Dosimeter Formulation Research Articles

Development and characterization of a Fricke gel dosimeter for precise measurement in low-dose photon fields

In the field of radiation medicine, particularly within radiotherapy applications, radiochromic chemical dosimeters are indispensable tools for dose measurement. This study focuses on the novel development of a radiochromic dosimeter tailored for the precise detection of low-dose radiation, aiming to construct a dosimeter with tissue-equivalent properties suitable for accurately measuring low to medium radiation doses. Utilizing ferrous xylenol orange gel (FXG), we developed two tissue-equivalent dosimeter formulations based on gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Our findings demonstrate that the gelatin-based FXG dosimeter exhibits a robust linear dose-response relationship, facilitating precise dose measurements in the range of 50 to 5000 mGy. Conversely, the PVA-based FXG dosimeter proved effective for dose measurements within a narrower range of 600 to 5000 mGy. Notably, the gelatin-based dosimeter's performance underscores its potential as a versatile tool in radiation detection, promising significant benefits for both medical and industrial applications. This research confirms the efficacy of the Fricke dosimeter gel, demonstrating its linear response across a dose range of 0.05 to 5 Gy, thus establishing a foundation for further advancements in accurate and reliable low-dose radiation monitoring.

Evaluation of a novel N-(Hydroxymethyl) acrylamide polymer gel dosimeter formulation with organic glucose additive for radiotherapy

In this study, the first evaluation of organic sensitizer material on N-(Hydroxymethyl) acrylamide (NHMA) polymer gel dosimeter was presented. A novel tissue-equivalent polymer gel formula composed of NHMA containing different concentrations of organic glucose additive (GL-NHMA) was developed and evaluated for its potential use to measure 3D dose distributions to compare with treatment planning system. The new polymers of GL-NHMA were irradiated using a linear accelerator (LINAC) with a megavolt X-ray photon beam over a dose range of 2–20 Gy, energies of 6, 10, and 15 MV, and dose rates of 50, 200, and 500 cGy/min. The samples were evaluated using 0.5 T nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique in terms of spin-spin relaxation rate (R2). Comparing with the conventional NHMA composition (i.e., 0 wt% GL concentration), the sensitivity of the GL-NHAM was improved by 53%, 68%, 89%, and 115% with 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt% GL, respectively, with an excellent linear dose response up to 8 Gy. There were no observable effects on the R2 dose response induced by varying the dose rate, photon energy, and irradiation temperature. The polymerization was stable after irradiation for a period of 10 days. Additionally, the R2 values decreased with increasing the scanning temperature. The dosimeter is water equivalent and is energy-independent from 0.1 to 20 MeV when considering the optimum composition. The gel dosimetry accuracy was evaluated in this study by calculating the overall uncertainty and found to be 4.64% (2σ, 95% confidence level). The GL additive acts as an excellent organic sensitizer in the GL-NHMA system, suggesting that this improved polymer formulation may be a useful tool for measuring dose distributions in radiotherapy at clinically relevant dose levels.

Optimization of the Dose Rate Effect in Tetrazolium Gellan Gel Dosimeters.

Tetrazolium salts provide an appealing candidate for 3D gel dosimeters as they exhibit a low intrinsic color, no signal diffusion and excellent chemical stability. However, a previously developed commercial product (the ClearView 3D Dosimeter) based on a tetrazolium salt dispersed within a gellan gum matrix presented a noticeable dose rate effect. The goal of this study was to find out whether ClearView could be reformulated in order to minimize the dose rate effect by optimizing of the tetrazolium salt and gellan gum concentrations and by the addition a thickening agent, ionic crosslinkers, and radical scavengers. To that goal, a multifactorial design of experiments (DOE) was conducted in small-volume samples (4-mL cuvettes). It showed that the dose rate could be effectively minimized without sacrificing the integrity, chemical stability, or dose sensitivity of the dosimeter. The results from the DOE were used to prepare candidate formulations for larger-scale testing in 1-L samples to allow for fine-tuning the dosimeter formulation and conducting more detailed studies. Finally, an optimized formulation was scaled-up to a clinically relevant volume of 2.7 L and tested against a simulated arc treatment delivery with three spherical targets (diameter 3.0 cm), requiring different doses and dose rates. The results showed excellent geometric and dosimetric registration, with a gamma passing rate (at 10% minimum dose threshold) of 99.3% for dose difference and distance to agreement criteria of 3%/2 mm, compared to 95.7% in the previous formulation. This difference may be of clinical importance, as the new formulation may allow the quality assurance of complex treatment plans, relying on a variety of doses and dose rates; thus, expanding the potential practical application of the dosimeter.

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.

Linear energy transfer characterization of five gel dosimeter formulations for electron and proton therapeutic beams

Gel dosimeters, including radiochromic types like Fricke, as well as polymer formulations, are considered to be the only reliable option for accurate 3D dosimetry. Nevertheless, their implementation in daily clinical quality assurance still remains strongly limited for a few high specialized radiotherapy centres. Although gel dosimeters present very good water-equivalence due to their inherent chemical and isotopic compositions, addressing the corresponding dosimetry outputs is highly challenging, needing careful assessment in terms of the different radiation qualities involved in the mixed field. Accurate estimations of the linear energy transfer for each gel dosimeter formulation stands as a baseline for further accurate dose deconvolution in mixed radiation fields. The present study reports on the linear energy transfer characterization of five different gel dosimeter formulations, Fricke, Itabis, Magic, Nipam, and Pagat, for electron and proton therapeutic beams as obtained by Monte Carlo approaches, along with experimental results for validation purposes. The linear energy transfer, as a function of beam quality and penetration depth, is obtained for electron and proton therapeutic beams remarking the presence of non-negligible variations, which need to be accounted for a further accurate implementation of gel dosimetry as well as for precise dose deconvolution in mixed radiation fields.

The Effect of N, Nʹ-Methylene-bis-acrylamide Removal from a Polymer Gel Dosimeter Formulation: Spin–Spin Relaxation Rate Investigation and Post-irradiation Time Instability

The Effect of N, Nʹ-Methylene-bis-acrylamide Removal from a Polymer Gel Dosimeter Formulation: Spin–Spin Relaxation Rate Investigation and Post-irradiation Time Instability

EFFECTIVE ATOMIC NUMBERS AND ELECTRON DENSITIES OF GEL DOSIMETERS FOR He, B, C, AND O HIGHLY CHARGED PARTICLES INTERACTION IN THE ENERGY RANGE 10 keV–100 MeV

The radiological properties of different gel dosimeter formulations including six normoxic and four hypoxic polymeric gels, BRESAGE, PREAGE®, Fricke gel dosimeters, and water were investigated using SRIM code. The effective atomic number Zeff and electron density (Ne) for heavily charged particle interaction were calculated and performed for Helium (He), Boron (B), Carbon (C), and Oxygen (O) ion interactions in the energy range from 10 keV to 100 MeV. Variations of effective atomic number (Zeff) and electron density (Ne) with the kinetic energy of ions, (He, B, C, and O), were observed over the whole energy range for all studied materials. Variations of Zeff for He ion are up to 21%, 25%, and 20% for hypoxic and normoxic gels, Fricke gel, and PRESAGE gels, respectively. For other ions, variation is up to 34% for hypoxic and normoxic gels as well as Fricke gel, and 32% for PRESAGE gels. It is found that the maximum values of Zeff have been observed in intermediate energies between 1-10 MeV for all dosimeters, except for PRESAGE and PRESAGE® , where maximum values were observed in the relatively low energy range 10 – 100 keV. For effective atomic number relative to water, polymeric gels and Fricke gel showed better water equivalence with differences <7%, while PRESAGE and PRESAGE® showed high differences up to 17.5%, 22%, 21%, and 25% for He, B, C, and O ion, respectively. Gels found to be most relative to water are (Fricke, HEAG, and PAG), Fricke and HEAG), (Fricke and HEAG), and (Fricke, HEAG, and BANG-1) for He, B, C, and O ion interactions, respectively. Data reported here gives essential information about the interaction of different types of charged particles with different materials and could be useful in the energy range specified.

EFFECTIVE ATOMIC NUMBERS AND ELECTRON DENSITIES OF GEL DOSIMETERS FOR He, B, C, AND O HIGHLY CHARGED PARTICLES INTERACTION IN THE ENERGY RANGE 10 keV–100 MeV

The radiological properties of different gel dosimeter formulations including six normoxic and four hypoxic polymeric gels, BRESAGE, PREAGE®, Fricke gel dosimeters, and water were investigated using SRIM code. The effective atomic number Zeff and electron density (Ne) for heavily charged particle interaction were calculated and performed for Helium (He), Boron (B), Carbon (C), and Oxygen (O) ion interactions in the energy range from 10 keV to 100 MeV. Variations of effective atomic number (Zeff) and electron density (Ne) with the kinetic energy of ions, (He, B, C, and O), were observed over the whole energy range for all studied materials. Variations of Zeff for He ion are up to 21%, 25%, and 20% for hypoxic and normoxic gels, Fricke gel, and PRESAGE gels, respectively. For other ions, variation is up to 34% for hypoxic and normoxic gels as well as Fricke gel, and 32% for PRESAGE gels. It is found that the maximum values of Zeff have been observed in intermediate energies between 1-10 MeV for all dosimeters, except for PRESAGE and PRESAGE® , where maximum values were observed in the relatively low energy range 10 – 100 keV. For effective atomic number relative to water, polymeric gels and Fricke gel showed better water equivalence with differences <7%, while PRESAGE and PRESAGE® showed high differences up to 17.5%, 22%, 21%, and 25% for He, B, C, and O ion, respectively. Gels found to be most relative to water are (Fricke, HEAG, and PAG), Fricke and HEAG), (Fricke and HEAG), and (Fricke, HEAG, and BANG-1) for He, B, C, and O ion interactions, respectively. Data reported here gives essential information about the interaction of different types of charged particles with different materials and could be useful in the energy range specified.

Making and assessing 3D dosimeters

Several 3D dosimeters are commercially available. However, there are many circumstances that require a customized 3D dosimeter. Examples include feasibility tests of non-standard treatment modalities, inhomogeneous tissue configurations, unique shapes and sizes and teaching. In this session, general approaches for preparing radiochromic dosimeters, Fricke and polymer gel dosimeters, micelle gel and silicone dosimeters were presented. Advise will be given to developers of new 3D dosimeters. For optical readout, light absorption and scatter can limit the practical size of dosimeters. Specifically, increasing from 5 to 15 cm diameter dosimeters is optically challenging. Strategies to maximize initial optical transmission were presented. For MRI readout, the dose resolution is determined by both the dosimeter sensitivity and the pulse sequence parameters and the accuracy is determined by the sensitivity of the dosimeter to temperature and dose rate, next to imaging performance. For X-ray CT imaging, the dose resolution is determined by the sensitivity of the dosimeter which largely depends on the polymer density that can be achieved. The importance of characterizing the dosimeter in terms of dose sensitivity and stability, spatial integrity, dose rate and fractionation dependence, oxygen and ambient light sensitivity, temperature sensitivity and thermal history were emphasized. The dosimeter requirements also dictate the types of vessels and scanners appropriate for readout. For example, the preferred dosimeter formulation may include a compound that is incompatible with the preferred vessel.

Study of the formulation optimization and reusability of a MAGAT gel dosimeter

PurposeThis study aims to optimize the formulation of a methacrylic acid gelatine and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (MAGAT) gel dosimeter to achieve acceptable dosimetric characteristics and the lowest final costs. This study also evaluates the reusability of the dosimeter. MethodsThe MAGAT gel dosimeter formulation was optimized. Tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride (THPC) concentrations (2, 5, 8, 10, 20, and 65 mM), methacrylic acid (MA) concentrations (2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0% w/w) and gelatin concentrations (4.36, 6.45, 8.36, and 10.45% w/w) were evaluated to provide an adequate dosimetric response. The final dosimeter formulation linearity and dose rate dependence were evaluated. The reutilization methodology of the optimized gel formulation, but containing 2 mM of THPC, which was previously irradiated with a dose of 2 Gy, is also presented. ResultsThe optimized mass concentration of the dosimeter consists of 88.60% deionized water, 8.36% gelatin, 3.00% of MA and 0.04% THPC (5 mM). It presents a linear response for doses up to 10 Gy with a 1.16 Gy−1 s−1 sensitivity. A maximum sensitivity variation of less than 4.0% was found when varying the dose rate of the radiation beams from 300 to 500 cGy/min. It was possible to reuse the dosimeter, however the sensitivity decreased by 15% from the first to the second irradiation. ConclusionsA low-cost MAGAT gel dosimeter with optimized formulation that responds to radiation in a dose range of 0 to 10 Gy with small dose-rate dependence is presented. The MAGAT gel can be reused after a 2 Gy irradiation.

Observation of dose-rate dependence in a Fricke dosimeter irradiated at low dose rates with monoenergetic X-rays

Absolute measurements of the radiolytic yield of Fe3+ in a ferrous sulphate dosimeter formulation (6 mM Fe2+), with a 20 keV x-ray monoenergetic beam, are reported. Dose-rate suppression of the radiolytic yield was observed at dose rates lower than and different in nature to those previously reported with x-rays. We present evidence that this effect is most likely to be due to recombination of free radicals radiolytically produced from water. The method used to make these measurements is also new and it provides radiolytic yields which are directly traceable to the SI standards system. The data presented provides new and exacting tests of radiation chemistry codes.

Iron-based radiochromic systems for UV dosimetry applications

Phototherapy treatment using ultraviolet (UV) A and B light sources has long existed as a treatment option for various skin conditions. Quality control for phototherapy treatment recommended by the British Association of Dermatologists and British Photodermatology Group generally focused on instrumentation-based dosimetry measurements. The purpose of this study was to present an alternative, easily prepared dosimeter system for the measurement of UV dose and as a simple quality assurance technique for phototherapy treatments. Five different UVA-sensitive radiochromic dosimeter formulations were investigated and responded with a measurable and visible optical change both in solution and in gel form. Iron(III) reduction reaction formulations were found to be more sensitive to UVA compared to iron(II) oxidation formulations. One iron(III) reduction formulation was found to be especially promising due to its sensitivity to UVA dose, ease of production, and linear response up to a saturation point.

In Vivo Rectal Wall Dosimetry in Gynecological HDR Brachytherapy Using a Semi-Flexible Rectal Probe Provided with MOSkin Dosimeters

Comparison between the BrachyVision calculated dose and dosimeter measurement was performed using CERR radiotherapy analysis software. Results: The dosimeter was reconstructed with 1 mm voxel spacing and a 3pixel median filter. Aside from the needle track itself, no fractures formed in the dosimeter from the insertion, resulting in a pristine readout free of major image artifacts. Line profiles show strong agreement between the calculated and measured doses across the entire distribution, with exceptionally high matching at the sharp gradients surrounding the site of insertion (Fig. 1). Gamma index calculation shows 99.9% of voxels passing at 3%/2mm criteria. Conclusions: This work introduces a new formulation of low-durometer, deformable Presage dosimeters, and demonstrates strong viability for their use in complete 3D validation of interstitial brachytherapy treatments. These dosimeters are able to address a growing need in brachytherapy dose planning, quality control, and likely treatment commissioning. Further work will test this dosimeter formulation with multiple needle insertions, anthropomorphically-correct anatomy, and varying deformation to closer represent real-life treatment scenarios.

Sensitivity and variability of Presage dosimeter formulations in sheet form with application to SBRT and SRS QA.

To measure sensitivity and stability of the Presage dosimeter in sheet form for various chemical concentrations over a range of clinical photon energies and examine its use for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) QA. Presage polymer dosimeters were formulated to investigate and optimize their sensitivity and stability. The dosimeter is composed of clear polyurethane base, leucomalachite green (LMG) reporting dye, and bromoform radical initiator in 0.9-1.0 mm thick sheets. The chemicals are mixed together for 2 min, cast in an aluminum mold, and left to cure at 60 psi for a minimum of two days. Dosimeter response was characterized at energies Co-60, 6 MV, 10 MV flattening-filter free, 15 MV, 50 kVp (mean 19.2 keV), and Ir-192. The dosimeters were scanned by a Microtek Scanmaker i800 at 300 dpi, 2(16) bit depth per color channel. Red component images were analyzed with ImageJ and rit. SBRT QA was done with gamma analysis tolerances of 2% and 2 mm DTA. The sensitivity of the Presage dosimeter increased with increasing concentration of bromoform. Addition of tin catalyst decreased curing time and had negligible effect on sensitivity. LMG concentration should be at least as high as the bromoform, with ideal concentration being 2% wt. Gamma Knife SRS QA measurements of relative output and profile widths were within 2% of manufacturer's values validated at commissioning, except the 4 mm collimator relative output which was within 3%. The gamma pass rate of Presage with SBRT was 73.7%, compared to 93.1% for EBT2 Gafchromic film. The Presage dosimeter in sheet form was capable of detecting radiation over all tested photon energies and chemical concentrations. The best sensitivity and photostability of the dosimeter were achieved with 2.5% wt. LMG and 8.2% wt. bromoform. Scanner used should not emit any UV radiation as it will expose the dosimeter, as with the Epson 10000 XL scanner. Presage dosimeter in this form was sensitive enough for use in SRS and SBRT QA. The lower gamma pass rate for Presage compared to Gafchromic film can be attributed to the simple equipment used in the fabrication process, which limited the dosimeter's sensitivity uniformity by agglomeration of air bubbles in the material, nonuniform concentration of chemicals throughout the material, and thickness variations. This demands improvements in mixing tools and molds.

Eliminating the dose-rate effect in a radiochromic silicone-based 3D dosimeter

Comprehensive dose verification, such as 3D dosimetry, may be required for safe introduction and use of advanced treatment modalities in radiotherapy. A radiochromic silicone-based 3D dosimetry system has recently been suggested, though its clinical use has so far been limited by a considerable dose-rate dependency of the dose response. In this study we have investigated the dose-rate dependency with respect to the chemical composition of the dosimeter. We found that this dependency was reduced with increasing dye concentration, and the dose response was observed to be identical for dosimeters irradiated with 2 and 6 Gy min−1 at concentrations of 0.26% (w/w) dye and 1% (w/w) dye solvent. Furthermore, for the optimized dosimeter formulation, no dose-rate effect was observed due to the attenuation of the beam fluence with depth. However, the temporal stability of the dose response decreased with dye concentration; the response was reduced by (62 ± 1)% within approximately 20 h upon irradiation, at the optimal chemical composition and storage at room temperature. In conclusion, this study presents a chemical composition for a dose-rate independent silicone dosimeter which has considerably improved the clinical applicability of such dosimeters, but at the cost of a decreased stability.

SU‐E‐T‐353: Effects of Time and Temperature On a Potential Reusable 3D Dosimeter

Purpose:Preliminary studies of a novel, optically‐clearing PRESAGE 3D dosimeter formulation (Presage‐RU) demonstrated potential reusability. This study investigates the effects of time and temperature on the accuracy and reusability of Presage‐RU, and reports on progress toward developing a reusable 3D dosimeter.Methods:Presage‐RU was cast as small volume samples (1×1×4.5cm). The effect of dose response sensitivity with reirradiation and time was evaluated by irradiating samples from 0–10Gy, measuring change in optical density (ΔOD), clearing at room temperature (RT) (5–7 days to fully clear), and then repeating for a total of 5 irradiations. Effects of heating on clearing rate were investigated by irradiating samples to 8Gy, then tracking measurements with samples held at RT, 35°C, and 45°C. Two cylindrical dosimeters (11cm diameter, 9.5cm length) were evaluated for dosimetric accuracy when stored at RT and −3°C prior to irradiation. Plans delivered were 2 overlapping AP fields (RT) and VMAT (‐3°C).Results:Heating the dosimeters reduced the clearing half‐life from 16.3h at RT to 5.8h (35°C) and 5.1h (45°C), but also increased background ΔOD by 1.7x (35°C) and 2.3x (45°C). Reductions in dose response were more closely linked to age than reirradiation, and storage at RT showed pronounced desensitization from dosimeter edges. These results suggest desensitization from oxygen diffusion. It should be noted that atmospheric diffusion into the dosimeter is not seen in standard, single‐use PRESAGE, and is likely caused by differences in the Presage‐RU polyurethane matrix. The dosimeter kept in cold storage, however, showed no evidence of desensitization and exhibited accuracy on par with standard PRESAGE with a 3%/3mm 3D gamma passing rate of 98.1%.Conclusions:Presage‐RU is sensitive to storage temperatures and time, both of which affect oxygen diffusion and subsequent desensitization. Development shows promising progress with further formulation optimization as the next step toward achieving a successful reusable 3D dosimeter.This work was supported by NIH R01CA100835. John Adamovics is the president of Heuris Inc., which commercializes PRESAGE.

Characterization of novel water-equivalent PRESAGE® dosimeters for megavoltage and kilovoltage x-ray beam dosimetry

In this paper we introduce three novel PRESAGE® dosimeters referred to as metal optimized dosimeters (MODs) 1, 2 and 3, and determine their sensitivity, as well as their water equivalency. All three formulations contained very small concentrations (0.01 wt%) of metal compounds. The radiological properties were key factors that were considered when designing and formulating the new dosimeters. The dosimeters were prepared in spectrophotometric cuvettes, irradiated with a 6 MV X-ray beam, and the change in optical density of each dosimeter was measured using a spectrophotometer. Results show that all three MOD formulations exhibit radiological properties closer to water than the recently introduced PRESAGE® dosimeter formulation referred to as formulation A, with mass densities of the novel formulations varying by only 3.9% from that of water, as compared to 5.3% for the commercial formulation. Whereas the novel formulations have almost identical Zeff values to that of water (Zeff = 7.42), the Zeff for the commercial formulation was 3.7% higher than that of water. Comparison of mass energy coefficients for all MOD formulations showed a maximum variation of approximately 0.6 times closer to water especially MOD 3 whereas commercial formulation was 1.23 times larger than water at approximately 40 keV. The same effect was observed for mass attenuation coefficients comparison. MOD 3 was also more sensitive to radiation than MOD 1 and 2 as a result of the inclusion of bromine-based halocarbons in the formulation. All novel MOD formulations were comparable to commercial formulation in terms of probability of Compton scatter and pair production compared to water. However, the probability of photoelectric absorption in the three novel MOD formulations varied significantly less (1.3 times greater) from that of water as compared to the commercial formulation (1.8 times greater). Given that all three novel MOD formulations displayed improved radiological properties over any of the currently available PRESAGE® dosimeter formulations makes them ideal candidates for tissue mimics in dosimetry of clinical megavoltage and kilovoltage x-ray beams.

FlexyDos3D: a deformable anthropomorphic 3D radiation dosimeter: radiation properties**The first authors Y De Deene and P S Skyt made an equivalent contribution to the experimental work presented in this paper.

Three dimensional radiation dosimetry has received growing interest with the implementation of highly conformal radiotherapy treatments. The radiotherapy community faces new challenges with the commissioning of image guided and image gated radiotherapy treatments (IGRT) and deformable image registration software.A new three dimensional anthropomorphically shaped flexible dosimeter, further called ‘FlexyDos3D’, has been constructed and a new fast optical scanning method has been implemented that enables scanning of irregular shaped dosimeters. The FlexyDos3D phantom can be actuated and deformed during the actual treatment. FlexyDos3D offers the additional advantage that it is easy to fabricate, is non-toxic and can be molded in an arbitrary shape with high geometrical precision.The dosimeter formulation has been optimized in terms of dose sensitivity. The influence of the casting material and oxygen concentration has also been investigated. The radiophysical properties of this new dosimeter are discussed including stability, spatial integrity, temperature dependence of the dosimeter during radiation, readout and storage, dose rate dependence and tissue equivalence.

On the feasibility of comprehensive high-resolution 3D remote dosimetry.

This study investigates the feasibility of remote high-resolution 3D dosimetry with the PRESAGE®/Optical-CT system. In remote dosimetry, dosimeters are shipped out from a central base institution to a remote institution for irradiation, then shipped back to the base institution for subsequent readout and analysis. Two nominally identical optical-CT scanners for 3D dosimetry were constructed and placed at the base (Duke University) and remote (Radiological Physics Center) institutions. Two formulations of PRESAGE® (SS1, SS2) radiochromic dosimeters were investigated. Higher sensitivity was expected in SS1, which had higher initiator content (0.25% bromotrichloromethane), while greater temporal stability was expected in SS2. Four unirradiated PRESAGE® dosimeters (two per formulation, cylindrical dimensions 11 cm diameter, 8.5-9.5 cm length) were imaged at the base institution, then shipped to the remote institution for planning and irradiation. Each dosimeter was irradiated with the same simple treatment plan: an isocentric 3-field "cross" arrangement of 4 × 4 cm open 6 MV beams configured as parallel opposed laterals with an anterior beam. This simple plan was amenable to accurate and repeatable setup, as well as accurate dose modeling by a commissioned treatment planning system (Pinnacle). After irradiation and subsequent (within 1 h) optical-CT readout at the remote institution, the dosimeters were shipped back to the base institution for remote dosimetry readout 3 days postirradiation. Measured on-site and remote relative 3D dose distributions were registered to the Pinnacle dose calculation, which served as the reference distribution for 3D gamma calculations with passing criteria of 5%/2 mm, 3%/3 mm, and 3%/2 mm with a 10% dose threshold. Gamma passing rates, dose profiles, and color-maps were all used to assess and compare the performance of both PRESAGE® formulations for remote dosimetry. The best agreements between the Pinnacle plan and dosimeter readout were observed in PRESAGE® formulation SS2. Under 3%/3 mm 3D gamma passing criteria, passing rates were 91.5% ± 3.6% (SS1) and 97.4% ± 2.2% (SS2) for immediate on-site dosimetry, 96.7% ± 2.4% (SS1) and 97.6% ± 0.6% (SS2) for remote dosimetry. These passing rates are well within TG119 recommendations (88%-90% passing). Under the more stringent criteria of 3%/2 mm, there is a pronounced difference [8.0 percentage points (pp)] between SS1 formulation passing rates for immediate and remote dosimetry while the SS2 formulation maintains both higher passing rates and consistency between immediate and remote results (differences ≤ 1.2 pp) at all metrics. Both PRESAGE® formulations under study maintained high linearity of dose response (R(2) > 0.996) for 1-8 Gy over 14 days with response slope consistency within 4.9% (SS1) and 6.6% (SS2), and a relative dose distribution that remained stable over time was demonstrated in the SS2 dosimeters. Remote 3D dosimetry was shown to be feasible with a PRESAGE® dosimeter formulation (SS2) that exhibited relative temporal stability and high accuracy when read off-site 3 days postirradiation. Characterization of the SS2 dose response demonstrated linearity (R(2) > 0.998) over 14 days and suggests accurate readout over longer periods of time would be possible. This result provides a foundation for future investigations using remote dosimetry to study the accuracy of advanced radiation treatments. Further work is planned to characterize dosimeter reproducibility and dose response over longer periods of time.

On the feasibility of polyurethane based 3D dosimeters with optical CT for dosimetric verification of low energy photon brachytherapy seeds.

To investigate the feasibility of and challenges yet to be addressed to measure dose from low energy (effective energy <50 keV) brachytherapy sources (Pd-103, Cs-131, and I-125) using polyurethane based 3D dosimeters with optical CT. The authors' evaluation used the following sources: models 200 (Pd-103), CS-1 Rev2 (Cs-131), and 6711 (I-125). The authors used the Monte Carlo radiation transport code MCNP5, simulations with the ScanSim optical tomography simulation software, and experimental measurements with PRESAGE(®) dosimeters/optical CT to investigate the following: (1) the water equivalency of conventional (density = 1.065 g/cm(3)) and deformable (density = 1.02 g/cm(3)) formulations of polyurethane dosimeters, (2) the scatter conditions necessary to achieve accurate dosimetry for low energy photon seeds, (3) the change in photon energy spectrum within the dosimeter as a function of distance from the source in order to determine potential energy sensitivity effects, (4) the optimal delivered dose to balance optical transmission (per projection) with signal to noise ratio in the reconstructed dose distribution, and (5) the magnitude and characteristics of artifacts due to the presence of a channel in the dosimeter. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using both conventional and deformable dosimeter formulations. For verification, 2.8 Gy at 1 cm was delivered in 92 h using an I-125 source to a PRESAGE(®) dosimeter with conventional formulation and a central channel with 0.0425 cm radius for source placement. The dose distribution was reconstructed with 0.02 and 0.04 cm(3) voxel size using the Duke midsized optical CT scanner (DMOS). While the conventional formulation overattenuates dose from all three sources compared to water, the current deformable formulation has nearly water equivalent attenuation properties for Cs-131 and I-125, while underattenuating for Pd-103. The energy spectrum of each source is relatively stable within the first 5 cm especially for I-125. The inherent assumption of radial symmetry in the TG43 geometry leads to a linear increase in sample points within the 3D dosimeter as a function of distance away from the source, which partially offsets the decreasing signal. Simulations of dose reconstruction using optical CT showed the feasibility of reconstructing dose out to a radius of 10 cm without saturating projection images using an optimal dose and high dynamic range scanning; the simulations also predicted that reconstruction artifacts at the channel surface due to a small discrepancy in refractive index should be negligible. Agreement of the measured with calculated radial dose function for I-125 was within 5% between 0.3 and 2.5 cm from the source, and the median difference of measured from calculated anisotropy function was within 5% between 0.3 and 2.0 cm from the source. 3D dosimetry using polyurethane dosimeters with optical CT looks to be a promising application to verify dosimetric distributions surrounding low energy brachytherapy sources.