ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the basic concepts and formulations entering into the determination of the absorbed dose to a patient—or to any material exposed to a beam of x rays—is provided. Basic quantities of different types forming the basis of radiation dosimetry are defined. The various coefficients and factors necessary for the dosimetry of an x-ray spectrum are expressed in terms of parameters that represent the characteristics of the spectrum. These parameters provide the link between key data evaluated for mono-energetic photons and the necessary data for beam spectra generated by x-ray tubes. The chapter begins with a discussion of field and dosimetry quantities and concludes with the topic of beam-quality characterization.
