OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the precision of the absorbed radiation doses in bone marrow transplant therapy during whole body irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two-hundred CaSO4:Dy + teflon tablets were calibrated in air and in "phantom". These tablets were randomly selected and divided in groups of five in the patients' body. The dosimetric readings were obtained using a Harshaw 4000A reader. Nine patients had their entire bodies irradiated in parallel and opposite laterals in a cobalt-60 Alcion II model, with a dose rate of 0.80 Gy/min at 80.5 cm, {(10 × 10) cm² field}. The dosimetry of this unit was performed using a Victoreen 500 dosimeter. For the determination of the mean dose at each point evaluated, the individual values of the tablets calibrated in air or "phantom" were used, resulting in a build up of 2 mm to superficialize the dose at a distance of 300 cm. RESULTS: In 70% of the patients a variation of less than 5% in the dose was obtained. In 30% of the patients this variation was less than 10%, when values obtained were compared to the values calculated at each point. A mean absorption of 14% was seen in the head, and an increase of 2% of the administered dose was seen in the lungs. In patients with latero-lateral distance greater than 35 cm the variation between the calculated doses and the measured doses reached 30% of the desired dose, without the use of compensation filters. CONCLUSION: The measured values of the absorbed doses at the various anatomic points compared to the desired doses (theoretic) presented a tolerance of ± 10%, considering the existent anatomical differences and when using the individual calibration factors of the tablets.

Keywords: Whole body irradiation, Dosimetry, Thermoluminescent dosimeters, Doses, Bone marrow transplantation