Cavity Theory *1. Bragg-Gray Cavity Theory *2. Spencer-Attix Cavity Theory *3. Other Cavity Theories for Photon Beams * Cavity Theory Examples and Discussion * Dosimetry Fundamentals * Advantages of Media Matching * References *13. Cavity Ionization Chambers, Circuits, and Corrections * Thimble-type Chambers * Condenser-type Chambers * Parallel Plate Chambers * Charge and Current Measurements * Charge Measurement Specifics * Current Measurement Specifics * Density and Humidity Corrections to an Ideal Ion Chamber * Ion Chamber Saturation and Recombination * References *14. Calibration of Ion Chambers and Photon Beams * Understanding TG-21 at the NIST Calibration Lab (ADCL) * Understanding TG-21 at the Clinic * Calibration of Electron Beams * Updated Calibration Protocol for Medical Photon Beams (TG-51)* A Few Key Concepts for TG-51 Calibration * References