Dosimetry considerations in phototherapy.

Dosimetry in phototherapy involves a determination of the energy absorbed per unit mass of tissue, corrected for the quantum yield in a photochemical reaction. The dose rate in photochemotherapy of cancer with hematoporphyrin derivative and visible light is related to the extinction coefficient, quantum yield for singlet oxygen production, concentration of sensitizer and energy flux density at depth. Data or methods of determining these quantities are presented. Calculations have been performed for the energy flux density at depth, as a function of the total attenuation coefficient and ratio of scattering coefficient to total attenuation coefficient, for isotropic scattering in slab geometry. For small absorption, these depth dose curves exhibit a maximum within the tissue followed by an exponential decrease.