SU-F-I-70: Investigation of Gafchromic EBT3 Film Energy Dependence Using Proton, Photon, and Electron Beams.
PURPOSE
To investigate the energy dependence of Gafchromic EBT3 film over a range of clinically used proton, photon and electron energies.


METHODS
Proton beam energies of 117 and 204 MeV, corresponding respectively to ranges in water of 10 cm and 27 cm from a Mevion S250 double scatter system unit were used. Electron energies of 6 and 20 MeV and photon energies of 6 and 18 MV from a Varian Clinac 21EX Linac were used. Two pieces of film (5×5 cm2 ) were irradiated sequentially for doses of 100, 500, and 1000 cGy for all energies and modalities. Films were placed on the central beam axis for a 10×10 cm2 field size in the middle of spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) for proton and in respective dmax for photon and electron energies. Films were scanned on a flatbed Epson Expression 10000 XL scanner on the central region of the scanning window using 48-bit, 300 dpi, and landscape orientation after 48 hours post-irradiation of film to account for optical density (OD) stabilization. Film analysis of the red channel was performed using ImageJ 1.48v (National Institutes of Health).


RESULTS
The energy dependency of EBT3 among all energies and modalities for all doses studied was small within measurement uncertainties (1σ = ± 4.1%). The mean net OD in red channel for films receiving the same dose in the same energy modality had standard deviations within 0.9% for photons, 4.9% for electrons and 1.8% for protons. It was observed that film pieces were activated during proton irradiation, e.g., 7 mR/hr at surface after 30 minutes of irradiation, lasting for 2 hours post irradiation.


CONCLUSION
EBT3 energy dependency was evaluated for clinically used proton, photon, and electron energies. The film self-activation may have contributed to fog and negligible dose.