We have presented energy and angular distributions, as well as dose components of clinical electron beams from various medical accelerators with energy ranging from 5 to 50 MeV along with a detailed study of spectra of scattered electrons from the beam defining components. The spectra presented here are based on simulated clinical beams. We have calculated dose distributions using the simulated beams. The calculated and measured dose distributions in water phantoms are in very good agreement in all cases which give us the confidence that the simulations are accurate.
This investigation demonstrates the strength of the full Monte Carlo simulation of accelerator head which allow us to obtain detailed information of clinical electron beams. This information enhances our knowledge on many aspects of clinical electron beams. Extensive beam data from various medical accelerators presented here will be very useful in understanding the characteristics of the clinical electron beams. The information obtained from the simulation is critical to many aspects of optimal radiotherapy and will help to make more accurate treatment planning and improve electron beam dosimetry. The simulated realistic clinical beam can be used to calculate various dosimetry parameters [15][6][8] and to reduce the uncertainty of these parameters which have been calculated using monoenergetic beams because of lack of details of realistic beams.
This report and data sets for all figures are available on the www (word-wide-web) at http://www.irs.inms.nrc.ca/inms/irs/papers/PIRS439/pirs439.html.