Dosimeter placement in the Rando phantom.
Each section of the Alderson Rando phantom contains a tissue-equivalent plastic coating layer approximately 2 mm thick, applied to both faces. This compensates for material removed in the sawing process. Conventional use of thermoluminescent dosimeters positions them totally or partially within the coating layer. Analysis shows that, in the lung region, dosimeters placed in this layer received a dose averaging 39% lower than those placed at midsection. Where bony structures interfere, some dosimeters in the coating layer received an 18% higher dose than those at midsection. Therefore, positioning dosimeters at the center of a section is recommended.