Characterization of an Innovative Detector Based on Scintillating Fiber for Personalized Computed Tomography Dosimetry.

Clément Devic,Mélodie Munier,Johann Plagnard

doi:10.3390/s22010090

Abstract

For technical and radioprotection reasons, it has become essential to develop new dosimetric tools adapted to the specificities of computed tomography (CT) to ensure precise and efficient dosimetry since the current standards are not suitable for clinical use and for new CT technological evolution. Thanks to its many advantages, plastic scintillating fibers (PSF) is a good candidate for more accurate and personalized real-time dosimetry in computed tomography, and the company Fibermetrix has developed a new device named IVISCAN® based on this technology. In this study, we evaluated performances of IVISCAN® and associated uncertainties in terms of dose-rate dependence, angular dependence, stability with cumulative dose, repeatability, energy dependence, length dependence, and special uniformity in reference and clinical computed tomography beam qualities. For repeatability, the standard deviation is less than 0.039%, and the absolute uncertainty of repeatability lies between 0.017% and 0.025%. The deviation between IVISCAN® and the reference regarding energy dependence is less than 1.88% in clinical use. Dose rate dependence results show a maximum deviation under ±2%. Angular dependence standard deviation σ is 0.8%, and the absolute uncertainty was 1.6%. We observed 1% of variation every 50 Gy steps up to a cumulative dose of 500 Gy. Probe response was found to be independent of the PSF length with a maximum deviation < 2.7% between the IVISCAN® probe and the 1 cm PSF probe. The presented results demonstrated that IVISCAN® performances are in accordance with metrology references and the international standard IEC61674 relative to dosemeters used in X-ray diagnostic imaging and then make it an ideal candidate for real-time dosimetry in CT applications.

Highlights

Computed Tomography (CT) is a non-invasive, rapid, and extremely accurate diagnostic tool for physicians and has had an undeniable impact on healthcare
We evaluated the energy dependence of the detector for X-rays photons from 20 to 140 kVp in order to cover the entire range of diagnostic radiology
IVISCAN® was evaluated in reference and clinical computed tomography radiation qualities in the French metrology laboratory LNHB and on CT

Summary

Introduction

Computed Tomography (CT) is a non-invasive, rapid, and extremely accurate diagnostic tool for physicians and has had an undeniable impact on healthcare. CT’s technological improvements have allowed a wide clinical use, and the number of procedures performed has steadily increased over the past decades [1] It has increased by 20% in the United. The same trend is observed in countries with a comparable healthcare system [6] This increase in procedures is accompanied by an increase in the average annual effective dose received by the population in diagnostic radiology, which stands at 74.2% in France, 63% in the United States, and 67% in Germany [3,5]. The issue of the impact of low-dose radiation on health has been raised, in terms of radiation-induced cancers [7,8] and in terms of non-cancerous effects such as cataracts or cardiovascular diseases [9], leading to the need for dose uncertainty in CT to be as small as possible [6]. A large number of patients undergo multiple examinations and are sometimes exposed to an effective dose higher than the

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