When the wedge angle is much larger than the ideal one in wedged treatment fields, what type of dose region will occur in the interior region of overlap?

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In wedged treatment fields, the concept of wedge angle is crucial for determining how dose distributions are shaped within the treatment area. When the wedge angle used in the treatment field is significantly larger than the ideal specified for optimal dose distribution, it results in a specific interaction of the radiation beams as they come together in the area of overlap.

In this scenario, the interior region of overlap experiences a phenomenon where the contributions from both wedged fields result in a lower dose than expected. This is primarily because excessive wedging angles can lead to a situation where the two beams do not effectively combine to enhance the dose in the overlapping region. Instead, they can lead to a cancellation effect where the high dose regions from each wedged beam do not align as intended, thus resulting in a decreased dose profile.

Therefore, rather than achieving the expected high dose region, which would be ideal, or an evenly distributed dose, the overlap area experiences a low dose. This realization underscores the importance of adhering to calculated wedge angles to ensure accurate dose delivery, avoiding treatment complications and ensuring the effective targeting of tumors while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

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