Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
top of the Bragg peak. In particular, the very small effective
collecting volume of diodes make them particularly suitable for
measuring beam penumbra. Film, if used alone, measures fluence
rather than dose. It must be placed in close optical contact with a
scintillation screen for it to register dose.
I
N
C
ONCLUSION
In this chapter, I have tried to emphasize the clinically relevant
physics of protons and how they are delivered to the patient. An
understanding of the underlying mechanisms and techniques makes
the use of any tool much more secure, and offers opportunities to
move beyond accepted wisdom. In the next chapter, I discuss the
application of proton beams tailored to the individual patient in the
clinical setting.
