Applied Dose – the applies dose is the dose delivered at the depth of Dmax for a single treatment field.   Sometimes referred to as given dose

Buildup region – the region between the skin surface and the depth of Dmax.   In this region the dose increases with the depth until it reaches a maximum at the depth of Dmax.

Cord Dose – the amount of radiation the spinal cord receives (cannot go above 45 Gy)

Dmax – is the depth of maximum absorbed dose and ionization, for photons, from a single treatment field.

Gamma ray – high energy electromagnetic radiation that has no mass and no charge that is emitted during nuclear decay (Cobalt 60)

Ionizing radiation – radiation with sufficient energy to separate an electron from its atom.   Composed of high energy electromagnetic waves.

Nonionizing radiation – low energy electromagnetic waves with NOT enough energy to pull an electron from its orbit

Skin sparring – a property of megavoltage irradiation where the maximum dose occurs at some depth beneath the skin surface

Tumor Dose – the amount of radiation you want the tumor to receive