Characteristics of an MM 22 medical microtron 6-MV photon beam.

Instrument AB Scanditronix offers a 6-MV therapeutic photon beam as an option with the 22-MeV medical microtron (MM 22). The method of acceleration, target assembly, and use of two flattening filters produce beams having several characteristics (e.g., field flatness, penetration, and intensity) that are superior to many 6-MV Linac beams. Characteristics of the microtron's 6-MV photon beams including quality, surface dose, depth of maximum dose, peak dose rates, peak scatter factors, central axis percentage depth doses, tissue maximum ratios, and beam profiles are described.