Monte Carlo modelling of diode detectors for small field MV photon dosimetry: detector model simplification and the sensitivity of correction factors to source parameterization

The goal of this work was to examine the use of simplified diode detector models within a recently proposed Monte Carlo (MC) based small field dosimetry formalism and to investigate the influence of electron source parameterization has on MC calculated correction factors. BEAMnrc was used to model Varian 6 MV jaw-collimated square field sizes down to 0.5 cm. The IBA stereotactic field diode (SFD), PTW T60016 (shielded) and PTW T60017 (un-shielded) diodes were modelled in DOSRZnrc and isocentric output ratios (ORdetMCfclin) calculated at depths of d = 1.5, 5.0 and 10.0 cm. Simplified detector models were then tested by evaluating the percent difference in ORdetMCfclin between the simplified and complete detector models. The influence of active volume dimension on simulated output ratio and response factor was also investigated. The sensitivity of each MC calculated replacement correction factor (k(Qclin,Qmsr)(fclin,fmsr)), as a function of electron FWHM between 0.100 and 0.150 cm and energy between 5.5 and 6.5 MeV, was investigated for the same set of small field sizes using the simplified detector models. The SFD diode can be approximated simply as a silicon chip in water, the T60016 shielded diode can be modelled as a chip in water plus the entire shielding geometry and the T60017 unshielded diode as a chip in water plus the filter plate located upstream. The detector-specific k(Qclin,Qmsr)(fclin,fmsr) required to correct measured output ratios using the SFD, T60016 and T60017 diode detectors are insensitive to incident electron energy between 5.5 and 6.5 MeV and spot size variation between FWHM = 0.100 and 0.150 cm. Three general conclusions come out of this work: (1) detector models can be simplified to produce ORdetMCfclin to within 1.0% of those calculated using the complete geometry, where typically not only the silicon chip, but also any high density components close to the chip, such as scattering plates or shielding material is necessary to be included in the model, (2) diode detectors of smaller active radius require less of a correction and (3) k(Qclin,Qmsr)(fclin,fmsr) is insensitive to the incident the electron energy and spot size variations investigated. Therefore, simplified detector models can be used with acceptable accuracy within the recently proposed small field dosimetry formalism.