Absorbed dose to water: Standards and traceability for radiation oncology

Although the need for appropriate quantities and units for ionizing radiation has existed since shortly after discovery of X-rays, the quantities and units in general use today were not completely formalized until about 15 years ago. The development of appropriate national and international standards have also been ongoing. For many years the quantity, exposure, measured in units of roentgen was the national standard and they were also the quantity and units in which radiotherapy was described. With the introduction of megavoltage X-ray and electron-beam equipment and the adoption of the quantity open-quotes absorbed-doseclose quotes measured in units of rad (or gray) different approaches to calibrating these beams were needed. This was especially the case since the national standard in terms of exposure at a maximum photon energy for 60Co gamma rays was only available. Since the late 1960s various machine calibration protocols have been published. These protocols have to accommodate changes in modality, energy, quantities and units between the national standard and the user. Because of this, a new definition of traceability is proposed to accommodate the present system. By recording all intercomparisons and parameters used, an auditable calibration chain can be maintained. Even with the introduction of calibration protocols based upon national absorbed dose standards, the proposed traceability definition will still be needed