Medicine and ionizing radiation: metrology requirements

The use of Ionizing Radiation in Medicine emphasizes the importance of Metrology for the study of biological phenomena and the development of high standard examination or treatment techniques. In particular, Radiotherapy, an important tool for cancer cure, requires the highest level of accuracy to optimize the absorbed doses delivered to the tumour and the surrounding normal tissues. The recommended upper value for the combined standard uncertainty on absorbed dose is 3.5%, lying close to or just beyond the present possibilities of radiation dosimetry and treatment delivery. It should act as a stimulus for improving the techniques and equipment from the Standards Laboratories to the clinical environment. To cite this article: J. Chavaudra et al., C. R. Physique 5 (2004).