Abstract
Because of the low energy of photon or beta radioactive sources currently used for modern techniques of brachytherapy, and the high dose gradient existing around them, the dosimeters to be used for quality controls of the sources or absorbed dose measurements should have special characteristics such as an accurate and reproducible response, a low dose response dependence as a function of energy, a high sensitivity under a small volume, a response independent of the dose-rate, etc. Commercial solid state detectors, such as diodes, MOSFETs, EPR-alanine, Gafchromic films, plastic scintillators and radiothermo-luminescent (RTL) dosimeters, can be interesting in the concerned field. After a brief reminder of their principle, a review of their dosimetric advantages and disadvantages is presented. A selection of detectors the best suited for brachy-therapy with examples of use for quality assurance controls or in-vivo dosimetry is also presented.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Alecu R. and Alecu M. (1999) In vivo rectal dose measurements with diodes to avoid mis-administrations during intracavitaryhigh dose rate brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix, Med. Phys. 26, 768–770.
Alva H., Mercado-Uribe H., Rodriguez-Villafuerte M. and Brandan M.E. (2002) The use of a reflective scanner to study radiochromic film response. Phys. Med. Biol. 47, 2925–2933.
Aydarous A.S., Darley P.J. and Charles M.W. (2001) A wide dynamic range, high spatial resolution scanning system for radiochromic dye films. Phys. Med. Biol. 46, 1379–1389.
Bambinek M., Flühs D., Heintz M., Kolanoski H., Wegener D. and Quast U. (1999) Fluorescence 125I applicator. Med. Phys. 26, 2476–2481.
Barthe J. (2001) Electronic dosimeters based on solid state detectors. Nucl. Instrum. Meth. Phys. Res., Sect. B, 184, 158–189.
Beddar A.S., Mackie T.R. and Attix F.H. (1992) Water-equivalent plastic scintillation detectors for high energy beam dosimetry- 1. Physical characteristics and theoretical considerations. Phys. Med. Biol. 37, 1883–1900.
Butson M.J., Cheung T. and Yu P. (2006) Weak energy dependence of EBT Gafchromic film dose response in the 50 kVp-10 MVp X-ray range. Appl. Radiat. Isotopes. 64, 60–62.
Chui-Tsao S.-T., Duckworth T.L., Patel N.S., Pisch J. and Harrisson L.B. (2004) Verification of Ir-192 near source dosimetry using Gafchromic film. Med. Phys. 31, 201–207.
Clift M.A., Sutton R.A. and Webb D.V. (2000) Water equivalence of plastic organic scintil-lators in megavoltage radiotherapy bremsstrahlung beams. Phys. Med. Biol. 45, 1885–1895.
Cygler J., Saoudi A., Perry G., Morash C. and Choan E. (2006) Feasibility study of using MOSFET detectors for in vivo dosimetry during permanent low-dose rate prostate implants. Radiother. Oncol. 80, 296–301.
Devic S., Seuntjens J., Heygil G., Podgorsak E.B., Soares C.G., Kirov A.S., Ali I., Williamson J. and Elizondo A. (2004) Dosimetric properties of improved Gafchromic films from seven digitizers. Med. Phys. 31, 2392–2401.
Flühs D., Heintz M., Indekämpen F., Wieczorek C., Kolaoski H. and Quast U. (1996) Direct reading measurement of absorbed dose with plastic scintillators –The general concept and applications to ophtalmic plaque dosimetry, Med. Phys. 23, 427–434.
Fusi F., Mercatelli L., Marconi G., Cuttone G. and Romano G. (2004) Optical characterization of radiochromic film by total reflectance and transmittance measurements. Med. Phys. 31, 2147–2154.
Iftimia I., Devlin P.M., Chin L.M., Baron J.M. and Cormack R.A. (2003) GAF film dosi-metry of a tandem of beta-emitting intravascular brachytherapy source train, Med. Phys. 30, 1004–1012.
Marinello G. (2007) Radiothermoluminescent dosimeters and diodes. In “Hanbook of radiotherapy Physics” Eds Mayles P., Rosenwald J.C. and Nahum A. CRC Press-Taylor & Francis Group (London), chapter 16, 303–320.
Marinello G., Raynal M., Brulé A.M. and Pierquin B. (1975) Utilisation du fluorure de lithium en dosimétrie clinique. Application á la mesure de la dose délivrée á la région axillaire par l'iridium 192 dans l'endocuriethérapie des cancers du sein. J. Radiol. Elect. 11, 791–796.
McKeever S.W.S. (1985) Thermoluminescence of solids. University Press (New York).
McKeever S.W.S., Moscovitch M. and Townsend P.D. (1995) Thermoluminescence dosi-metry materials: properties and uses. Nuclear Technology Publishing (Asford).
McLaughlin W.L., Boyd A.W., Chadwick K.H., Mc Donald J.C. and Miller A. (1989) Dosimetry for radiation processing. Taylor & Francis (London).
McLaughlin W.L., Chen Y-D. and Soares C.G. (1991) Sensitometry of the response of a new radiochromic film dosimeter to gamma and electron beams. Nucl. Instrum. Nad. Meth. Phys. Res. A 302, 165–176.
McLaughlin W.L., Al-Shiekley M., Lewis D.F., Kovacs A. and Wojnarovits L. (1996) A radiochromic solid state polymerization. In “Radiation effects on polymers” Eds Clough R.L., O'Donnel J.H. and Shalaby. American Chemical Society (Washington, DC), 152–166.
Meigooni A.S., Sanders M.F., Ibott G.S. and Szeglin S.R. (1997) Dosimetric characteristics of en imporved radiochromic film. Med. Phys. 23, 1883–1886.
Mourtada F.A., Soares C.G., Seltzer S.M. and Lott S.H. (2000) Dosimetry characterization of 32P catheter-based vascular brachytherapy source wire. Med. Phys. 27, 1770–1776.
Olsen K.J., Hansen J.W. and Wille M. (1990) Response of the Alanine radiation dosimeterto high energy photon and electron beams. Phys. Med. Biol. 35, 43–52.
Pai S., Reinstein L.E., Gluckman G., Xu Z. and Weiss T. (1998) The use of improved radio-chromic films for in vivo quality assurance of high dose rate brachytherapy. Med. Phys. 27, 1217–1221.
Perera H., Williamson J.F., Monthofer S.P., Binns W.R., Klarmann J., Fuller G.L. and Wong J.W. (1992) Rapid-two dimensional dose-measurement in brachytherapy using plastic scintillator sheet: linearity, signal-to-noise ratio, and energy response characteristics. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 23, 1059–1069.
Piermattei A., Azario L., Monaco G., Sorini A. and Arcovito G. (1995) p-type silicon detector for brachytherapy dosimetry. Med. Phys. 22, 835–839.
Soubra M., Cygler J. and Mackay (1994) Evaluation of a dual bias dual metal oxide-silicon semiconductor field effect transistor detector as a radiation dosimeter. Med. Phys. 21, 567–572.
Stevens M.A., Turner J.R., Hugtenburg R.P. and Butler P.H. (1996) High resolution dosimetry using radiochromic film and a document scanner. Phys. Med. Biol. 41, 2357–2365.
Vassy D., Hallil A., Stubbs J., Webster M., Turmel J. and Salazar B. (2005) Verifying correct location of HDR Dwell position in the Mammosite catheter using an integral linear MOSFET dosimeter. Med. Phys. 32, 1962.
Van Dam J. and Marinello G. (2006) Methods for in vivo dosimetry in external radiotherapy ESTRO Booklet No 1 (second edition). Available on : http://www.estro.org.
Wang B., Xu X.G. and Kim C.-H. (2005) Monte-Carlo study of MOSFET dosimeter characteristics: dose dependence on photon energy, direction and dosimeter composition. Radiat. Protect. Dosim., 113, No 1, 40–46.
Yamauchi M., Tominaga T. and Nakamura O. (2004) Gafchromic film dosimetry with a flatbed color scanner for Leksell gamma knife therapy. Med. Phys. 31, 1243–1248.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Marinello, G. (2009). Solid State Detectors for Quality Assurance in Brachytherapy. In: Lemoigne, Y., Caner, A. (eds) Radiotherapy and Brachytherapy. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series B: Physics and Biophysics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3097-9_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3097-9_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-3095-5
Online ISBN: 978-90-481-3097-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)