Abstract
For the last six months a 32 MeV medical linear accelerator has been in use for patient treatment at the University of Texas at Houston M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. The linear accelerator has two stationary accelerating sections and a rotating magnetic deflection system which allows the beam to be used at any angle. The machine is designed to produce 25 MV photons and electrons in the range 7-32 MeV. The characteristics of these beams were described. Measurements were made on field flatness, isodose and central axis depth-dose curves, field size dependence and build-up curves. Since the means of flattening the electron beam (scanning magnet) is different from standard procedures (scattering foils) a comparison was made of the electron beams from the linear accelerator and a betatron.