Radial dose distribution, dose to water and dose rate constant for monoenergetic photon point sources from 10 keV to 2 MeV: EGS4 Monte Carlo model calculation

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Abstract
A comprehensive set of dose distributions from monoenergetic photon‐emitting isotropic point sources in a medium can be used as a reference database for the dosimetry of photon emitter sources in that medium. Data of this type for water over the photon energy range from 15 keV to 2 MeV have been published based on calculations using a one‐dimensional photon transport model. The present work, based on a previously publishedEGS4Monte Carlo code, updates the classic data set of Berger and provides more extensive calculations than previously available. Air kerma strength per unit photon emission rate from an isotropic point emitter is obtained as a function of energy using published data for mass energy absorption coefficients. The TG‐43 dose rate constant for water as a function of energy is calculated for monoenergetic photon emitters as the ratio of dose rate to water at 1 cm to air kerma strength for unit photon emission rate. Results for the radial dose distribution agree well with the data of Berger between 40 and 400 keV. For energies ⩾500 keV, a previously undescribed buildup region for the radial dose function is identified. Thickness of the buildup region ranges from 1 mm at 500 keV to 8 mm at 2 MeV. Between 15 and 30 keV, the radial dose function within a few millimeters of the emitter is calculated to be 4%–5% higher than values derived from Berger's data. The maximum dose rate constant for monoenergetic photon emitters occurs at an energy of 60 keV, and has the value 1.355 cGy h−1U−1, where U is the unit of air kerma strength, 1 μGy m2h−1. This would correspond to the maximum hypothetical dose rate constant for a brachytherapy photon source emitting photons of energy ⩽2 MeV.