What is the relationship between electron energy and required cutout thickness?

The relationship between electron energy and required cutout thickness is that a higher energy requires a thicker cutout. This is due to the fact that higher energy electrons have greater penetration capabilities. As the energy of the electrons increases, they can travel further into the tissue or material before their intensity diminishes. To effectively deliver the prescribed dose while accounting for the increased range of higher energy electrons, a thicker cutout is necessary. This ensures that the electron beam is collimated to the desired shape and size while preventing excessive scattering and maintaining dose uniformity across the treatment area.

In contrast, lower energy electrons have a more limited range and can be adequately shaped with thinner cutouts due to their shorter penetration depth. Energy directly influences the depth of dose distribution, and understanding this relationship is key in medical dosimetry for optimizing treatment plans.