Improved electron collimation system design for Elekta linear accelerators

Prototype 10 × 10 and 20 × 20-cm2 electron collimators were designed for the Elekta Infinity accelerator (MLCi2 treatment head), with the goal of reducing the trimmer weight of excessively heavy current applicators while maintaining acceptable beam flatness (±3% major axes, ±4% diagonals) and IEC leakage dose. Prototype applicators were designed initially using tungsten trimmers of constant thickness (1% electron transmission) and cross-sections with inner and outer edges positioned at 95% and 2% off-axis ratios (OARs), respectively, cast by the upstream collimating component. Despite redefining applicator size at isocenter (not 5 cm upstream) and reducing the energy range from 4-22 to 6-20 MeV, the designed 10 × 10 and 20 × 20-cm2 applicator trimmers weighed 6.87 and 10.49 kg, respectively, exceeding that of the current applicators (5.52 and 8.36 kg, respectively). Subsequently, five design modifications using analytical and/or Monte Carlo (MC) calculations were applied, reducing trimmer weight while maintaining acceptable in-field flatness and mean leakage dose. Design Modification 1 beveled the outer trimmer edges, taking advantage of only low-energy beams scattering primary electrons sufficiently to reach the outer trimmer edge. Design Modification 2 optimized the upper and middle trimmer distances from isocenter for minimal trimmer weights. Design Modification 3 moved inner trimmer edges inward, reducing trimmer weight. Design Modification 4 determined optimal X-ray jaw positions for each energy. Design Modification 5 adjusted middle and lower trimmer shapes and reduced upper trimmer thickness by 50%. Design Modifications 1→5 reduced trimmer weights from 6.87→5.86→5.52→5.87→5.43→3.73 kg for the 10 × 10-cm2 applicator and 10.49→9.04→8.62→7.73→7.35→5.09 kg for the 20 × 20-cm2 applicator. MC simulations confirmed these final designs produced acceptable in-field flatness and met IEC-specified leakage dose at 7, 13, and 20 MeV. These results allowed collimation system design for 6 × 6-25 × 25-cm2 applicators. Reducing trimmer weights by as much as 4 kg (25 × 25-cm2 applicator) should result in easier applicator handling by the radiotherapy team.