Feasibility of a Reusable Radiochromic Dosimeter

The current practice for patient-specific quality assurance (QA) uses ion chambers or diode arrays primarily because of their ease of use and reliability. A standard routine compares the dose distribution measured in a phantom with the dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system for the same experimental conditions. For the particular problems encountered in the treatment planning of complex radiotherapy techniques, such as small fields/segments and dynamic delivery systems, additional tests are required to verify the accuracy of dose calculations. The dose distribution verification should be throughout the total 3D dose distribution for a high dose gradient in a small, irradiated volume, instead of the standard practice of one to several planes with 2D radiochromic (GAFChromic) film. To address this issue, we have developed a 3D radiochromic dosimeter that improves the rigor of current QA techniques by providing high-resolution, complete 3D verification for a wide range of clinical applications. The dosimeter is composed of polyurethane, a radical initiator, and a leuco dye, which is radiolytically oxidized to a dye absorbing at 633 nm. Since this chemical dosimeter is single-use, it represents a significant expense. The purpose of this research is to develop a cost-effective reusable dosimeter formulation. Based on prior reusability studies, three promising dosimeter formulations were studied using small volume optical cuvettes and irradiated to known clinically relevant doses of 0.5–10 Gy. After irradiation, the change in optical density was measured in a spectrophotometer. All three formulations retained linearity of optical density response to radiation upon re-irradiations. However, only one formulation retained dose sensitivity upon at least five re-irradiations, making it ideal for further evaluation as a 3D dosimeter.

Optical evaluation of dithizone solution as a new radiochromic dosimeter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new dithizone solution dosimeter for high radiation applications such as polymers applications and food irradiation. Design/methodology/approach Gamma-rays cell of Co-60 source with 8.4 kGy/h dose rate was used to irradiate the dithizone solutions at different irradiation temperatures. The optical measurements of unirradiated and irradiated dithizone dye solution dosimeters were performed using a UV/VIS spectrophotometer at absorption peaks of 421 and 515 nm. Findings The new dosimeter improved significantly with the increase of dithizone dye concentrations from 0.025 to 0.1 mM. The dosimeter shows a perfect pre- and post-irradiation stability after irradiation for five days. Because of irradiation temperature dependence, the dithizone solution dosimeter should be corrected under actual processing conditions. Practical implications Dosimetry is a key point in quality control of radiation processing to assure that uniform and correct radiation doses are delivered to a region of interest. Therefore, this study introduces a dithizone solution dosimeter for high-dose radiation applications such as food irradiation, polymers applications and agriculture. Originality/value Ionizing radiation interacted with the ethanol solvent, resulting in the formation of free radicals, then these free radicals interacted with the dithizone molecule and changed the dye color from yellow to orange.