Linacs for Radiation Therapy, 1978: Physical Characteristics, Miarketing Parameters and the "Ideal Accelerator"

In recent years the linear accelerator has become a very popular generator of photons and electrons for use in conventional radiation therapy treatment. This presentation is an overview of linacs presently available to the medical community, their physical characteristics including electron andc photon energies and collimating system, as well as marketing information such as geographic aistribution and cost. Several characteristics of therapy beams neea to be considerea in a aetermination of which linac to purchase or to use for a particular type of treatment. I will discuss beam symmetry, flatness, sharpness and tissue penetration characteristics. Ana I will attempt to describe what I feel are the essential features of an iaeal medical radiotherapy linac.