Aspects of medical physics of Med-Austron.

Before starting proton/light ion therapy with the Med-Austron treatment units a transcription of the concepts of photon therapy is necessary: the needed beam directions, the influence of beam geometry on the treatment planning volume, correction factors and properties of solid state detectors. Especially the effects of the active beam scanning must be taken under consideration. From a medical physicist's point of view this paper describes the status quo and gives an overview of open questions, which must be answered before starting patient treatment. Arguments for a gantry were presented as well as a comparison of PTVs in photon and proton/light ion therapy. In the field of dosimetry diamond-, electron-spin- and lyoluminescence detector materials were tested with photons and some of them irradiated with heavy particles like neutrons and protons. The results show that these materials are suitable in general, but detailed measurements must follow.