Project: kQ factors in modern external beam radiotherapy applications to update IAEA TRS-398

Acronym 16NRM03 RTNORM (Reference Number: 16NRM03)
Duration 01/05/2017 - 01/05/2019
Project Topic Half of the 3.4 million Europeans diagnosed with cancer every year are treated with ionizing radiation. To ensure safety, radiation beams need to be calibrated. Correcting for differences between beam quality at the calibration laboratory and the hospital, a factor called kQ,Q0, is an important aspect of calibration. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s protocol TRS-398, which governs radiotherapy dosimetry, uses kQ,Q0 values calculated in the 1990s. A major revision is underway to reflect advances in technology, new primary standards, and improved metrology and modelling.This project will measure kQ,Q0 values using the latest ionization radiation technologies ensuring traceability to the SI, and also calculate kQ,Q0 using Monte Carlo modelling. The datasets will be compared to understand potential differences between measured and computed values. Validated values will be incorporated in the upcoming TRS-398 revision. Through the revised protocol, European hospitals will have reliable correction factors for the latest ionizing radiation technologies, ensuring beams which treat 1.7 million citizens annually are accurately calibrated.
Website visit project website
Network EMPIR
Call EMPIR Call 2016

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Agenzia Nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile Coordinator Italy
2 Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives Partner France
3 Danmarks Tekniske Universitet Partner Denmark
4 NPL Management Limited Partner United Kingdom
5 Sateilyturvakeskus Partner Finland
6 VSL B.V. Partner Netherlands
7 Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento Partner Portugal
8 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Partner Belgium
9 Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen Partner Germany