Articles techniques et présentations

Calibration of field instruments used in radiation treatment clinics is currently traceable to NIST primary standards via protocols involving static, flat-field radiation beams. By contrast, radiation beams prescribed for treating cancer incorporate temporal and spatial modulation strategies in order to maximize dose to the tumor while sparing healthy tissue. Differences in the detector response in these two very different settings have raised concerns about applicability of present calibration protocols that are being addressed in various ways, one of which is the design of next-generation primary standards that would work in non-standard beams. This poster describes the use of conjugate heat transfer physics to facilitate testing and verification of newer calorimeter designs based on ultrasonic and optical remote sensing.